There are so many different showers out there, it’s a jungle! There are digital showers, mixer showers, electric showers, you name it. Here is an inspirational guide to some fine showers we’ve come across…

AQUALISA
Aquatique Thermo is a mixer shower by Aqualisa that offers adjustable shower and drencher heads. It’s made of high quality brass with both exposed and concealed valves available. It comes in a chrome or gold finish and the drencher heads can be found in 5” and 8”. We really like Aquatique Thermo’s classic and sophisticated style, definitely a stunning addition to a rustic looking bathroom.

MIRA
Aside from its sleek design, Mira’s digital showers allow you to select exact temperature and the flow rate of your shower. It offers an Eco function if you wish to limit the flow and reduce your water usage. Mira’s 360 showerhead comes in three different designs and thanks to the Flipstream™ Technology the 360 showerhead rotates and offers four different sprays: rain, cloud, storm and burst. Well, let’s be honest, goodbye Eco function, hello burst!!!

Just going to have a shower…four times…

Mira platinum wireless remote controller

The Mira 360 range is complimented with Mira Shelves and can be used as parking sockets for the shower head to replace the conventional slide bar.

GROHE
The Rainshower F-series from Grohe is just stunning! And luxurious! As always when it comes to Grohe. There is too much to choose from to mention it all here but here are some sneak peaks:

Dream!

Attention rain shower lovers: If you want a proper rain shower you’ll need the right kit behind the scenes – ask for a cold water MainsBoost accumulator from TWS.

A little bit of English manufacturing history: SAMUEL HEATH

Samuel Heath factory in Birmingham, England

Samuel Heath was established in 1820 and is a British manufacturer that began as a traditional brass founder. Today Samuel Heath is manufacturing bathroom accessories, taps, showers and architectural hardware and has become internationally renowned for innovation and quality.

On the process: ‘Each piece is meticulously formed from the purest Northern European solid brass which is then polished by hand to create a flawless finish before undergoing a high quality electroplating process. Attention to detail dictates that each product is then assembled, checked and packed by skilled individuals. All of these processes take place at the company’s Birmingham factory ensuring total control over manufacturing, quality and environmental responsibility.’

Samuel Heath is located in the Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour.

The Fairfield line – Wooden levers enhance the organic feeling of Fairfield’s curvilinear design.

Samuel Heath and Royal Crown Derby collaborated for a collection that exemplifies the very best of British Design and Manufacturing.

Local recommendation: BURGE & GUNSON
We recommend Burge & Gunson in SW19, they are London’s largest independent bathroom specialists. They know it all and they stock all the brands mentioned above!

Happy showering!

Your home is likely to be your biggest investment thus helping it reach its full value potential is paramount. We’re not talking about giving it a quick lick of paint before you sell, as that is not going to add substantial worth to the property, this is about updating your home to make it a better place to live for you, as well as the next owner when it’s time to move on.

1.    Fix structural problems

First and foremost, address any structural issues, such as subsidence, wall cracks, a sagging roof and rising damp. Whilst you may be able to hide these ailments from potential buyers during viewings, they will get flagged up during a valuation and could seriously affect how much your house sells for.

Watch out for the early signs of structural damage as repairs become more disruptive and expensive the later you leave them. If you suspect a problem but are unsure if it is just cosmetic, consult a builder, surveyor or structural engineer to formally identify the issue.

2.    Install or upgrade central heating

Central heating can increase your home’s value by up to an incredible 13%¹. Considered to be an essential part of the modern home, central heating systems are economical to run and save space, particularly if you choose a combination boiler.

3.    Update plumbing

Old pipework can be furred up and lead to poor water flow, unwanted noise and burst pipes.

Consider a pressurised system rather than a gravity-fed one, as it will supply a better flow of cold and hot water. If you have room, you can still keep a cylinder for quick-running baths, but there are plenty of combination boilers with flow rates over 10 litres per minute, which is plenty for a decent power shower.

4.    Update electrics

If your electrics are running via an old fuse box, you may need to rewire the house and install a RCD (residual circuit device) for safety. At the same time, you can add extra sockets, update your lighting and add an extractor fan in the bathroom, which can all increase your home’s worth.

5.    Add an extra bath/shower room

Ideally, a home should have at least one bathroom for every three bedrooms, and if you can add an en-suite to the master bedroom, you will create real value.

Remodel or extend the existing space you have to create additional bathrooms and shower rooms. Even if that’s just a small 1 metre by 2.5 metres going spare, a professional plumber can fit everything a good wet room needs and still make it look fantastic.

6.    Modernise your kitchen

For many, the kitchen is the heart of a home so you want it to look good and be completely functional. If you have the space, it can be a great idea to install fitted cooking appliances, dishwashers, washing machines and waste disposal units, which de-clutter and save potential buyers from undercutting your asking price through fear of not being able to afford the household essentials once they are in the property.

7.    Renew your lease

A short lease (70 years or less) can prevent potential buyers and mortgage lenders investing in your property altogether. You can apply to extend your lease once you’ve been in a property for two years, just don’t wait too long, as the application gets more expensive the longer you put it off.

8.    Create more storage space

Converting any unused space into extra storage facilities is really appealing, particularly in smaller flats. This isn’t just about the loft or basement; look for hidden room behind plasterboard walls, under the stairs, under the bath and either side of the chimneybreast. You could add shelves, doors, cupboards to the walls, and you could even move a downstairs bathroom to a higher floor to make room for an extra closet.

¹ WhatPrice?, 2014. Improvements add value. [Online] Available at: http://www.whatprice.co.uk/housing-market/home-improvements-add-value.html. [Accessed 22nd September 2014].

We’ve been feeling in the mood for a change so we decided to pick out two interior brands that we think are doing an inspiring job.

Remains Lighting
Remains Lighting first opened in a Chelsea loft in April of 1996. The founder David Calligeros personally restored each item he sold to the highest standard. His keen interest in fine metalwork, as well as his desire to have a state-of-the-art restoration workshop devoted to one class of material, pushed him to focus the business on antique lighting. Today Remains Lighting is creating these beautiful pieces: feel free to indulge in this impeccable design.

Dome Pendant from the Commune collection.

California Sunburst from the Duquette Collection.

Philmont Table Lamp from the Wanzenberg collection.

Cole & Son
Cole and Son have been around since 1875 but don’t think they’re stuck in the old. They are creating some seriously exciting wallpapers and their designs are innovative and beautiful. Just see for yourself, if the below isn’t enough, there are literally over thousands of choices on their website. Click if you dare.

Archipelago Border from the Whimsical collection.

Pompeian from the New Contemporary collection.

Mediterranea from the Fornasetti collection.

Both Remains Lighting and Cole & Son can be found in the Design Centre Chelsea Harbour, London SW10 0XF.

There are a number of environmental, social and economic considerations to be taken into account when determining whether hard water is bad or not.

The benefits of hard water include:
• Improved taste of water
• Helps reduce heart disease
• Good for the development and maintenance of bones and teeth.

However, the drawbacks are:
• More soap is needed to produce lather so it can become more expensive
• The scum produced by hard water can spoil the appearance of kitchen appliances and bathroom suites
• The efficiency of kettles and heating systems can be reduced if limescale coats the insides of pipes and boilers – this can increase running costs and can cause a breakdown if a blockage occurs.

What causes hard water? Here’s the science:

Rainwater naturally contains carbonic acid, which is formed by the reaction between water and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

When it rains, the water falls over rocks and passes through layers of rock in the ground. Compounds from these rocks then dissolve into the water, and the hardness of the water will depend on which region in the UK this happens, as the rocks vary throughout.

Hard water contains dissolved compounds, usually calcium or magnesium, and carbonic acid in the rainwater reacts with this to produce soluble calcium hydrogencarbonate.

carbonic acid + calcium carbonate = calcium hydrogencarbonate

It’s the presence of calcium ions and magnesium ions in the water that makes it hard. Whilst soft water will readily form lather with soap, it’s more difficult to achieve with hard water, so more soap is needed.

So is hard water bad? Yes and no. It is not unhealthy for you to consume and bath in, but it can cause issues to your plumbing.

To see if your area has hard water click here.

For questions about potential problems to your plumbing caused by hard water in Chelsea call 020 7350 2511 or click here.

A lot can be said about the amount of water one uses when taking a shower. Studies out there say an 8-minute shower can use 62 litres of water, with some power showers using 136 litres for that same 8-minute shower and a typical bath using 80 litres of water. The age-old debate of bath vs shower rages on. But with both water and money seeming to not go as far as it used to, we have come up with a few tips to help you save money and water this summer.

• Installing a water efficient showerhead
Many are available for less than £30 – and the savings on your water and energy bill mean you’ll get that money back in less than a year

• Take a shorter shower
Take a shorter shower – by cutting two minutes off the time you spend under the water you can save about £40 off your combined energy and water bills annually if you’re on a water meter. (And imagine what you could do with the extra 12 hours of time this would save you every year!)

• Turn your water off when brushing
Remember to turn off the tap while brushing your teeth – a running tap wastes over 6 litres per minute.

• Vegetables and fruit
By washing your fruits and veg in a bowl rather than under a running tap, you could cut down on water waste effortlessly. And as an added bonus, you can use the leftover water to feed your houseplants.

These are just a few tips, if you are looking for more ways to save water and money this summer be sure to check out the Waterwise website.

Our boilers are the source of all our hot water and heating in our home. Yet most people don’t think about them until there is an issue. That is why we put together this list of 4 reasons to have your boiler serviced annually.

1: Minor repairs can become major repairs
Major issues with your boilers often develop over time. So having annual boiler service can possibly catch this issues when they are minor and und up saving you money.

2: Save £ on heating costs
When your boiler is serviced, the Gas Safe Registered Engineer that does the service will make sure it is running at its highest efficiency thus making sure you are not wasting any money by heating your home and water.

3: Carbon monoxide is a killer
This is not a scare tactic, having a faulty boiler can cause you to be exposed to carbon monoxide that can kill you. The safety and health of your family is the most important concern when a Gas Safe Registered Engineer comes to your home.

4: It’s the law
If you’re a landlord, you have a legal responsibility to ensure that each of your properties has a current Gas Safety Certificate. Only Gas Safe Register approved engineers are qualified to perform this gas safety check and issue a CP12 Inspection Certificate to prove it.

When having your boiler serviced always check to make sure the company is on the Gas Safe Register and ask the engineer when they arrive to see proof of this. If you are in Fulham and your boiler is due its annual service call 020 7350 2511 or click here to schedule one of our engineers to come out to your home.

Some plumbing changes in your home happen so slowly, you do not even realize anything is different. Taps are a great example of this—one day you realize the tap is difficult to turn, and wonder how it ever got that way. It did not become hard to turn overnight, but fixing a hard-to-turn tap is a quick repair any homeowner can do themselves.

Figuring out why the tap is difficult to turn is the first step. Your valve may be worn out or there could be limescale build up. Either way, the fix is relatively easy. The key is paying attention to the order you take apart the tap, so you can reverse that order when putting back together.

Before taking apart the tap be sure to TURN THE WATER OFF! Once you have taken your tap apart, take a look at the valve, if there is a lot of lime scale or it is worn out, you now have to make a choice. If it is as simple as replacing a washer or cleaning off the lime scale, this is a quick fix. But if it needs to be replaced, take the valve with you to the plumbers merchant, this way you know you are getting the correct part to fix the problem.

Now, if you have replaced the valve or even if you just cleaned it, prior to putting everything back together, you want to make sure everything is greased up. And when reassembling the tap be sure to go in reverse order from when you took it apart to make sure you are not forgetting anything.

Once you have it reassembled, clean up any water around the tap before turning on the water supply, to make leak detection easier. Finally, turn on the water supply, test the tap handle, and check for leaks.

If no leaks are found, congratulations! Now if there are still leaks or the tap handle is not turning easily, feel free to call 020 7350 2511 or click here to have one of our helpful staff see what the issue may be.

With this being the first weekend of the meteorological start of summer and sunny weather predicted for Sunday, we have put together a little list of 6 things to do this weekend in London.

1: Late at Tate
Bring your friends, check out an amazing mix of artworks, have a drink and a bite to eat. It’s free to get in, a great atmosphere with a relaxed immersive mix of sound and visuals, hands-on making activities and intriguing discussion all curated exclusively by 15−25 year olds from Tate Collective London. If you miss this Friday’s (June 3) event, you will have to wait until the first Friday of August to experience it. For more information click here.

2: Hampton Court Maze
The Maze at Hampton Court was designed by George London and Henry Wise and commissioned around 1700 by William III. Originally planted using hornbeam and later replanted using yew, the Hampton Court Maze covers a third of an acre, is trapezoid in shape and is the UK’s oldest surviving hedge maze. For tickets and more information click here.

3: London Bridge City Summer Festival
London Bridge City is hosting London’s largest free festival, transforming the iconic riverside location into a summer haven and a hub of not-to-be-missed live entertainment, food and drink all summer long from Tower Bridge to London Bridge. The festival runs from 1 June – 31 October 2016 and is free to enter. For more information click here.

4: Fun Day: The Festival of Fun, Fairytales & Fables
Come as your favorite storybook character and immerse yourself in a land of make believe. Become a knight or meet a unicorn, the shyest of mythical beasts. Join a band of pirates or enjoy one of our many activities including the welcome return of the majestic birds of prey. Come rain or shine share a day of family fun in the beautiful grounds of Strawberry Hill. Free entry, some activities will be charged.
For more information click here.

5: Spitalfields Summer Music Festival
This summer they’re bringing extraordinary music to unexpected places, from museums, cafés and churches to markets, gardens and cemeteries. Join them as the worlds of opera, folk, jazz, early, choral and contemporary collide to create memorable moments in the unique area of Spitalfields. For more information about the festival, click here.

6: Chestertons Polo in the Park
This year promises another terrific instalment of fierce polo, as well as off-field entertainment and world-class hospitality, all located on the historic fields of Hurlingham Park in leafy Fulham. Kicking off another summer sporting and social season in the capital, this event has become one of London’s greatest outdoor occasions. Get close to international polo players, riding some of the world’s best polo ponies, as they thunder across the turf. To find out more about times and activities, click here.

Now this is just a sample of things going on around the capital this weekend. If you know of an event we should be going to, send us a tweet or leave it in the comment section on our Facebook page.

We are well aware the current weather does not reflect it, but spring is here and now is a great time to take care of those household tasks you put off during the winter months. Your boiler may have been running perfectly during the cold months, but if you haven’t scheduled an annual boiler servicing, now is the perfect time.

Safety is of the utmost importance when it comes to any gas appliance in your home. The only way to ensure your boiler or appliance is functioning smoothly and safely is through proper maintenance and professional servicing every year. Our meticulous boiler servicing will also give you peace of mind, as our team carefully checks each of the boiler’s basic functions, so you can be confident that you won’t be faced with a boiler breakdown in the middle of winter.

According to Gas Safe Register:
If you notice any of the following warning signs, you’ll want to get your appliance serviced right away:

• The gas appliance is not working properly.
• The appliance is burning with a lazy yellow flame rather than a crisp blue one.
• Black marks/stains are evident around the gas appliance.
• The pilot light keeps going out.
• There is increased condensation in the room.

Our qualified engineers complete each of the following steps on all annual boiler services:

• Filters are thoroughly cleaned.
• Localised boiler sludge and debris are removed.
• The burner chamber is brushed and vacuumed out.
• The flue and terminal are checked for obstructions.
• A full flue analysis is carried out.
• System pressure is topped up and the expansion vessel is set to the correct pressure.
• The circulating pump is checked to ensure that it is running freely.

If you are in Fulham and are due for an annual boiler service call 020 7350 2511 or click here.