Are You An Accessorising Star?

Choosing the appropriate wiring accessories throughout the home can have a significant impact on the overall look and feel of a property, taking an interior design scheme to the next level of chic. Gavin Williams, Marketing Manager at Hamilton Litestat, tells us more.

Wiring accessories are often an after-thought when decorating, redesigning or even extending a home. Yet they’re always on show so can affect the overall look and continuity of a design scheme. Today’s homeowners are looking for hotel-style luxury and electrical solutions can help achieve this sought-after finish through excellent design and a variety of finishes.

Plug in, switch on

In the kitchen, the first thing you do is plug in and switch on an appliance – typically a coffee machine or kettle! With power of the utmost importance in the kitchen, homeowners are constantly interacting with wiring accessories. Easy access is needed in this area of the home so they’re always on show; therefore, it’s important to select a style and finish that complements the overall décor.

The market place is packed with a wide range of design styles and finishes, from contemporary through to traditional, with brochures available to illustrate the options and make the selection process easier. From our vast collection, Hamilton’s Hartland and Sheer plate designs are firm favourites, with the Hartland CFX and Sheer CFX versions that have concealed fixings proving particularly popular. A contemporary look is achieved with these styles in chrome or stainless steel, while bronze finishes are currently on-trend in high-end hotels. Other available plate finishes include coloured plastic, glass, and a wood finish, providing plenty of choice to suit every taste and budget.

Alternatively, the traditional heavy-duty Metalclad range is suited for achieving a modern industrial look within a residential property such as studio apartments, or where hard-wearing performance is required in a workshop or industrial premises.

Be bold, or blend

With an impactful interior scheme, homeowners may want their wiring accessories to blend in and avoid detracting attention from the design. Transparent plastic solutions, such as the Perception CFX, allow a wallpaper design to show through the plate with as little interruption as possible.

Alternatively, Hamilton has developed its latest Paintables range that can be supplied pre-sprayed to exactly match – or even contrast – any wall colour or design theme. This flexible accessory can blend in or stand out and is set to trend. The Paintables range comes in Hartland CFX and Sheer CFX designs but bespoke plates and sockets can also be developed with this finish for a completely unique solution.

Despite the wide range of finishes on the market, white switches and sockets may be preferred or better aligned with the available budget. But even these can be stylish. Gone are the days when affordable wiring accessories were cheap-looking and ugly: Hamilton’s Vogue range provides a neatly styled solution with moulded bevelled edges in cool-white plastic, available in a range of functionality options that won’t break the bank.

24/7 connectivity

Function is as important as form, and homeowners don’t need to compromise on style or coordination when selecting Hamilton solutions. Now, created for today’s always-connected lifestyle, socket plates with USB charging functionality are available. Hamilton Litestat supplies single and double USB charging ports, with its latest dual 2.4A USB double switched socket plate allowing two tablets or other higher-rated smart devices to be charged simultaneously from a single plate. These are available in a range of styles, with a 2.1A/1A option available in its stylish white plastic Vogue collection and the industrial Metalclad design.

Getting on the grid

With so many electrical appliances in the kitchen, grid-fixed wiring allows complete flexibility for creating bespoke combinations of switches on one front plate. Separate modules can be simply clipped together on-site for an instant solution to suit any kitchen requirement and layout. It’s a common misconception that this solution just comes in bog-standard white: Hamilton offers its Grid-It range in an array of styles and finishes that can be coordinated with all the other wiring accessories in the room or throughout the home. The switches can be selected to feature the written name of the appliance or a representative icon. But if white is your colour, then don’t forget to check out Hamilton’s Vogue Micro Grid range!

The finishing touch

Lighting can have a huge effect on the look and feel of a space and if it’s within budget then smart lighting control adds an extra element of functionality and luxury to a home and can be supplied with switches and control panels that coordinate with other electrical accessories. However, simple dimmer functionality can help create ambience and a more suitable environment for entertaining and relaxing on a budget. Hamilton’s coordinated LEDIT-B100 and Grid100LED rotary dimmer options provides this functionality simply, while ensuring a seamless coordinated look throughout the home.