The Cascade comes complete with an overhead rainfall shower combined with a handheld shower on a slide rail, high pressure water body jets for standing and sitting, aromatherapy and bench seating for one. With no specialist plumbing required, the Cascade simply needs a hot and cold water supply, 16AMP electricity supply and standard draining. Best of all, you save on the cost of tiling, as these units are entirely sealed cabins.

Head over to www.divapor.com today and see for yourself!

Tiles are by far the most practical solution, as they are easy to clean and can withstand the damp steam filled environment a bathroom can produce. With many different sizes and styles now available there is something to suit all needs from working within a tight budget, to achieving ultimate 5-star hotel luxury.

For that classic spa look, working with natural materials such as stone or slate is highly recommended. Tiling the walls and floor with the same design will offer a more streamlined look.

If spacing is limited and your bathroom is compact, it is better to choose the largest tile you can afford. A larger designed tile will visibly stretch the space, making the room appear larger and less cluttered.

For maximum glamour, try to utilise highly reflective mosaic tiles along with ultra-chic metallics. As you can imagine luxury like this does not come cheap, so if you can’t do all the walls in your bathroom consider using them on a feature wall or in an alcove to add extra glitz.

Be aware that freestanding baths and large corner options tend to be very heavy when compared to standard designs, especially when full of water. Make sure your floor is strong enough to support the extra weight before installing, and take further care when looking at cast-iron or solid stone designs.

According to the Kitchen Bathroom Bedroom Specialists Association, the most popular material used with modern freestanding baths is acrylic. From a production aspect, acrylic is very easy to mould with most designs being created from a single sheet. Acrylic baths can then be reinforced for rigidity and strength once the desired shape is achieved. The most appealing factor is that acrylic is warm to the touch, whilst having the ability to retain water temperature for longer than most materials.

The roundhouse measured 56 feet (17) in diameter, which was one of the largest roundhouses to be unearthed in Britain, and is estimated to be an impressive 3,000 years old.
Archaeologists uncovering the site found a large mound of burned stones, which suggests a sauna may have once stood there. A wide range of Roman artefacts were also found including shears, brooches, three Iron Age spearheads, loom weights, vast amounts of pottery and two skeletons.

Steven Membury, a historic environment officer at Somerset County Council, said: “We think the site began about 2,500 BC with ritual use around a spring where the burned stones were found”

“The idea that the stone indicate ’sweat houses’ is just one theory”

“We can tell that the huge roundhouse burned down but we think we have one surviving post which we will be able to carbon date”

For the full story, please visit the following link: Bronze Age Sauna

It is important not to confuse solar thermal panels with photovoltaic panels, which utilise the suns energy to produce electricity. Solar thermal panels use the suns energy to heat water stored in glass pipes on the surface of the panels. The heated water is then circulated into the homes water supply where it can be used for washing up, showering, and in some cases heating the home. The beauty of it all is that it doesn’t cost you anything.

Leading solar thermal providers state that full solar thermal systems will provide 50 – 70% of the hot water in your home. With a 50% growth on solar thermal installations across the UK in comparison to last year, it seems that the general public are beginning to catch on.

With systems starting from as little as £1500.00 you’ll soon realise the system will begin to pay itself off before you know it.

For more information visit the suppliers: www.velux.co.uk, www.meisterstueck.co.uk, www.baxi.co.uk, www.kingspansolar.co.uk

To celebrate the 200th issue of Homebuilding and Renovating magazine, the editing team has compiled a list of 101 must haves that all home owners must consider when renovating or redecorating the home. The editing team at HB&R has first hand experience in over 50 self-build and renovating projects between them, so if anybody knows what they’re talking about it’s these guys.

The list consists of classic ideas revived combined with new and wacky features that may not suit everyone’s tastes. A few ideas that made the list include invisible speakers, vegetable patches, shutters and hardwood floors. Nevertheless, it seems that having a Luxury Shower in the home is the #1 must have for all to consider. Of all the hundreds of homes the team have visited, it seems that a luxurious showering experience consistently tops the polls as the number one feature that provides the icing on the cake when considering a new individual home.

“No more poking around in a tiny, flimsy cubicle; no mouldy shower screens and slipping in and out of the bath. Luxury showering means space, solitude and, above all, a really good flow of water” – Homebuilding & Renovating Self-build Must Haves.

I have to say, the HB&R team have knocked it on the head!