Bathrooms – the wet room solution

Bathrooms have evolved, and the wet room is the latest popular trend. To find out more visit http://www.homebuilding.co.uk/design/design-guides/bathrooms/wetrooms

An increasing number of people are choosing to add wet rooms to their homes. For most, the wet room is added as a second bathroom, but in chic flats and small apartments, the wet room is an ideal way to make the most of your bathroom space. The idea doesn’t appeal to everyone, but like most bathrooms, if you plan and research well, a wet room can work beautifully.

Bathrooms vs. wet rooms

Building a wet room is quite an undertaking. Essentially, where bathrooms are separate rooms with enclosed areas for bathing or showering, a wet room can be open to other areas of the house if you choose, and have no shower screens or enclosures and no bath. A central drainage point allows the shower to drain whilst the toilet and basin are conventionally plumbed, but in the same area as the shower. A wet room gives you:

• Modern look – wet rooms are very desirable and when they are properly done, they look great – sleek and contemporary.

• Ease of use – no need to jump in and out of the bath or squeeze yourself into a small shower enclosure. Just switch the shower on and go.

• Ease of cleaning – fewer pieces of sanitary ware means less worry about keeping everything clean. The whole area is tiled, so cleaning the tiling regularly and keeping the showering equipment clean is all that’s needed.

Whilst many people like the idea of having a wet room in their home, building one takes expertise and attention to detail. The whole area must be waterproof, and the showering area designed so that other things in the wet room, such as towels and accessories are far enough away to stay dry. If you’re looking at installing new bathrooms and you want to consider a wet room, your best option is to talk to a bathrooms expert before you begin. There’s nothing worse than having bought everything you need only to discover that a wet room won’t work in your home.

Bathroom’s luxury and wet room’s style

Building a wet room doesn’t mean you have to stint on the luxury element of your bathroom. Underfloor heating, for example, is often recommended because it not only helps to heat the room, but encourages the tiled floor to dry out more quickly and evenly. You can still have a bath in the room if you want one, and if you have space, you can have the wet room as a separate area of your bathroom, allowing the more traditional area to retain the luxury you want.