Refurbishing your home with wash basins

Counter-top basin
This is a type of basin that is normally placed on top of a counter or cabinet making the bowl basins to appear almost separate from the underlying surface. “Because of the way the bowl is installed, it tends to sit higher than average basins. Its height also requires faucets that can reach up over the edge, distinguishing the bowl basin’s appearance. Its atop appearance resemblances a bowl basin. Counter-top basins can be made from different types of material like acrylic or ceramic material,” she explains.

The-counter wash basins are available in glass, ceramic, as well as stainless steel material. Counter-tops made of glass are transparent in appearance which adds a unique and attractive look to them. However they need extra care due their fragile material.

Wall-hung
For simplicity, the wall-hung basin may be the perfect setup. “Just like the name suggests this is a type of basin fixed to the wall, with no countertop or stand beneath, the wall-hung basin is an efficient use of limited space. Compared to the rest it consumes little space because it is hanged from the wall. It is suitable for smaller bathrooms, corridors and the dining area dependin due the sufficient space for extra storage it offers beneath. Wall-hung can be made from ceramic, acrylic or glass material. Unlike the pedestal wall-hung is easy to maintain cleanliness since it has no base/stand which tends to hide dirt at the bottom,” adds Rebecca Namulanji, a sales executive.

Wall-hung basins vary in size, but they tend to be smaller than other styles. For bathrooms with a lot of traffic, or for those used by children, this may not be a useful option because of the lack of counter space. For smaller secondary bathrooms, the wall-hung may be the perfect choice. If your home has an en-suite, bathroom, and corridor then to keep the style same in all the places you can use the wall-hung wash basins, which are available in plenty of colors and style.

Wall-hung wash basins are obtainable in different colours like white, off white, blue, green, yellow and so on.

Considerations and maintenance
One of the important aspects of wash basins that you need to look at while buying one is the material it is made of. The most durable is ceramic but the most stylish is glass. Glass wash basin has become quite a popular design statement off late and is being used by more and more people.

A glass wash basin has the ability to attract attention and can enhance the decor of an otherwise average bathroom. Some of the glass wash basins are available in transparent colors, some are simply transparent and some have irresistible and beautiful floral or other designs.

Depending on the type of design the glass wash basin has, you can either mount it on the wall or place on the counter or cabinet with a small cupboard box and mirror, which can be used as a vanity kit or for keeping essential toiletries.

Also ensure that the tap fittings have not been made when selecting a wash basin. This is normally done because there are particular types of mixers that can be used only in specific wash basins.

When connecting wall-hung basins you check to ensure that the screws have been well fixed using glued metals because inordinate weight can lead to cracks developing in the basins or even make it drop down. If you have a smaller room then you can use the small wall-hung basins to create extra space. If you are trying to fit some of the larger wall hung basins then you can rest them on a specially made semi-pedestal that will be able to hold your wash basin up and even cover up the waste pipe.

“Another important thing that you need to ensure when fitting wall-hung basins is that the wall on which you are going to mount the basin should be strong enough to take the load. When you have selected a wash basin there is a probability that the basin has a small crack underneath, which might not catch the eye. Hence you should always check the entire basin and if required fill it with water to find out if it is of good quality or not, ” explains Namulanji.

Wash basins should be cleaned every day to maintain its sparking clear look and avoid coating or cobweb accumulation beneath.

Before, table cloths were a reserve of royalty and the poor people had no linens or even tables.

By the 12th century however, the custom of using table linen was almost universal throughout France and Italy.

Napkins have been around since the Middle Ages when stylish folk stopped wiping their mouths on the tablecloth and started providing individual linen squares for themselves and their sloppier guests.

Napkins as they are known today traditionally originated in the city of Rheims, noted for its fine cloth. The city presented King Charles VII with a set of table napkins at his coronation in 1422.

The use of table cloth spread quickly from the aristocracy to the merchant classes and by the 15th century the use even spread in the smaller sections.

Earlier table linens were made of linen and then the use of cotton and silk also became popular.

When cold collations (of sweetmeats and fresh and candied fruits) were served in 14th and 15th century France, serviettes de collation (‘refreshment towels’) were hung in the room..

Small flower patterns came in the early 15th century.

Venetian style and Damascus weave came into existence during Renaissance.

Until 1625 table cloths were folded to get a more thick covering on the table. Later an undercloth was created to make a base layer for the cloth.

During most of the late 1800s, Queen Victoria, who had lost her beloved Prince Albert, made it fashionable to be a widow. With this the custom of using darker shades came on and the table linen of that time were also dark heavy tapestries, fringed Turkey Red and white damask cloths, and heavily decorated plush and velvet table toppers.

Just prior to the French Revolution, the standard size of table napkins was 45 by 35 inches, and the standard fabric white damask..

Later by the end of 18th century the use of table linen elevated to a greater standard and the idea of matching table linens established.

[email protected]