Showers
Go with a flush shower tray A shower tray that’s flush to the bathroom floor minimises your risk of tripping over a step as you enter the shower. It’s also a wheelchair-accessible feature. If you forgo a shower step, your shower floor will need to be properly sloped to allow water to drain correctly. If you do include a step, don’t make it large and bulky.
Choose porcelain wall and floor tiles Porcelain can last a lifetime, so chances are you won’t have to replace it as you get older. It’s also perhaps the easiest surface to clean: a wet cloth normally does the trick. If you’re concerned about grout, look for porcelain tiles with a rectified edge. Finely cut edges allow for thin grout joints (as little as 1.5mm in some styles). You can purchase a pre-sealed grout as well.
Shower controls must be at the entrance away from the shower head. Ideally have a skylight above a shower for ventilation A niche for your shampoo Brass fittings? A small grab rail Herringbone tile pattern
Make sure your shower includes a hand held shower head for a directional flow of water Frameless glass doors Niche in the tiled wall Seat/shelf on the lower third of the wall if there’s space
Always add a storage niche to your shower at the build phase
Double walk-in shower - open at both ends - two shower heads? Lower half of the shower is a solid wall, giving a barrier for the bath Upper part of the enclosure is transparent and goes all the way to the ceiling
Polished nickel shower Different smaller tiles in the niche Tiled wall and different tiles for floor
Tiled floor Frameless glass enclosure Niche in tiled wall for bottles
Raised shower floor Screen but not an enclosure
Raised floor shower with partition halfway across Vertical wall tiles Black and white
Metro tiles can be used horizontally or vertically
Antique brass shower - but there’s a risk with buying old pieces that they won’t work with your plumbing. Quite like the plain old fashioned tiles.
Large, but an angled design fits the corner better
Curved tiles
A stud wall can incorporate niche shelving Niche shelving can incorporate different and more expensive tiles
A shower can go against a wall with a window Rectangular tiles positioned vertically draw the eye upwards. These wall tiles are varied in shade, but don’t compete with the busier floor tile pattern
Raised floor for plumbing - no shower tray. A half wall for positioning the loo and screening the shower
Frameless shower screen Feature tiling or wall covering in the shower Wet room - no shower tray
Sliding door cubicle. You can position a shower by a window Low to the floor shower tray Like the floor tiles - matched by plain walls
Good design for a seat in the shower Also a storage and mirror combination
Walk-in shower with half wall, half screen Not totally enclosed so draughty
Big tiled walk-in shower using a shower tray and one glass partition, so the bathroom has to be warm to use it.
Shower in the corner - wall divider - no glass to clean Vanity is made from salvaged legs from an old dining table with an IKEA worktop
Half wall half glass screen
Glass partition but no door
1.5 shower tray is the largest size Frameless glass partition Metro tiles with grey grout - Topps tiles Wall hung loo, concealed cistern
Rain shower heads can deliver a mist instead of a deluge, saving water, but you don’t feel like you’re missing a torrent using 20-25% less water Chromotherapy showers allow you to choose your colour on your smart phone
Wall hung units for easier to clean visually spacious floor space Demi sting mirror won’t steam up Smart sensors placed beneath sanitary ware can detect leaks before they cause damage
Shower tray by Bette Walk in shower
Large glass shower screen on a walk in shower. You can’t see any fixings in this screen as it slots into a channel in the tiling. The short return at the ends keeps the glass stable is bonded to the main piece. From the Shower Lab. Shower niche created by removing a brick in the wall and putting in a small lintel Tiles: tops tiles
1.8m shower tray sunk into the floor gives a wet room feel and avoids the need for a shower door but not necessary to waterproof the whole floor. However, no door could mean it feels cold when showering Niches created in the stud wall before plastering and tiling.
Have the shower controls a short distance from the shower itself to avoid reaching around the shower screen
The shower in the alcove doesn’t have a door, but has a slim panel splash screen and the floor tray is quite shallow
Space for plumbing was needed beneath the shower so a plinth and step was built going all the way across the room The walls are micro cement
A roll top bath can still have a shower over it if the plumbing for the taps goes into the wall.
Enclosed wet room style shower
This triangular shaped enclosure fits into a small space. The wall hung loo also gives more floor space but is more expensive.
It’s not a wet room, but the shower tray is flush with the tiles
Use of thick glass blocks Roller door (sliding)
Long walk in shower with massive wall tiles, a recess niche, and frameless glass partition.
The shower tray is 1.5m which is about as large as you can go The wall and floor tiles are from Topps Tiles
Walk-in shower Walls and floor have limestone tiles Standard cabinets but framed with oak
Long narrow shower in an alcove with a glass partition between shower and washbasin. Controls near the entry point Niche for toiletries Washbasin mounted in an open shelf/worktop
120cm square tiles reduces the number of grout lines. Part solid wall, part glazing
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