In this guide we will take you through the differences between a walk in shower and wet room. We will guide you through the advantages and disadvantages and outline some styling tips for installing one in your own home.
Is a Walk In Shower The Same as a Wet Room?
Both walk in showers and wet rooms are different from regular shower enclosures as they don’t have doors. This gives them a clean, minimalist feel which looks great in modern bathrooms. The glass panels on these showers also allow a lot of light through them, which is ideal for anyone looking to brighten up their bathroom
As they have no doors, there are fewer moving parts so they are easy to maintain and keep clean. The lack of doors also means they are easier to get in and out of for anyone with mobility issues.
Walk In Shower Enclosures
A walk in shower enclosure will usually have one or two glass screens and a shower tray. There may also be a smaller hinged return panel to help stop water splashing into the rest of the bathroom.
A walk in shower enclosure will feel more like a separate part of the bathroom than a wet room.
Creating a Walk In Shower Enclosure
To create a walk in shower enclosure in your home, you will need:
A walk in shower will usually be cheaper than a wet room as you only need to install panels and a shower tray, rather than adjusting the floor and making a large area waterproof.
Wet Rooms
In a wet room, the space is completely open and the water will flow through a drain in the floor rather than a shower tray. To construct a wet room, the floor will need to be altered to ensure water can drain away.
In a true wet room, the entire bathroom is designed to be ‘wet’ and there will be no shower screens. In this instance a much larger space will need to be waterproofed which is very expensive. In reality, the term wet room is often used to describe a shower which doesn’t have a tray. A shower screen will often be used in contemporary wet rooms to separate the shower from the rest of the bathroom.
A wet room allows for continuous floor space between the shower and the rest of the room. This will make your bathroom feel more spacious and create a relaxing, clutter free atmosphere. The lack of a step into a tray also makes wet rooms even better than walk in showers for people with mobility issues.
Although wet rooms look stunning, due to the floor adjustments and extra waterproofing needed, they will usually be more expensive to install than a walk in enclosure. It’s also unlikely you’ll be able to install a wet room without an experienced tradesperson.
Wet Room Ideas
When creating a wet room, there's huge scope for getting creative and adding your own personal touches. That's why we've put together our top wet room ideas.
Vibrant Floor Tiles
One of the advantages of a wet room is having the same tiles throughout, which can create a beautifully seamless look. This makes it much easier for you to put your own spin on your shower with some vibrant patterned tiles.
Shower With A View
The open plan nature of a wet room gives you the opportunity to enjoy some fantastic views from your shower. If you are lucky enough to have a beautiful view from your home in a secluded area, why not install your wet room facing it? This will give you the perfect space to relax and unwind.
Wet Room Alcove
A wet room should be relaxing and clean, so you don't want to clutter it up with shampoo bottles and soaps. That's why we recommend creating a shower alcove. Neater than installing storage on the wall, these can be brightened up with some well placed LED's.
Bath In The Shower
As it takes up a lot of room, many people will feel they need to choose between installing a wet room or a bath. However, with this idea you can have both! Installing a bathtub inside your wet room will give you the best of both worlds.
Walk In Shower Ideas
As a walk in shower is just two screens and a shower tray, you have lots of opportunities to be creative. Here we outline our top walk in shower ideas.
Black Frame Shower Screens
One of our favourite walk in shower styles is the black frame shower screen. These have a modern, industrial look which is becoming increasingly popular in homes across the UK.
Feature Tiled Wall
One way to customise your enclosure is through your choice of wall tiles. Whether it's incorporating bright colours or moving away from the standard square tiles into different shapes, there's lots of opportunity for creativity!
Open Plan Bedroom
One of the easiest ways to make your home feel more spacious is to remove any unnecessary walls, which is why the open plan en-suite is becoming increasingly popular. The walk in shower is the perfect addition to this design philosophy as it helps to keep the open feel throughout.
Shower Seat
Shower seats can make showering easier for anyone with mobility issues. Whether it's a wooden seat or one which can fold into the wall, this is an ideal accessory for a walk in enclosure. If you have more space to work with, you could install a larger, built in tiled seat.
That concludes our wet room and walk in shower ideas. Whichever you choose to install, we have all the shower trays, valves, heads, kits and accessories you need.
