The shower is often the main (and most overlooked) feature of a bathroom so it’s important that you take time to do your research and choose wisely. Design plays a huge role when it comes to selecting a shower, although there are also other factors to consider including:
- How much maintenance and cleaning are you willing to do?
- How do you plan to use your shower?
- Are you after a basic no-frills showering experience or a luxurious addition to your bathroom?
- Do you have any limitations in terms of space and layout of your bathroom or budget?
- Will children be using the shower or just adults? What about people with disabilities?
Thinking about these factors can save you time and money in the future. If you are looking at showers in Christchurch, then get in touch with us and we'll be able to take you through all the options.
Shower stall design options
Square showers
A square shower is great for transforming a corner of your bathroom. Image credit: Euro Glass
Sliding showers
Great for adding the illusion of space, sliding showers are the modern alternative to the pivoting door. Image source: Euro Glass
In-line showers
Inline showers can span the width of a bathroom and makes for a formal look. Image source: Euro Glass
Bi-fold bath screens
This style of bath screen provides a suitable splash guard. Image source: Euro Glass
Bath-end showers
A great way to make optimal use of space in your bathroom, the bath-end shower is a popular layout in New Zealand. Image source: Euro Glass
Walk-in shower
If you have a large bathroom try creating a walk-in shower without a door. Use a fixed panel of safety glass to contain the water. Image source: Euro Glass
Quadrant shower
A quadrant shower is suitable for small bathrooms. Image source: Euro Glass
Curved Shower
The side panels of quadrant showers are custom sized according to your shower space. Image source: Euro Glass
Choosing a shower screen
A shower screen is used to enclose a shower and made of either glass or plastic. Some showers are enclosed with a plastic shower curtain which is a cheap and easy way to keep water from leaking out on to the floor.
Shower screens are available in a wide range of materials and each has a different look. Before selecting your shower screen you may want to consider a wet room (no shower screen) but you’ll need to waterproof the bathroom to ensure that water does not get into the electrics.
Framed enclosure
Framed enclosures are not completely glass, instead they are framed in an aluminium casing. They are easier to install so you can do it yourself (unlike a frameless enclosure which is a lot more difficult to install), but they are, however, more difficult to clean than frameless enclosures.
Framed shower enclosure. Image source: dandoyglass.com
Frameless enclosure
Frameless shower doors are simple, elegant and streamlined. They have minimal framing and seals and are highly customisable (which means they can be cut to any shape). Thick architectural glass is used for a frameless shower screen to maintain its structural integrity.
Frameless shower screen. Image source: Houzz.com
Wet room - no shower bay
A wet room is a bathroom with no shower bay, which means the water is not contained to a limited area and drains through a hole in the bathroom floor. Wet rooms are great for people with mobility disabilities as they don’t need to step in or out of a shower, and, as well, wet rooms also provide a lot of space for rails, supports and chairs if needed.
A shower bay is advantageous as it enables you to make the most of the available space and keeps water contained and drainage is easier to manage. If you choose a wet room here’s a few things you need to know:
- Shower heads can be the same as a shower with a shower stall
- A wet room requires the same splashback walls and sealed floor surfaces
- You’ll need proper waterproofing underneath the floors
- The floor should be sealed and sloped down towards drain - you don’t want the water pooling
- If you like you can add a shower curtain to enable some control of the spread of water
Choosing a shower head
Shower heads play a big role in your overall bathing experience. Your shower head should provide comfort and ease of flow - it’s a fine line between saving water and having enough water to wash you. No one likes a low pressure shower that trickles water out!
There are many shower heads to choose from and all differ in terms of function, design and energy efficiency, so your choice will depend on what your priorities are. Essentially, there are two main types of shower heads: Fixed and hand-held and come in high and low pressure jets, singles or multiples, and a variety of styles including massage, rain, waterfall and multi-head shower heads.
Image source: Methven
At the end of the day, your choice of shower head will depend on what your needs are … to simply wash yourself every morning or, if it's your favourite part of the day, to enjoy a full experience of relaxing and unwinding?
Recommended Retailers
- Euro Glass (for showers and glass)
- Methven (taps and showerheads)
Feature image: Anson Smart
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