Let's Focus on the Up Side...

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For this blog I wanted to write about the up side of things we are getting RIGHT in the world of human factors. I didn't want to find anything negative or something could improve on, because, let's face it....the world is always changing and adapting. Slowly, but surely. I've recently been apartment hunting a little for when I get married in August. During my search I have almost always come across a little wheel chair sign at the bottom of the website I was looking at townhouses on. For a while I couldn't figure out what it meant. Then I took a drive to one of the town homes I had looked at online and I realized that most apartment complexes or even town home community make special areas for the handicap to live. For instance these particular town homes I was looking at were all multi level and when I drove around I saw some one level homes.
It dawned on me later that that particular row was for the handicap, because they were all one level, they had special parking so that those residents didn't have to go so far to get into their home.
It impressed me, and maybe it's only something small. However, I love that they do this because they are able to have all kinds of residents and don't have to turn away residents who wouldn't be able to live in a multi level home.

Designing Isn't Just for Adults..

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I think that our field kind of has some negative views sometimes. People don't really know what we do or understand what we do. They think that we simply "fluff pillows and pick paint chips."
However, we know that this isn't the case. We know that we do much more than this. People don't understand that we are going to school to make their lives better and more comfortable. We know stuff that could make a difference in the way that they live.
It never ceases to amaze me the amount of knowledge I learn everyday about our field of choice. When I gave my presentation last week it amazed me the certain things we could do to even improve a newborns room by putting in sound systems. Or even when Marcene did the presentation on health care environments and she talked about how they were painting their machines bright colors or making them look like something cool and not a big scary MRI machine. It's amazing how even just those small touches can improve the way a child might behave and not be scared to go to the doctor.
There is all sorts of knowledge out there for us to learn how to design and it's not just for adults and elderly. It's very useful for children too.

Education & Design

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I thought that Crystal's presentation was very informative and well put together. When we were talking about the design of high schools and how lost people feel as well as the placement of classrooms. It's amazing to go back and think how my high school was designed. In my school, Battle Mountain High School, we had probably just under 400 students. The office and faculty area were all downstairs by the "commons" area where everyone hung out between classes and during nutrition break. Around the commons area there were classrooms, which was beneficial for teachers being able to watch students so that there weren't fights or anything going on. I feel like because the commons were in the center of the school people were less likely to get in fights, however, if there were ever meetings or stuff going on in the commons it was really distracting in the classrooms.
Designing any school just right so that the users can feel like they are somewhere that is easy to navigate makes it that less of a stressful place to be.

Accessibiltiy in Concerts

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Have you ever thought about accessibility in concerts or events in arenas? Designers have to mindful in the way that they set up arenas and such and make sure that there are areas for the differently abled so that they can enjoy the amenities the same as anyone else.
In February I went to a Lady Antebellum concert and in the Energy Solutions arena and they have areas by the rails for the differently abled. During the concert there were some people who were in wheelchairs down on the floor of the concert right by the stage. There was a random contest and a couple people got bumped down to the floor and one of the people that won was in a wheelchair. It was so amazing how accommodating the other fans and everyone one else was towards this person because they didn't crowd and shove in front of him they made sure he had space to see Lady Antebellum singing. I think it's really important to remember to keep really nice areas for differently abled people so that they can enjoy the event just like anyone else.

Restaurants

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Someone started blogging a few weeks ago between the space between the seat and tables. And I had my own personal experience with that this weekend. Tony was here for the week and he took me on a date to the new Mexican restaurant in Sandy called Los Cucos. I was really excited because Mexican is one of my favorite foods. We only had to wait 25 minutes to get in and when we did it smelt great. The design of the inside was super cool as well. I know before it use to be Johnny Carino's I believe. The wallpaper by where we were sitting felt like leather and it had a floral pattern in it. It was super cool. However, the booth that we were at was super uncomfortable. I sat at one side of the table and Tony sat at the other. I'm only 5'2...which isn't extremely short, but it's not tall either. I couldn't sit back in the booth seat and I also was awkwardly leaning over onto the table. Before we got our food I had to end up sitting on the same side as Tony and we just scooted the table in towards us more. The waiter kind of looked at us awkwardly, but it was the only way to comfortable enjoy my meal.

What Is Diabetic Neuropathy? - Part 1

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Apparently there is more added todiabetic neuropathy recently, and there has been some newclassifications added or revised. This article dated May 11, 2012has some terms I have not encountered recently. Therefore, I thinkthis could be very enlightening for others and especially members ofour informal group.
Diabetic neuropathy refers only topeople with any type of diabetes. Reading the first sentenceonly can be misleading. Therefore, I am quoting the conditions anddefinitions for clarity and accuracy.
“Different nerves are affected invarying ways. Relatively familiar conditions, which may be associatedwith diabetic neuropathy, include:

• Third Nerve Palsy: When the individual cannot move his eye normally due to damage of a cranial nerve.
• Mononeuropathy: When only a single nerve is affected - the nerve is physically compressed, resulting in a lack of blood supply.
• Amythrophy: Muscle pain due to progressive waste and weakening of muscle tissues.
• Mononeuropathy multiplex: Profound aching soreness regularly felt in the lower back, hips or legs, resulting in sharp loss of sensory function of the nerves. This can slowly develop over a number of years.
• Polyneuropathy: Most commonly, this disorder results in weaker hands and feet, as well as some loss of sensation in the affected areas. Some patients complain of a burning needles-like pain. This disorder occurs when many nerves throughout the body simultaneously malfunction. The patient might step on something that should hurt, but feel nothing. It can appear either without warning or steadily over a long period.
• Autonomic neuropathy: The visceral nerve is affected, which may impact on the heart rate, digestion, respiration, salivation, perspiration, blood vessels, and sexual arousal. This occurs when there is a failure from the heart arteries to adjust heart rate and vascular tone to keep blood flowing continually to the brain. Dizziness or fainting when standing up rapidly is common.
• Sensory motor neuropathy: When sensory nerve loss affects the face; in some cases it may spread to the upper arms.”

Read my blog here for comparison ofterms and notice the increase in terms used in this article. I amnot sure if some of these were extracted from some of the prior usedterms or are new definitions that needed to be explained. Terminology has increased from four to seven.
Recent studies have found thatapproximately 50 percent of people with diabetes develop diabeticneuropathy. The disturbing part of this is the signs (diagnosed by adoctor) and symptoms (felt by the patient and needs to be told to adoctor) tend not to be experienced for 10 to 20 years after diabetesdiagnosis. Even more frustrating is that the majority of individualswith neuropathy symptoms do not realize what is happening until thecomplications are severe or possibly permanent.
Because of their importance, again Iwill quote from the article, “Some of the signs and symptomsassociated with diabetic neuropathy:

• Numbness, electric pain, tingling and (or) burning sensations starting in the extremities and continuing up the legs or arms
• Heartburn and bloating
• Nausea, constipation or diarrhea
• Problems swallowing
• Feeling full when eating small amounts of food
• Throwing up after a few hours of having eaten
• Orthostatic Hypotension (feeling light-headed and dizzy when standing up)
• Faster heart rate than normal
• Chest pains, which sometimes can be a warning of an impending heart attack
• Sweating excessively even when temperature is cool or the individual is at rest
• Bladder problems - difficulty in emptying the bladder completely when going to the toilet, leading to incontinence
• Sexual dysfunction in men
• Sexual problems in women with vaginal dryness and lack of orgasms
• Dysesthesia - the patient's sense of touch is distorted
• Significant facial and eyelid drooping
• Eyesight may be affected
• Muscle weakness
• Speech impairment
• Muscle contractions"

How is diabetic neuropathy diagnosed? This is where a patient needs to communicate with the doctor whensome of the symptoms (more than one) of the above are noticed. Thedoctor should do or recommend some diagnostic tests before making adefinitive diagnosis. The doctor should also ask some very specificquestions and the patient needs to answer them honestly.
If your doctor orders an MRI, youshould question the validity for doing this as it is not the tool fordefinitive diagnosis as discussed in my blog here. The doctor mayorder an electromyogram (EMG). This records the electrical activityin the muscles. The doctor may also request a Nerve ConductionVelocity test (NCV). This test records the speed at which inducedsignals pass through the nerves. Both are excellent definitive testsand less expensive than an MRI.
During the physical examination, thedoctor will check your ankle reflexes, for loss of sensation in yourfeet, changes in skin texture and color, and for a sudden drop inblood pressure when you stand up from the prone position. The doctormay also use the filament test and the vibration test to check forloss of sensation.
Next blog will cover treatments andcomplications.

What Is Diabetic Neuropathy? - Part 2

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Today, there is no cure for diabeticneuropathy. Optimistically I feel that medicine is closer thanbefore. There is a host of treatments available and some may assistyou in reducing the effects of diabetic neuropathy, while others maynot help at all. The most effective treatment is maintaining bloodglucose levels at or near normal. This seems to be impossible forabout 50 percent of people with diabetes, as they will developdiabetic neuropathy.
With the studies still finding othercauses, I am a little cautious about the statement that the metaboliccauses of diabetic neuropathy are perfectly understood anddocumented. Treatments are yet still in the infancy state, butseveral are on the way. First, I will discuss some of the aids tohelp in reducing the pain and controlling some of the symptoms. Unless people start realizing that they need to manage blood glucoselevels, diabetic neuropathy will, like diabetes, continue to getprogressively worse.
The blog here by Gretchen Becker alsoexplains part of the reason I am cautious about people understandingeverything about diabetic neuropathy. We may be closer, but there ismore that we may learn.
There are a few drug-related options aswell as physical therapy for controlling pain caused by diabeticneuropathy.

Drug Options:

• Antiepileptic Drugs: these are becoming a common drug for painful diabetic neuropathy. It has important side effects like sedation and weight gain.
• Classic Analgesics: for those with a debilitating chronic pain condition, these drugs can offer immediate relief.
• Trycilic Antidepressants: Very effective in decreasing pain but since the doses must be high for them to be effective the individual can become addicted t the dosage. Cardiac arrests are common when ingesting these drugs.
• Serotonin-Norepinephrine Inhibitors: these are commonly used to target painful symptoms of diabetic neuropathy. They may also help depressive patients.

Physical therapy is the next area forinvestigation. With medications, physical therapy can help relievepain and should be used to avoid drug dependency. Certain physicaltherapies can help alleviate pain, burning, and tingling sensationsin legs, feet. Physical therapy may also help patients with musclecramps, muscle weakness, and even sexual dysfunction.

Thenthere is electrical nerve stimulation, which is painless (although Ican't attest to this), may help those suffering from stiffness.Electrical nerve stimulation may also help foot ulcers heal.
Regular massages or manual therapyinvolving stretching of the muscles performed by qualifiedchiropractors or massage therapists will inhibit muscle contractions,spasms, and atrophy due to poor blood supply. Muscle strengtheningwith specific exercises, such as swimming or even some aerobicexercises will help maintain muscle strength and reduce muscle massreduction.

A good physical therapist will make sure thatexercises for patients with diabetic neuropathy do not hurt theirfeet, which are usually sensitive. Therapeutic ultrasound is amethod of stimulating the tissue beneath the skin's surface usingvery high frequency sound waves, can help some patients regainsensitivity in their feet. The latter did not work for me, but didfor another patient and he had few problems for several years.
Events are unfolding in the world ofneuropathy and neuropathic pain. I have two articles of which thisis one and holds promise for those of us suffering from neuropathicpain. This medication, which will not be on the US market forseveral years, will help with neuropathic pain and epilepticseizures. It has been developed in Israel so it will be necessary tohave it on the market there before FDA gets it hands on it. Thisshould hold out hope for anyone suffering neuropathic pain.
The second article is about a foodproduct available now by prescription. It is to relieve the numbnesscaused by neuropathy and restore much of the sensations deadened byneuropathy. This product is not a cure, but a needed bandage forneuropathy and the lack of feeling in your feet and hands. There aresome questions that still need answering, as this could be theclosest we have come to having a product that will reverse theeffects of neuropathy. Read an article about it in the above link, or go directlyto their website and read about it. Use the site for contact withrepresentatives if you find a doctor that will prescribe themedication.
The complications of diabeticneuropathy can sneak up very quietly and sometimes be verydevastating. So be very careful if you have or are treating diabeticneuropathy. If you lose sensation in your feet, the risk ofinfections can grow very rapidly if you do not check you feet daily. If you are not able to see the bottoms of your feet, have anotherfamily member check them for you, or if this is not possible, getyourself a mirror on a pole that can be used for this task. Get to adoctor if you have a cut that is not healing or a bruise that is notgetting better.
Bladder and kidney infections needimmediate attention and should be seen by a doctor as soon aspossible. Frequent nausea and vomiting can result in poor bloodglucose management thereby make the neuropathy worse and you shouldalso see a doctor. The last item is muscle damage or decrease thatneeds attention by a doctor. Do not let these complications ofdiabetic neuropathy get the advantage of you, but see a doctor andlet the doctor make the decision about what needs to be done.
Next blog is the final of three parts.

What Is Diabetic Neuropathy? - Part 3

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This is a quote from this article. “Although the metabolic causes of diabetic neuropathy areperfectly well understood and documented, treatments for thisdisorder are still limited.” This statement shows thatresearchers and scientists think they know it all, but studies arestill surfacing that can prove them wrong. Some medical researchersare becoming too smug and making statements they should not bemaking.
Then we have this article that says,“Nearly half of all diabetics suffer from neuropathic pain, anintractable, agonizing and still mysterious companion of the disease.Now Yale researchers have identified an unexpected source of the painand a potential target to alleviate it.” This is verycontrasting. Maybe metabolic causes are understood and it is theneuropathic pain that is the mysterious companion. Regardless,statements like these stand out like the sores they are and createdoubts as to whether scientists really understand.
Another quote from the same article even tends to makedecisions even more difficult to understand, “How diabetes leads toneuropathic pain is still a mystery,” said Andrew Tan, an associateresearch scientist in neurology at the Yale School of Medicine andlead author of the study. "An interesting line of study isbased on the idea that neuropathic pain is due to faulty 'rewiring'of pain circuitry. With a growing number of diabetics, the conditionrepresents a huge unmet medical need. Once neuropathic pain isestablished, it is a lifelong condition.”
As much as I detest these statements,we need to realize that authors of studies are attempting to havetheir research noticed and stand out among all the reports issued ona daily basis. I do not agree that this should be totally necessaryand some statements are not that believable as it is, because toomany readers of medical science reports have a jaded view caused bystatements that are not quite believable.
The study reported by GretchenBecker in her blog on Health Central covers a potential target forreduction or prevention of the pain caused by diabetic neuropathy andthe report can be read here. Yes, this is the second mention, butwell worth reading.
Neuropathic pain, whether caused bydiabetes or other causes, is still painful and sometimesdebilitating, reducing the quality of life for those suffering fromit. Since I am one of those people who was diagnosed with neuropathyapproximately 10 years prior to the diagnosis of diabetes, it hasbeen a long 19 years with the pain in my feet.
I am glad to see that research isfinally beginning to make some progress into the cause and potentialtreatment for those suffering from neuropathy. I have a tendency toread past the sensationalism promoted the study reports, but attimes, I want to scream at what I know to be irresponsiblestatements.
Final of three parts.

Friday Tidbits 05-25-12

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Normally I would do this in a regularblog, but it is becoming so disheartening the way the AmericanAssociation of Clinical Endocrinologists is not updating the list ofapproved diabetes resources, that I must entreat them to add a fewresources. It seems that a few of those on the current list aregetting less traffic now than before they became listed.
Not only are they not listingadditional resources, but now they will have to factor in the changesof the American Dietetic Association (past name) to Academy ofNutrition and Dietetics (current name) and their way of taking overthe field of nutrition and forcing many in that profession to changeto other professional organizations to be able to give nutritionaladvice to people in need.
I also think if the AACE cannot decidewhether there are more websites that they can approve, then it istime to take down the page and stop portraying these as the onlyapproved sites. I know there are other sites that deserve beingmentioned and I will continue to visit them. Even professionalorganizations should act professionally. By not keeping theirwebsite vibrant and updated, they are doing a disservice tothemselves and their profession. This says nothing about thepatients that could benefit from some of the listings.
The site page listing the approved websitesbecame active on September 27, 2011 and has not added another approvesite since. Granted, the “experts” are probably busy earning aliving, but does it take almost eight months with no additions. I amsorry, but this does not make for good public relations. I willcontinue to call attention to inaction on the part of the AACE. Endocrinologists should also be reminding their association that moreneeds to be done to expand the list as this could help them proudlypoint to the list of approved sites.
This is a very disturbing article toread. I had high hopes for telemedicine and thought it could be veryuseful in some cases. “In response to concerns abouttele-medicine’s effect on patient safety, many states have begunprohibiting physicians from prescribing drugs without conducting aprior physical examination. In fact, more than 30 states haveinstituted this type of rule since 1998.” Apparently, somephysicians and lawmakers do not want this to happen.
The laws in these states mandate thatthe patient be examined by physician before they can prescribe anydrugs. This physical examination requirement (PER) has potentialfar-reaching effects for future programs. This may also be somethingthat can be expanded to counter act the proposed FDA in theirapproval of over the counter (OTC) medications. It will beinteresting to see how this plays out and if physicians can encouragelawmakers to expand these state laws.
Just the fact that the currentregulations are costing lives should start making headlines, but willthe news media even go there. This is something that needs attentionof more bloggers, medical and patient. Also, read this by JasonShafrin.
The last item is even bigger that theauthor may realize. He is talking about accountable careorganizations (ACOs) that came into being under the Accountable CareAct of 2010. We should learn in June the possible outcome of theseand much more when the US Supreme Court announces their decision. Will we still have ACOs or will they be a thing of the past. Therehave been many articles about the good and bad sides to ACOs and Ichose this as one of the more positive writings
Unfortunately, what many writing aboutACOs and like this one about health information technology (HIT) seemto ignore is the fact that health information technology is part of alaw passed prior to 2010 to put computers in medicine so this willcontinue to be with us. Whether we like electronic medical records,electronic health records or other electronic care records, these arehere to stay.
What we need is greater electronicsecurity for our electronic medical records to prevent other peoplefrom gaining access to them and getting medical help at our expense. Yet this always takes a back seat in any discussion of the pros andcons of medical databases.

Should We Standardize Diabetic Medical Tattoos?

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When will doctors stay out of patientspersonal lives? Apparently, they feel that it is their duty to runeverything when it comes to patients and their personal lives. Thistime doctor, stay in your office and out of our lives. When youdiagnose us with diabetes, you say little and expect much. Ourappointments are short and not enough time to learn. You cannot livewith us 24/7, so leave well enough alone.
This short article in Medscape does getmy ire up. This doctor feels that he should have the right to telldiabetes patients where and what is proper for diabetes tattoos. Hefeels that first responders should have a standard place to look fortattoos as they do for medic alert bracelets. Since this doctor isnot a person with diabetes, I hope that he does not get his way.
Many people have abandoned medic alertbracelets and even necklaces for tattoos because they do not wantthem seen by everybody that meets them. They want something that isthere, but not on a wrist. Some people are not allowed to wearbracelets or necklaces because of their occupation. Many peoplewish to keep their diabetes a secret from others. I wonder if thegood doctor has even considered this. Another thought doctor, how many people actually have medical alert tattoos and how many people with diabetes even wear medical alert jewelry?  
Even if this doctor convinces otherdoctors that this needs to be standardized, I say that the peopledesiring unobtrusive tattoos will get them. If the doctors thinkthey can make the tattoo artists put all medic alert tattoos in oneplace, they don't understand what a tip can accomplish. A few willabide by the wishes of doctors, but their competitors in the nextbloc will be happy to do it according to the client’s wishes.
Sorry doctor, I think this is onedesire for control that is an illusion. I can almost hear thisdoctor complaining how non-compliant his patients are for not havingtheir tattoos aligned. I am surprised he is not bellowing about theunsanitary conditions and potential for infections with tattoos.

Choices Of Bathroom Cabinets

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If you are looking to add something extra to your bathroom then bathroom furniture provides you with both looks and practicality. Depending on what type of bathroom furniture that you may be looking for, there is a wide range of styles and finishes to choose from each offering different looks and storage space. One of the most popular types of bathroom furniture is the wall hung cabinet providing your bathroom with ample storage space without taking up any much-needed floor space.

Wall hung cabinets are available in a variety of different sizes, styles and finishes. Along with the standard wall hung cabinet the option of a mirrored cabinet also exists providing you with a mirror along with the cabinet without taking up any extra space. The size of the cabinet is entirely down to you and the space that you have available. Larger cabinets will naturally provide you with greater storage space and possibly different styles such as the number of doors on the cabinet and the amount of shelves available within the cabinet. Cabinets at the higher end of the range may even have built-in shaver sockets or adjustable shelves.

Wall hung cabinets can be manufactured from many different materials including wood and aluminium and are available in a wide range of finishes such as chrome, high gloss white and wood. Whichever cabinet that you are looking for it is important to look around to find the one that is right for you and your home.

If you're not really looking for a cabinet but still want extra storage space within your bathroom then other furniture such as vanity units, tall units or just a simple shelf may be better suited to your needs. Vanity units are usually combined with a basin which sits on top or a toilet unit built-in allowing you to hide unsightly pipe work fittings, giving a clean look to your bathroom. Along with this, vanity units will also provide you with hidden storage space usually in the form of drawers and cupboards underneath the basin. Tall furniture units are the easiest way to save space in your bathroom with some being as little as 300mm wide and deep allowing them to fit neatly into the corner. If masses amounts of storage are not required then a simple shelf could be the answer to your bathroom needs, allowing you to store only a few items it is perfect for any smaller bathroom or en-suite bathroom.

This Bathroom Furniture guide was written by James Chapman of Bella Bathrooms. Bella Bathrooms is fast becoming the UK's No 1 choice when it comes to purchasing bathroom products; they stock a large range of Bathroom Furniture and Bathrooms all at very affordable prices. Should you be in a hurry most bathroom furniture can be dispatched on a next day delivery service.

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What a Difference New Shower Doors Can Make!

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As any realtor will tell you location is very important when it comes to selling a home, they will also tell you there are two rooms in the house that will close the deal. Bathrooms and kitchens are very important to the likeability and therefore sale ability of a home. If you are considering a remodel to sell your home or simply increase its value, the bathroom is a good place to start. They are generally cheaper to remodel than kitchens, (appliances!) and can make just as big an impact. Shower doors are a small yet important way you can make a big difference in your home.

Sliding Shower Doors

Perhaps the most popular choice for shower enclosures are sliding glass doors. These have been in production and installation for at least two decades. These are a simple solution to the moldy curtain affect many homeowners have going on today. One big problem people have found with these doors comes when it is time to clean them. Traditional sliding glass doors are mounted on tracks, which mean a wide metal gap that will collect water, soap scum and nasty mold. It can be quite a chore to get these clean!

Hinged Shower Doors

Hinged shower doors are a great alternative to the hassles of sliding glass. There are no tracks or overlap to cause cleaning issues and they are still preferable to a shower curtain. You will find plenty of stylish options available to you in hinged doors. Choices in trim, hardware and glass type give you the opportunity to create a space that is all your own. The biggest issue with hinged doors is space; there must be room to comfortably swing open the door without hitting anything in the room.

Frameless Shower Doors

A nice alternative to both sliding shower doors and hinged shower doors is the frameless variety. Instead of complex metal tracks, these doors and shower enclosures are mounted either to other glass panels or the wall itself depending on the complexities of your shower opening. There are many benefits to the frameless variety including cleanliness and the illusion of more space in an otherwise small bathroom.

Installation

A very common question pertaining to glass shower enclosures is whether this can be a do it yourself project. In some situations, you would be able to install frameless systems yourself; if you are somewhat mechanically inclined and have a simple opening, you would not have to hire a contractor. However, if you are looking at installing 2 returns, a solid panel and the door you probably want to seek professional help.

In many cases, hiring a contractor will be the best possible option; however, you do want to ensure they are experienced in the field. Incorrectly, hung doors can be a major headache and require return service. Perform due diligence when considering any contractors, check references and the Better Business Bureau for more information.

Conclusion

You can do a lot with shower doors and shower enclosures to improve the appearance of your bathroom and in extension your entire home. Whether you want to create your very own spa like retreat or prepare your home for the market, shower doors can help you do that! Check out the many different options available to you today!

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Tiling Your Bathroom

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So you're thinking of tiling your bathroom! So many decisions to make colour, size, style, finish and material. I know how you feel, believe me, I need to buy a pram for my son due in May and there are so many styles designs and choices! Very confusing and frustrating.

I'm going to try and break it down for you, (tile buying that is not pram) to help you choose what to use, where and why.

How many tiles do I need!!

First of all I would measure your bathroom - now for me the easiest way would be to measure each wall separate width x height in cm or inches. Then measure the areas to come off, i.e. the areas that are not being tiled - door, window, behind bath, etc, etc. Now it's a simple height x width calculation for example:

235cm x 200cm = 470cm2. There is 100cm to the metre, so therefore this wall/floor is 4.7metres square.

76inch x 96inch = 7296inch2. This has an extra calculation to get your square metres. So There is 144 square inches to a foot.

7296inch / 144 = 50.66 ft2. And 11 square feet to the metre:

50.66 / 11 = 4.6m2.

Do the same calculation for your bath, window, door, etc and take the area off the wall. Don't forget to measure for features, borders, mosaic areas, glass panels, and keep that measurement separate. Any good tile retailer or online store will help you through this if you are struggling.

It is important to add wastage to all measurements just add 10% to your total area once measured

What design should I use?

Not a lot I can help you with on this unfortunately! Because as an individual everyone has their own opinions and ideas. If it was me I would use a large white tile with a mosaic feature. But I can give you an insight into what material to use. And I would always recommend you take a sample home to try them in your own bathroom lighting

What material should I use?

Because there are so many sizes, colours, designs and materials, find a design you like, white, stone, travertine, marble, then consider the following materials.

Ceramic:

The tillers dream! Ceramic tiles will be noticeable they will have a red biscuit (backing) or an off white biscuit. Here are some of ceramic tiles good points:

1. Easy to work with and therefore less cost in fixing

2. Colour fast and easy to clean.

3. Wall and Floor ceramic tiles available.

4. Good value for money.

Most Ceramic wall tiles will have a co coordinating floor tile to go with it. My advice would be to pick your wall tiles and then your floor will follow.

Porcelain Tiles:

Porcelain can be a little harder to fix, as they are a stronger denser product than ceramic, and cutting can be sometimes a challenge. So you may find fixing costs will be higher. Porcelain come in a range of finishes styles and designs. They can be used on walls and floors and are great for heavy traffic floors inside and out. They can be slightly more expensive than ceramic and for a domestic bathroom not really necessary. Some good points of porcelain are.

1. Strong hard wearing

2. Suitable for wall and floor

3. Frost resistant, so they can be used externally

4. Colour fast

Natural Stone Tiles:

There is a large choice in natural stone. Travertine is I would say, the most popular. You can pick up Travertine quite reasonably priced but there are different grades to consider. From top of the range premium to standard down to commercial grade.

For your bathroom walls any grade would work. Make sure you are fixing direct to plasterboard or a tile backer. As plaster (skimming) will not hold the weight of the stone. Go for a standard to premium grade for your floor. Tradesman will charge more for stone, because it takes longer to cut and has to be sealed, therefore more work and longer to tile! Here are some good points on natural stone.

1. Very attractive each stone has its own characteristic.

2. Timeless, always be available.

3. Affordable.

I wouldn't worry too much about the material for your wall, ceramic, porcelain or stone will all do the same job. Also I wouldn't get too concerned about the PEI rating for your floor tile (this is the grade of the glaze and how it will wear under traffic.) As most bathroom floors are upstairs and are mainly barefoot or slipper traffic any floor tile will be fine no matter what the grade.

Summaries:

1. Measure your area in advance.

2. Take time on your design.

3. Buy some samples to try them at home.

4. Don't get too hung up on the material leave that for your kitchen floor.

5. Liaise with your tradesman and keep him up to date with your tile choice.

Tiles are a fantastic covering for wall and floor. Easy to clean, maintain, durable and colour fast. Visit www.thetileshed.co.uk for a great choice and fantastic value.

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Why People Love Satin Nickel Shower Caddies

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If you have started to realize that your bathroom is just to packed with different types of shampoos, body washes and soaps you may have to decide on looking into a solution before the problem gets any worse. It may also be that your plastic bottles are strewn all over the bathroom making it a little treacherous to maneuver around while you're taking a shower. It may be that you've already started to try and come up with solutions, but you are not aware of what would work best. I have found that satin nickel shower caddies are one of the best options for fixing up a messy bathroom with style.

There are some things you need to be aware of as selecting what you need may take a little more thought than just visiting your local hardware store. There are basically two different types of nickel shower caddies you can purchase. The first is hung on your shower head which makes for a great travel caddy as well. The second type is mounted to the shower wall which is great if you don't plan on removing it from your bathroom. Either one of these types will do the job of keeping your condiments neat and tidy while you're in the shower. There is also the option of getting either a single basket type or the ones that have multiple layers. Deciding which, is generally easy if you consider how much space your shower accessories are going to need. You can also choose from varieties that have hooks for your wash cloths or towel if you purchase one that is positioned outside of the shower stall.

One thing that I really love about the satin nickel shower caddies is the simple fact that they go well with almost any bathroom. Not that it really matters when you consider a bathroom caddy to be something that doesn't really have to match as long as it is convenient. It's true that corrosion can be a big issue for some bathroom accessories but when you use brushed nickel you don't have to worry as it is totally resistant to any of that kind of stuff. Another great aspect of these types of caddies over the plastic ones is the strength to hold up to any weight you place on them. The best part is they do a great job of keeping your bathroom perfectly neat and tidy while also maintaining the ease of use in the room. Just make sure that you place it in the most convenient place and you'll be set.

When you go out to buy these items you may find that your local store does not carry a large selection of satin nickel shower caddies. The best solution is to do a search online as there are many sites that would carry these in large quantities. It is also possible that you'll find them at a price your local store could never match because of the large overhead they carry by having a physical location.

If you are on the lookout for a shower caddy take a minute to visit Jo's site and see if a corner shower caddy would be right for your bathroom.

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The Best Way to Fit New Bathroom Taps

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Whether you are looking to fit new bathroom taps due to wear and tear, or simply feel like revamping your bathroom, the task does not need to be as daunting as it sounds. Anyone should be able to fit bathroom taps at home, even if you have never done it before - and believe me it will get easier every time you do it. The main issue with changing taps is that they can be quite awkwardly positioned, so you just need to ensure you have the right tools for the job. It is slightly easier if you are fitting new taps together with a brand new basin or bath, as you will have more room for manoeuvring.

Some of the tools you may want to have before starting include:

Wrench

Spanner

Pipe Cutter

Utility Knife

The process for fitting your bathroom taps will dependent upon whether they are mixed or single taps, and whether you are replacing or fitting completely new taps. The first step is to make sure the water is completely turned off before you begin your work. After this, you should turn the taps on at full power, to get rid of any residue water.

Single taps will have a nut which holds the water pipe to the tap and you should undo this using your spanner. If you are fitting mixed taps, normally they are fixed in using a solid copper pipe or pipe tails, and you can unscrew these from the pipe using your wrench. You should have a cloth at the ready in case any water is displaced during this process.

The next part of the process is to unscrew the nut which connects the tap to the bath or the basin. The tricky aspect of this is that it can be quite awkward to access, so you may need to use an adjustable wrench to release the tap. You will then have to clean out the sealing compound, which you can achieve by using a utility knife.

You should now be ready to attach your new taps. Firstly, you will have to attach a new gasket to the tap tail and then place a rubber washer or "o" ring over the tap. An alternative is to use silicone, but you will have to wait around a day for this to set properly. The new tap should then be held into the place where you pulled out the old tap from, and you can thread the rubber washer, metal washer and the top-hat washer. The top-hat washer is mainly required when the sink is quite slender.

You will then have to thread on the back nut, ensuring it is as tight as possible. A new sealing washer can now be attached to each of the connectors, as this will make sure it is kept water tight. The tap tail should then be aligned with the tap connector, and the cap nut tightened to ensure there is no leaking. You can do this by using the wrench.

At this point your new taps are in the correct position and should be fitted as securely as you can get them. You can now turn your water supply back on and you may wish to consider fitting an isolating valve at this stage, as it will be useful for any future maintenance of the taps.

The job should now be complete and your new taps should be ready to use. Turn the taps on and leave the water running for a while, to ensure there are no water leaks. If you discover there are any leaks, you can just use your wrench again to tighten the nuts into place. As soon as you have checked for, and dealt with any leaks, your taps should be ready to use. You can now switch on your water supply again, and check your taps are working.

Huge range of traditional and contemporary bathroom taps.

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Watch What Hospitals Do With MRSA

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This is not unexpected. What wascalled MRSA for infections acquired by patients while in the hospitalhas now been termed HAIs (hospital acquired infections). I like thetitle given to the article in Medscape, “MedicareReimbursement Change Spurs Prevention, Work-Arounds.” Work-aroundsis what we can expect from hospitals so that they will be reimbursedfor something Medicare has deemed non-reimbursable.
Approximately half of the hospitalsparticipating in a report published in the May issue of the AmericanJournal of Infection Control increased their attention of howsuch infections (HAIs) were coded for billing. Instead of doingincreasing measurers to prevent HAIs, coding for other billableinfections was where they paid attention. It is no wonder thatpeople are concerned about hospital safety since the hospitals careonly about the profits they can accumulate.
I quote from the article, “"Ourfindings were generally positive, suggesting the policies have lednot only to an enhanced focus on targeted HAIs with greater effortstoward surveillance and education but also to changes in practicefrom front-line staff as reported by infection preventionists,"the authors write.
However, the results also includepersuasive evidence of hospitals "gaming the system,"according to Peter Pronovost, MD, PhD, director of the ArmstrongInstitute for Patient Safety and Quality and Johns Hopkins MedicineSenior Vice President for Patient Safety and Quality, Baltimore,Maryland.”
It is disturbing as a patient to seestatements like “gaming the system.” This means that the codingis apparently working for them to obtain reimbursements they wouldotherwise be denied by Medicare. Read the article in Medscape here.
I will now get into another even moredisturbing aspect that this causing. I had intended on writing aboutthis from another perspective. However, this does explain why thehospitals have through the American Hospital Association, sent aformal letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Servicesasking that delays be granted in meeting the “Meaningful Use”criteria that is scheduled to begin later this year.
The “Meaningful Use” came intoexistence as apart of a government program (theAmericanRecovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA))in which billions of dollars were set aside to aidmedical providers shift from paper records to electronic records. When the providers could prove they had reached certain stages ofmeaningful use, they would receive reimbursement from the governmentto cover the expense of implementation.
During stage one of meaningful useproviders needed to demonstrate that an interface was in place sopatients could access their own medical records, via the internet,securely and privately. For hospitals, that access needed to beprovided within four days of a patient's discharge. Read the AHAcommunication here in a PDF file.
Now that it is almost ready for stagetwo (starts Jan 2013), patients have asked for quicker access,meaning within at least 24 hours for theirs, their spouses, or theirchildrens records. We want to know what took happened, with whom,and how it happened. This is important if post discharge problemsoccur and we want to discern where the problems may have arisen fromand who may be responsible. However, the American HospitalAssociation if attempting to delay these provisions and has asked fora 30 day limit for patient access. The AHA also wants three yearsto each stage instead of the two years currently mandated.
Fortunately, it is easy to figure outwhy they want the 30 day window. They want the extra time to“doctor” the records to “game the system”, prevent thingsfrom being available to the patients, and thus their lawyers, forevents that should have been reported, but weren't. They need timeto hide these and more. Yes, the hospitals are nefarious formisdirection and covering up what should have been reported. This iswhy when you are hospitalized, if you are able, record everything, orhave another family member record what they observe. Hospitals counton this not happening because they know most patients do not havethis mind-set.
Hospitals also need the time to recodeand balance bill. They are sure to increase a number here and therefor items seldom, if ever counted. Hospitals also have become adeptat changing a coding number to get more money than should be charged. Therefore, if they deliver the records to you as soon as you aredischarged, they will not have time to make all the changes theywant. Plus an event that needs to be hidden may be in plain site. If by chance, the AHA request for 30 days is denied, you may end upin the hospital for a day or two more than normal while they adjustyour records. Excuses for additional time in the hospital can beeasily fabricated. Remember, the profit margin needs to be met foreach patient as well as preventing future problems from your records.
Read the article here by Trisha Torrey. Then follow the links provided by here to others that are pointingout problems. I must also encourage you to read this blog from TheHealth Care Blog. This also takes you to other blogs that you shouldread.  Carefully follow the link to the letter from Trisha's blog.  I admit I cannot get it to work for me otherwise.
If you do not follow Regina Holliday, she has a lot to sayabout the current disaster in our hospitals and obtaining the medicalrecords for her deceased husband. Her situation should make youdesire to take action. Read these three blogs by Regina, one, two,and three.
If it takes some time to read all this,then you should have had time to consider your course of action. Ihave sent my emails to my congressional people.

LCHF Diet Proving Naysayers Wrong

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This could be one of the studies youwant to shout “Extra, Extra, Read All About It!” It is a goodthought, but for a small study with no controls, there is no way youcan proclaim it worthy of shouting it from the roof tops. It isworthy of a mention and a hope that others will decide to take up themantle and once and for all prove that saturated fat is good for us.
Eversince 1953, when a physiologist named Ancel Keys, Ph.D., stated thatfat was not good for us and rigged the results of his study, slowlypeople are disproving this to be true and showing that saturated fatactually helps heart health. The medical establishment has carteblanche accepted Keys and still pronounces it as fact.
Thisis the reason studies of this type are not funded in the USA. Atleast Sweden has a small study we can at least point to andacknowledge. Many of us with type 2 diabetes know this is correctand can say with certainty that we believe the study, though small iscorrect. I am surprised that it even was published in the US.
The study is a two year dietary studyat Linkoping University in Sweden and 61 participants were randomizedinto two groups. One group followed a low carbohydrate high fat dietand the other group a high carbohydrate low fat diet. Both groupslost approximately nine pounds. Since I am not able to find aconversion table for the blood glucose levels, I will have to assumethey are correct.
The important fact that needs attentionis that in the high fat diet, lipoproteins levels did not get worse. Instead, HDL (the good cholesterol) actually increased. In the lowfat group, neither the blood glucose nor lipoproteins showed anyimprovement.
For the follow-up study, all 61participants stayed in the study. This means or should indicate thatthe quality of the data is more dependable than most studies. Howmany more years are we going to have to wait to see the results of alarger study that can give further validity to this? Won't happen inthe USA.

Vitamin Deficiency Anemia

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Since Allen ended up on the deficientside for Vitamin B12, we have been doing a lot of research about thesigns, symptoms, and causes. We have found quite a bit ofinformation. First, from the Mayo Clinic is their article on vitamindeficiency anemia, which covers the tests Allen was fortunate thatthe doctor did do. He was at the low point on folate, very low onvitamin B-12, and low normal range for vitamin C.
The doctor did tell him to add a dailymen’s supplement to his regimen and make sure that he added avitamin C to his regimen. The doctor told him that the prescriptionlevels of vitamin D and vitamin B12 would be for a month only andthen he should purchase the supplements in any store and set thelower limit at the level he ordered until the completion of the nexttests. Allen commented that this was good to know and that he wassurprised that the doctor was concerned about his supplements. BothTim and I said that was a good thing and that he would probablycontinue to test for these until his body maintained them in therecommended range.
We did discuss this and three of ourmembers said they were going to ask their doctor to run the sametests. We also pulled up several listings of what foods were high inthe vitamins and some minerals. Allen now has his license back andfeeling much more active. He did decide to use insulin after wepresented him with several articles and did a lot of discussion. Hedid ask if he might be able to drop back to oral medications and weall agreed that could be a goal if he wanted it, but that may not bewhat he needs for the long term.
After we covered many of the mythsabout insulin, even Ben admitted that his blood glucose managementwas so much better; he doubted he would consider going back to oralmedications. Ben also has decided to change doctors so that he couldbe tested for vitamin shortages. We all have been reading aboutvitamin B12 and several things we could do. Vitamin B12 deficiencyis a risk for neuropathy, and several other health problems.
Since the Mayo Clinic article lists thesigns and symptoms of vitamin deficiency anemia, we decided to studythe article with care. They list the following signs and symptoms:

• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Dizziness
• Pale or yellowish skin
• Swollen tongue that may appear dark red
• Weight loss
• Diarrhea
• Numbness or tingling in your hands and feet
• Muscle weakness
• Irritability
• Unsteady movements
• Mental confusion or forgetfulness

All of us could recognize something inthe list that fits us and so the discussion would continue. Everyoneagreed that if their doctor would not test them for the same teststhat Allen had, they would be changing doctors. Ben is back with theVA and he and Allen both have had their appointments scheduled. Allen is happy since this will help get his insulin much cheaper andthey have moved his appointment up to the middle of May. Even Barryis now set up for an appointment locally after his move and hisrecords are now here.
We discussed vitamin B12 foods thatwould help prevent the deficiency. Most were not aware that much ofthe vitamin B12 needed could be obtained from eggs, milk, cheese,yogurt, red and white meats, shellfish, and some fortified foods. This was a discussion that opened some eyes and at the same time ledto a discussion of low cholesterol and low fat. Tim took over inthis discussion about the importance of lower levels ofcarbohydrates, medium protein and fat since there was much resistanceto higher cholesterol and fat.
Brenda did surprise us when she spokeup and said Tim was right and that she had been following this foodregimen for several years and her tests showed that the food ratio ofcarbohydrates, protein, and fat of 20 percent: 30 percent, 50 percenthad not caused her test results to increase and that she was actuallyhaving better test results and had lost a few pounds. She said shewould provide the test information to anyone needing confirm this. She continued by saying that her sister, a nutritionist, had workedwith her for the last five years and could also discuss this withanyone needing guidance.
This took a lot of the argument out ofthe discussion and we moved on to other causes of vitamin B12deficiency. We pulled up the article by the Mayo Clinic and since noone has had gastric bypass surgery, Crohn's disease or celiacdisease, or other problems that interfere with absorption of thevitamin B12, we moved to discussion of the intrinsic factor asvitamin B-12 deficiency is most often due to a lack of thissubstance.
Intrinsic factor is a protein secretedby the stomach that joins vitamin B-12 in the stomach and escorts itthrough the small intestine to be absorbed by your bloodstream.Without intrinsic factor, vitamin B-12 cannot be absorbed and leavesyour body as waste. Lack of intrinsic factor may be due to anautoimmune reaction, in which your immune system mistakenly attacksthe stomach cells that produce it. Vitamin B-12 deficiency anemiacaused by a lack of intrinsic factor is called pernicious anemia.
Vitamin B12 is important not only forthe production of red blood cells, but also for a healthy nervoussystem. Vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to neurological problems inneuropathy, mental confusion and forgetfulness. This tells us howimportant vitamin B12 is for healthy brain function.
Allen joked that he did not want to bethe cause of all this learning, but felt that our insistence of hisbeing tested had helped all of us and he had learned a great lessonabout nutrition.
We agreed that we may have found a goodarticle to use as our center of discussion, but that we all hadlearned and needed to learn more. I thanked Tim and Brenda forleading much of the discussion. Brenda said that was why she wantedto be part of this discussion as this was what she had gone throughseveral years ago and realized we were serious about discussing it. She knew some things had changed and she wanted to learn more ifpossible and she had.
We also gave this article to everyonefor reading. It is from WebMD and is very specific to vitamin B12deficiency.

Metformin – Is This First Line Medicine Safe?

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This is the substance of an articlepublished in the April issue of Diabetes Care. The title they use is“Diabetes Prevention With Metformin Is Safe, Well-Tolerated.” In essence this is correct, but only when other vitalinformation is added which is absent from the details of this study. A pharmacist friend very kindly pointed this out to me in an email.
She stated, “Metformin can for many(but not all) individuals cause a Vitamin B12 deficiency. Unless theyconsume foods high in Vitamin B12, most people will end up havingthis deficiency in long-term Metformin use.” Even my ownendocrinologist suggested adding a Vitamin B12 supplement to myregimen while on Metformin. I am thankful I listened to her. I wasnot Vitamin B12 deficient, but I was at the low point in therecommended range.
Based on my experience, I would suggestanyone taking Metformin (glucophage) talk with their doctor abouthaving the Vitamin B12 test done to establish a baseline and adiscussion about adding Vitamin B12 at some point. I repeat, thisshould include anyone taking or adding metformin to their medicationregimen. This is one area that I now feel strongly enough about torepeatedly urge people taking metformin to have the vitamin B12 testdone. 
A little background into the symptomsof vitamin B12 deficiency shows they are the classic fatigue andanemia. Most doctors will not do this test, “because the 'Standardof Care' is to ONLY do Vitamin B12 Testing if a patienthas a condition called Macrocytic Anemia- where red blood cellsbecome large and shows up as a high number on the MCV Blood Test thatis part of a Complete Blood Count. This is somewhat arbitrary andstops many tests that could prevent severe vitamin B12 deficiency.
This article from WebMD dated June 8,2009 is the article my pharmacist friend suggested that I read. Yes,it is a very convincing argument for being screened for vitamin B12deficiency. In the study, 40 percent of type 2 diabetes patientsusing metformin had vitamin B12 deficiency or were in the low-normalrange for vitamin B12. Of 77 percent of metformin users with vitaminB12 deficiency also had peripheral neuropathy. This is a commonnerve damage complication associated with type 2 diabetes.
Peripheral neuropathy is a majorcomplication of diabetes, as such, the researchers suggest thatpeople using metformin be screened for vitamin B12 deficiency orsupplemented with vitamin B12. They further stated that anyonealready diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy that uses metforminshould be screened for vitamin B12 deficiency.

Diabetes Patients Benefit From Naturopathic Care

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When I read this study, I knew my inboxwas going to be full of emails about “see naturopathic care works.” Some were polite and just asked me to read this and a few wereproclaiming their wares and few were not so pleasant in theirlanguage. If this study was not so small, and an obvious attempt toget more funding, it could have been more interesting.
The other part that I must point out isthat conventional medicine was part of the study and patientscontinued to take their medications. There was not any controlgroups so that comparisons could be made. For those that stillbelieve that their naturopathic ways cure diabetes, I think you needto reread this study and understand that the two disciplines,conventional medicine and naturopathic practices, worked together toachieve the results. The largest flaw in the study is that it was anobservational study, which could distort the figures any way desired.
If there was true collaboration betweenconventional medicine and naturopathic medicine, I say this couldbecome valuable when the correct types of studies are done using thismethod. I will continue to denounce situations as I did in this blog, when patients throw conventional medicine out because theybelieve there is a cure. Seeking only alternative medicine is notthe answer.
The other sticking point is whenpatients do not list the alternative medicines and supplementsbecause they are “natural”, and their doctor has no need to know. Many patients may not have problems with this until they needcertain prescription medications that conflict with these supplementsand several can cause severe health problems and even death. Somesupplements may even mask certain health conditions and prevent theproper treatment.
At the same time, I will denouncedoctors that are so full of themselves that they will not recognizesupplements, herbal medicines, and naturopathic medicines. Thesedoctors often belittle a patient for mentioning these, and somedoctors even bully their patients to stop taking them. When thishappens, patients should do themselves and their health a favor andseek out another doctor. It is sad that these doctors cut off linesof communication that affect the health of their patients.
There can be advantages when doctors ofall types of medicine work together, but too often each type ofmedicine thinks they have the only solution. When the whole patientis treated, and not just the disease, more patients will have greaterhealth benefits. Many doctors of all medicine types do not treat themind-body-soul part of the patient.

Designing Isn't Just for Adults..

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I think that our field kind of has some negative views sometimes. People don't really know what we do or understand what we do. They think that we simply "fluff pillows and pick paint chips."
However, we know that this isn't the case. We know that we do much more than this. People don't understand that we are going to school to make their lives better and more comfortable. We know stuff that could make a difference in the way that they live.
It never ceases to amaze me the amount of knowledge I learn everyday about our field of choice. When I gave my presentation last week it amazed me the certain things we could do to even improve a newborns room by putting in sound systems. Or even when Marcene did the presentation on health care environments and she talked about how they were painting their machines bright colors or making them look like something cool and not a big scary MRI machine. It's amazing how even just those small touches can improve the way a child might behave and not be scared to go to the doctor.
There is all sorts of knowledge out there for us to learn how to design and it's not just for adults and elderly. It's very useful for children too.

Take A Contemporary Approach To Your Wet Rooms

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Water is an element that we simply cannot do without. For generations it has held a fascination for us as we seek to harness its power and to ensure that we have a sustainable supply to enable us to live our lives the way we want to. We have become so accustomed to running water in our homes that we are simply not focused on how important it can be. It is only when the supply is interrupted for some reason that we get to understand its true consequence.

Water can certainly make us feel better as well as sustaining and nourishing our bodies. We are used to taking a refreshing shower each day as we get ready for work, or when we are about to retire for the evening. It's not surprising that we should pay so much attention to how we configure this part of our daily regimen and we are now seeing sophisticated bathrooms and showers pop up to cope with these discerning demands.

This is why wet rooms are becoming so popular. Originally conceived in Scandinavia the philosophy is that the shower actually becomes the entire bathroom, with little in the way of segregation. Rather than having to physically step into a bathtub or open a door and step into a cubicle, the shower is accessible without restriction. This gives us a marvellous sense of freedom and there is something especially invigorating about taking a shower in these circumstances.

There are many different possible designs here. You have to ensure that fundamentally the room is configured properly so that the correct angles and slopes are initiated. Remember that water will flow to the lowest point in accordance with gravity and you need to ensure that the running water finds its way to the appropriate drains without any issue. It's also important to ensure that you have a 100% watertight barrier all around the flooring and this requires some quite specialised technical work to ensure that you have no problems at all going forward.

Often, designers and home-owners choose to have a minimalist approach to the configuration of their wet rooms. You will often see a very contemporary approach. Due to the lack of separating walls, cubicles or other surfaces you will ordinarily be able to store or display a great deal more. You can make your shower room/bathroom very functional, without any of that feeling of claustrophobia.

If you have an en suite bathroom with no door in between the bedroom and the bathroom, for example, you can enjoy an even greater sense of freedom with this type of approach. So long as your specialist workmen make sure that the drainage and insulation are first-class and that the room is properly ventilated, you can look forward to enjoying this very cutting-edge approach to showering in your home for the foreseeable future. Furthermore, you will have something to show off to all your envious friends and neighbours whenever they come around to visit!

Increation offer wet rooms and bathrooms.

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Selecting the Best Heated Towel Rail for Your Bathroom

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When winter mornings are growing colder, and the distance from the bedroom to the bathroom seems like a journey of unparalleled torture, it is a comforting thought to know, at the end of your daily trek, there is a warm cosy room with a roasting hot towel waiting for you, to snuggle into once you have braved the horrors of leaping out of the shower.

A heated towel rail has now become standard in many homes, and offers dual benefits in that it not only warms the bathroom, but it also can keep your towels dry, warm and ready to use. A lot of homeowners are realising that they can save money by simply replacing central heating in their bathroom with a decent sized heated towel rail. You do however need to be careful that the capacity of the rail is enough to cover the size of the room. Most heated towel rails can easily cover a small bathroom. As they have become more popular to the homemaker, a plethora of designs and formats have become available on the market not only for bathrooms but for other living areas such as the lounge and the kitchen.

Probably your first thought when selecting a heated hand rail is the overall look and style. Usually mounted on the wall, they come in a clean white finish, stainless steel, chrome or copper. You will find the more curved soft or the more traditional angular "ladder "appearance. Because they can be so elegant you may wish to make the rail a focal point of the bathroom. There are certainly the designs to choose from! Most designs will lay parallel up against the wall, whereas others swing outwards from the wall on a hinge. Your choice here will be determined a great deal by how much room you have in your bathroom.

As heated towel rails throw out so much heat, many home owners use them to replace their central heating radiator. A replacement such as this is obviously going to take a great deal more DIY work, and even perhaps the intervention of a certified electrician, but it can be a great money saver when all said and done.

The factor of how much energy the towel rail will need to generate will need to be at the forefront of your mind. As well as taking into consideration other sources of heat, you need to judge whether the capacity of the rail will be enough to heat the size of the bathroom.

When selecting your heated towel rail you should also assess how much wall space is available. You will find a full size towel radiator which is capable of heating a whole bathroom will probably take up most of the wall. It needs to be positioned so it can be used easily (will it be a swing out towel rail?). If smaller rails are positioned at waist height the space below can be used for storage for toiletries for instance. Another idea, in order to save space would be to install a model with narrow heated towel rails behind the bathroom door.

The size of the towel rail you will need will be determined by the size of your family, and how many towels you are likely to be drying at any one time. When installing the rail you need to keep this at the forefront of your mind as their needs to be enough space for large bed-sheet towels to hang to the floor.

Your new heated towel rail can also be powered in various ways. The easiest type of rail to install is the plug in version, but you can also buy the variety that can be hard - wired into your homes electrical system. However this will need to be installed by a licensed electrician. Battery powered heated towel rails are also available on the market.

Huge range of central heated towel rail

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Which Bathroom Mirror Should I Buy?

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You have chosen the colour scheme, bought the bathroom suite, matching the towels and thought up sensible storage but now - like everyone who is designing their own bathroom - you have reached the inevitable question of 'which bathroom mirror should I buy?' For many people, the mirror is the last item to be fitted in the bathroom. Once the important jobs like connecting waste pipes, hanging wall cabinets and fitting bath panels has been done there is very little energy left for mirrors. This is why asking yourself the question 'which bathroom mirror should I buy' is best done at the start of your bathroom adventure, when you are planning the room. Even if you are not decorating or redecorating but you just feel like your bathroom is missing something then the mirror question is one that has no doubt entered your head. Whatever the motivation behind the mirror queries, here are a few things to consider for your bathroom mirror purchase.

Do not just buy any old mirror

A mirror can open up a small bathroom and bring light in or make a bathroom feel completely cold so it is not a purchase to be made lightly. You need to sit down and ask yourself 'which bathroom mirror should I buy' in the context of your bathroom. What do you want the mirror to do - is it simply to watch yourself cleaning your teeth or do you need it to give an illusion of space, or be an effective reflective surface in which to apply makeup or shave?

How much room have you got?

If you have a small bathroom then buying a mirror so large that covers the entire bathroom wall might make it feel a little like a gym changing room, but if you have huge empty walls then why opt for a tiny mirror. The mirror should fit proportionally into the room and look as if it belongs on the wall - there is no standard formula for answering the question of which bathroom mirror should I buy in terms of size, you will just have to decide this for yourself based on your room. The same goes for shape - if you have a small room then an oval mirror that hangs vertically might be a better choice than a large square. Look at the other shapes in the bathroom too - if your bathroom is filled with curved lines, a rectangular mirror may look odd.

Maintain your style

The mirror contributes to the style of the bathroom as much as any of the other pieces of furniture or fittings so try and coordinate the mirror with the rest of the room. If you have opted for a very contemporary, clean, minimal bathroom that is furnished in natural materials such as wood and stone, then a big, ornate mirror framed in gold leaf might look a little odd. If your bathroom is large enough then you may have room for statement pieces like this but if you are trying to make the most of a small space then coordinating the style of everything in the room will give you an advantage.

Does it need to be more than a mirror?

Bathroom mirrors are multifunctional these days and you do not have to settle for a plain old looking glass. Perhaps you need additional storage space, in which case a bathroom cabinet with a mirror attached to the front is probably the ideal bathroom mirror for you. Maybe you need a built in spotlight for your mirror, or perhaps you want the mirror to be the focal point for the room in terms of lighting. If you are feeling really ambitious then how about a mirror with a TV or radio built in?

If you have reached panic stage with the 'which bathroom mirror should I buy' question then there is really no need. Just sit down with a pen and make a list of what you want the mirror to look like, what you want it to do and the bathroom that it is going to be situated in - including the points suggested above - and you will easily be able to find the perfect bathroom mirror for you.

Massive range of bathroom mirrors

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Traditional Vs Contemporary: Choosing the Best Bathroom Suite for You

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Your bathroom design will usually fit under two categories: traditional and contemporary. If you are looking to purchase a new bathroom suite and are not quite sure which will suit you best, it is a good idea to make a few of the following considerations first.

If you like modern designs and styles, then the contemporary style of bathroom suite will be more suitable for you. It is also ideal if you are into the latest technology, as you can really put your own individual stamp on it and introduce a lot of interesting gadgets and fittings.

Consistency in style

It is a good idea to keep the style consistent, and just go with either a contemporary or traditional bathroom suite for your home. A contemporary bathroom suite would usually adhere to light colours - especially white - and would be very minimalist and sleek. If you choose to go with this style, then you may choose a suite with a really deep bath tub, or, if you have the budget, Jacuzzi and spa style bath tubs are really popular at the moment. The only problem with this is that you won't be able to get rid of your guests!

As part of the contemporary bathroom suite, you would be looking at really powerful showers, with glass as a big feature of the shower area. The toilet can just be simple and stylish, but you could also opt for some exciting features, such as motion sensors or quiet push button flushing - anything to really give the bathroom an extra boost and help it to create that stunning impact.

In the same respect, you would want to go for really good taps, and these may also be motion sensor if you want to make it more unique. You can really be quite creative with a contemporary style bathroom suite, as long as you have the space to do so. It is best to keep the general layout quite simple though, and definitely free from clutter.

Retro can be modern

On the other hand, if you prefer a more old fashioned, retro style, then you would be more suited to a traditional style bathroom. This may sound a little dull, but it really isn't, there is still plenty of option to be creative and show off your personality with a traditional style bathroom suite. It can also really make an impact if you select the right one.

The advantage that the traditional style bathroom suite has over the contemporary bathroom is that it can feel much more homely. The contemporary style is all about the minimalist look and can if you are not careful be a little cold, while the traditional style can incorporate a range of colours, including beige, gold and other dark colours. It can also be a lot less expensive than the contemporary.

If you have a larger size bathroom, the traditional bathroom suite can be much more effective as you would tend to incorporate a broader range of furniture. It wouldn't be necessary to have a shower in this type of bathroom suite, but you would want a bath which has a rustic, Victorian feel to it, such as cast iron. If you do have a shower then it wouldn't have to be the latest style or anything too modern or fancy, it can just be simple, elegant and in-fitting with everything else.

You may also want to consider Edwardian/Victorian style taps and basin, which will create a really vintage ambience to your bathroom. The toilet may be in a throne style, and would definitely have a rustic look.

Whether you decide to choose a contemporary or traditional bathroom suite is entirely your own choice, and most people have clear visions of which they prefer over the other. It is best to stick to the one style, rather than using a mix of both in the same room, although it is perfectly acceptable to have different rooms in the home with a blend of both traditional and contemporary styles.

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