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This streamlined open shower gives your home a touch of luxury, but is it practical? We spoke to experts to find out
If you’re drawn to spacious open-plan layouts and a sleek modern aesthetic, the prospect of adding a walk-in shower to your home might be tempting. However, while this type of bathroom has its advantages, it also has some disadvantages that you need to be aware of before deciding on your choice.
First, let’s look at the technical details of what a wet room is – a typical bathroom is made up of separate areas with clear structural differences between the tub, washbasin, and toilet. The shower cabin in the shared bathroom is also equipped with a tray. ‘On the other hand, a wet room is an open-plan room where the shower floor is flush with the rest of the bathroom,’ says Ruth Webber, creative director at Bert & May. ‘On the other hand, a wet room is an open-plan room where the shower floor is flush with the rest of the bathroom,’ says Ruth Webber, creative director at Bert & May. «С другой стороны, мокрая комната — это комната открытой планировки, где пол в душе находится на одном уровне с остальной частью ванной», — говорит Рут Уэббер, креативный директор Bert & May. “The wet room, on the other hand, is an open-plan room where the shower floor is flush with the rest of the bathroom,” says Ruth Webber, creative director at Bert & May. “另一方面，湿房是一个开放式房间，淋浴地板与浴室的其他部分齐平，”Bert & May 的创意总监Ruth Webber 说。 Bert & May 的创意总监Ruth Webber 说。 «С другой стороны, мокрая комната — это открытая комната, где пол в душе находится на одном уровне с остальной частью ванной», — говорит креативный директор Bert & May Рут Уэббер. “On the other hand, a wet room is an open room where the shower floor is flush with the rest of the bathroom,” says Bert & May creative director Ruth Webber.
This modern bathroom style is achieved by having the entire floor slope towards the drain, meaning that any area in the room can get wet as excess water simply drains off. “Hidden tray systems that fit under the floor tiles and provide drainage are the most popular choice,” says Barry Kutchi, director of design at BC Designs. should also have a gentle slope so that water can easily drain into the sewer.
Here, we take a closer look at the pros and cons of installing a walk-in shower to help you assess whether this type of bathroom is right for your home.
Rebecca is a seasoned housing and real estate journalist who has worked for numerous do-it-yourself and interior design magazines. Here she talks to bathroom experts and designers to find out if a wet room is right for every home.
A well-designed shower room has a clean, uncluttered look and feel of space and openness. There is also great design flexibility, making this type of bathroom ideal for compact homes or those with limited ceiling height.
Kimberly Peck, director of Brooklyn-based Kimberly Peck Architects, says, “By using the available floor space more efficiently, by installing the bath and shower in a smaller area rather than separating them, you can fit more lights into the space.” less space” in a new tab). “For example, you can install a free-standing bath right in front of the shower.”
You can also make a small bathroom look bigger than it is by getting rid of cabinets and bulky accessories. As an alternative, you can use glass screens, tiles of different colors or even surface textures to zone the space.
Providing enough space in the bathroom is the key to successful design. ‘A wet room without ample space is a functional disaster,’ say Scott Maddux & Jo leGleud, co-founders of London-based Maddux Creative (opens in new tab). ‘A wet room without ample space is a functional disaster,’ say Scott Maddux & Jo leGleud, co-founders of London-based Maddux Creative (opens in new tab). “A wet room without enough space is a functional disaster,” says Scott Maddux and Joe LeGleud, co-founders of London-based Maddux Creative (opens in new tab). “A wet room without enough space is a functional disaster,” says Scott Maddux and Joe LeGleud, co-founders of London-based Maddux Creative (opens in a new tab). “You have water on the floor, in toilets and wash basins – the problem is lack of clarity and control.”
Careful design considers the potential shower spray distance from other areas of the wet room. K-DA Architecture + Interiors from New York (new label). “It also makes things like a steam shower more cumbersome because you need more limited space for a steam shower to be practical.”
In most cases, problems only occur when the hardware is specified or installed incorrectly. In the worst case, this can lead to leaks that can be costly to repair. ‘A common myth about wet rooms is that the floors can be wet and slippery,’ says Ruth from tile brand Bert & May. ‘A common myth about wet rooms is that the floors can be wet and slippery,’ says Ruth from tile brand Bert & May. «Распространенный миф о влажных помещениях состоит в том, что полы могут быть мокрыми и скользкими», — говорит Рут из бренда плитки Bert & May. “A common myth about wet areas is that floors can be wet and slippery,” says Ruth of tile brand Bert & May.瓷砖品牌Bert & May 的露丝说：“关于潮湿房间的一个普遍误解是地板可能又湿又滑。”瓷砖品牌Bert & May 的露丝说：” «Распространенное заблуждение о влажных помещениях состоит в том, что полы могут быть мокрыми и скользкими», — говорит Рут из бренда плитки Bert & May. “A common misconception about wet areas is that floors can be wet and slippery,” says Ruth of tile brand Bert & May. “However, if the tile is installed correctly, it is safe and slip resistant.”
In fact, keeping your wet room drains clean is critical. “If they retreat, there will be no fence to hold the water, and the water will overflow into other spaces,” says architect Kimberly Peck, but Kimberly says this can also be seen as an advantage. “If your sink or toilet becomes clogged or overflows, the water is dripping onto the floor of the wet room instead of flooding like a shower with a standard border or fence.”
Alex Epstein, lead interior designer at Annapolis-based Purple Cherry Architects (opens in new tab), also gives some tips on the types of faucets to install in a shower room, as long as the space is functional on a functional level. “Always use a wall-mounted faucet,” he says. “Having a floor solution created more problems, causing leaks over time as water broke through sealing gaps around the perimeter of the space.”
Wet rooms tend to cost more than other shower options due to the extra building work required to fully waterproof your bathroom walls and floors. According to Barry Kutchi of BC Designs, you can pay an extra 20 percent for a bathroom in this style.
On the positive side, however, there are ways to offset the extra waterproofing costs of other projects. “While you incur the cost of building the enclosure, additional tanks and drainage requirements, you can save money by ditching the tub and shower tray,” says Maddux Creative’s Scott and Joe.
If you’re more into long showers than relaxing soaks, a wet room might be the way to go, which is also great for creating a spa bath. “They also pair perfectly with a cleansing and shaving bench, and even have a steam/hammam function—perfect for those who like to linger,” Scott and Joe say.
Accessible wet areas with no steps or ledges to trip over are ideal for people with mobility issues. The shower area can be designed to provide enough space for entry and exit and be equipped with a shower chair for the user to sit and shower. For example, London-based Amos Goldreich Architecture (opens in a new tab) has designed a renovation of this home to make it fully accessible to the owner’s wheelchair-bound son.
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After starting my journalistic career at a luxury real estate magazine in Bangkok, I moved to London where I started working as an assistant editor and writer. Later, I became an editor for a popular do-it-yourself magazine where I immersed myself in the world of structural systems, green technology and the smart home. I went freelance in 2017 to pursue my dream of becoming a yoga teacher, but I still write for numerous titles in the homes and interiors sector, including Grand Designs, Ideal Home, Livingetc, Homebuilding & Renovating and Build It. I went freelance in 2017 to pursue my dream of becoming a yoga teacher, but I still write for numerous titles in the homes and interiors sector, including Grand Designs, Ideal Home, Livingetc, Homebuilding & Renovating and Build It. Я стал фрилансером в 2017 году, чтобы осуществить свою мечту стать учителем йоги, но я до сих пор пишу для многочисленных изданий в сфере домов и интерьеров, включая Grand Designs, Ideal Home, Livingetc, Homebuilding & Renovating и Build It. I became a freelancer in 2017 to fulfill my dream of becoming a yoga teacher, but I still write for numerous home and interior publications including Grand Designs, Ideal Home, Livingetc, Homebuilding & Renovating and Build It.我在2017 年成为自由职业者以追求成为一名瑜伽老师的梦想，但我仍然为家居和室内设计领域的众多杂志撰稿，包括Grand Designs、Ideal Home、Livingetc、Homebuilding & Renovating 和Build It。我 在 在 2017 年 成为 自由 职业 以 追求 成为 一 名 瑜伽 老师 梦想 ， 但 我 仍然 为 和 室内 设计 的 众多 撰稿 ， 包括 grand designs 、 Ideal Home 、 livingetc 、 HomeBuilding & Renovating 和 Buld is В 2017 году я стала фрилансером, чтобы осуществить свою мечту стать учителем йоги, но я до сих пор пишу для многочисленных журналов о дизайне дома и интерьера, включая Grand Designs, Ideal Home, Livingetc, Homebuilding & Renovating и Build It. I went freelance in 2017 to fulfill my dream of becoming a yoga teacher, but I still write for numerous home and interior design magazines including Grand Designs, Ideal Home, Livingetc, Homebuilding & Renovating and Build It. I’m writing a series of articles ranging from design-focused features to real-life examples.
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Post time: Dec-16-2022