They both operate on the same principle--conduct the heat of the water through the cast iron into the air. You're trading aesthetics off. One issue is that you need a fairly long run of baseboard to give the equivalent heating "power" (i.e., amount of heat given off by a unit) to equal one of those decent sized old radiators. A heating guy can do the calcs, but when we did a renovation we mostly reused the old radiators in part because we needed a lot of wall if we wanted to switch to baseboard.

I would not try to put it all under a window, I think that would look funny. I'm hoping, it will not be very visible at all, actually :) There can be little to no furniture under the windows anyway, so that's why I want to put as much of the heating under there  to have more floor space left for bookcases, dressers, etc. Yes, the contractor took measurements of every room and its windows and sent that to the distributor, who replied with a list of how many linear feet of baseboards we need for each room. What worries me, however, is the imprecision of all this. For example, the questionnaire did not ask for the characteristics of the windows  we've got brand new triple-layer "Starmark Okna", which ought to be at least twice less heat-conductive, than old and drafty two-layer, but the calculations don't consider this. We are also replacing the siding and the insulation of the walls, so we ought to be losing less heat, than "normal". They did not ask for the baseboard kind (aluminum, steel, cast iron?) or brand either. And we don't know, what their assumption for the "worst" outside temperature was... Yes, he also mentioned installing pumps  is there something about that, that I should check with him? As for carpet  we aren't going to have that. Wood floors only with, maybe, some area rugs, but those will not reach to the walls.

Thank you all! Especially for giving me the confidence that I shouldn't be scared of keeping the radiator. :-) Casey, I am impressed that you got a forced-fan toespace heater to match the output of your giant radiator. If I had piles of money, I might spring for the radiant heating in the entire floor, and relocate the "old girl" to hook her up in another room. A few years ago, I was talking to a plumber who put it in his own house, and couldn't stop glowing about it. Of course, he added that it was cost effective for him as he was doing all the work. :-) It's good to hear that you didn't find evidence of sediment in your radiator. columbusguy1, that's a good tip about flushing it out. It's going to be sitting for a space of time during this project, so I might as well do that. Oh worthy, I can certainly see how that company would be doing a booming business! Some of the detail on those radiators is just gorgeous when the paint is spruced up. Of course, you need the gear to transport them. :-) Thanks again! I really appreciate it. --Lee

My Kohler Whitehaven does not always look dirty but I have the grills and make an effort not to let food - especially fruit scraps - sit in the sink. This is much easier now that I don't have a bunch of little ones to watch after - though husband still drops tea bags in the sink - usually right after I cleaned it:) As cast iron sinks get older they get micro abrasions in the finish and stain more easily, but it is very easily cleaned. I will use the same philosophy of those with white cabinets - I can see when cleaning needs to happen. My previous cast iron sink was 20 years old. Almost every night I would give it a spritz of clorox and it would whiten right up. I do't need to clean my Whitehaven that often - maybe twice a week, but as time goes on it may need cleaning more often, but then its a sink and should be cleaned regularly.