Bathroom Design Ideas

For a luxurious spa treatment in the comfort of your own home, consider installing a steam shower cubicle during your bathroom renovation.  While it also serves the basic purposes of a shower enclosure, a steam shower gives you many additional, unique benefits.

As owners of steam shower cubicles will attest, the features make these lavish fixtures worthwhile.  Most steam showers come equipped with a digital control panel and sometimes a remote control to help pre-set steam features before getting in.  Foot massages, using foot rollers and hydro-massage water jets, are often found in steam shower enclosures as well.  Treat the soles of your feet with this added feature.

Hand held showerheads are also typically standard, as well as the overhead shower rose, or rain forest shower.  The combination of a larger, fixed shower head and a convenient hand-held one allows lots of showering options.  Body jets are an optional feature and can be placed above your head or down the length of the wall, for use on the back and legs.  These jets can usually be programmed on the control panel.

Beyond the physical attributes, built-in audio inputs allow you to connect to an iPod, MP3 player, CD player, or radio tuner.  In some models, a phone connection is also available.  Enjoy your music or chat with friends while you relax in the steam generator’s customizable steam output.

With a steam shower cubicle in your home, there’s no reason to spend money at a day spa again!

If low hot water pressure is a major concern in your home, you might consider the purchase and installation of an electric shower.  This affordable and easy-to-use system eliminates the demand on your hot water tank for stored, heated water.  Instead, your showers can be hot for as long as you like, as often as needed.

The electric shower draws on the cold water feed and heats the water for immediate use in the shower. It is the perfect way to combat low hot water pressure issues or manage heated water for shower enclosures for two people, with two showerheads.  Not only will your water get hot and stay hot for as long as needed, but pre-set controls allow you to keep the temperature exactly where you like it.

Installing an electric shower is also a very simple process, and many consider the do-it-yourself route.  A licensed electrician should be consulted to manage the electrical component of this handy shower accessory, but other tasks can be done on your own.  To install the electric shower, you will need a 15 mm connection to the rising main for water, access to an electrical source, and copper pipes and valves to make the connection to the water source.

Electric showers are compact and space-efficient.  They are relatively inexpensive and can be installed quickly and easily.  For so little effort, the tremendous benefits make an electric shower a must-have for your home shower cubicle.

Unless this is a small part of a major property development project, you’re not going to need expert skills in the building trade or advice from architects in order to install a shower. Depending on where you locate the shower, though, you may need to do a little plumbing, plastering, painting and decorating or tiling in order to make good the wall that you feed the water pipes through.

A manual shower is essentially an adapted mixer tap: water temperature and flow rates are controlled by different taps, or by a single lever control. Thermostatic showers have an integral adjuster which responds to water temperature, automatically reducing hot or cold flow depending on the temperature you set. 

Begin by removing a length of plasterboard and cutting notches in the studwork where you want the hot and cold copper pipes to run (if you’re simply replacing a pre-existing shower, just connect the tap/spray to the pipes after removing the old one). Assemble and mount the tap on the wall in the position you need it and mark where the pipes will connect.

Run the hot water pipe by branching out from the vent pipe above the hot water cylinder. The cold water pipe needs to be taken from the pipe work below the outlet that feeds the hot water system. If you’re not sure about this, a plumber will install the copper for you, although his services will add to the overall costs! Connect the hot and cold pipes to the tap with the fittings supplied. Replace the strip of plaster, tile over and enjoy your new shower.

If you want to make more out of your bathroom than it being just a basic functional washroom, then there are a few luxurious shower accessories and associated bathroom accessories, that you should consider adding.

There is nothing like a long soak in the bath, but resting your head on the bathtub itself can be uncomfortable for anything more than a few minutes.  Why not add a bath pillow? It is one of a range of bathroom accessories designed for comfort and are perfect for helping you to relax after a difficult day.  They range from a basic inflatable version, to a more user friendly option that will inflate at the touch of a button.  Also available is a remote control version that can massage your neck and shoulders while you relax.

For those who have young children, a kneeler is a good option.  This fits over the side of the bath and provides a comfortable pad for kneeling on the floor.  Handy pockets will hold bottles of shampoo within easy reach, and it can take some of the stress out of bathing children.  

Staying organised in your bathroom is important and there are a range of bath and shower caddies which can help you to do just that.  Ensure you find one that has enough space in for all your toiletries and that will sit within easy reach.  There are some styles which clip on to the shower pole, that are designed for a shelf or window sill, or some bath trays which will run across the bath itself. 

Do you love to go to the spa, to sit in the steam room for half an hour or so, then rinse off with a warm shower? It’s the ultimate in relaxation. Why not bring that luxury into your own home with a steam shower? Many are opting for steam showers instead of the traditional showers, when they undertake a bathroom remodel. Here are two of the more popular steam showers currently available, so that you can decide whether a steam shower will be a part of your new bathroom.

The Malindi Steam Shower – Available in single and double cabins, this steam shower features a steam generator and multiple water showers. There is an adjustable handset shower head, four massage jets, plus a rain shower built into the roof. It has a seat – or two if you choose the double cabin – for relaxing, and you can also enjoy the remote control digital AM/FM radio included. There is even a mirror for shaving, because everyone knows shaving in the shower delivers the best results.

The Svedbergs Cube Steam Shower – This luxury steam shower was inspired by the oriental steam bath. It has a steam generator and adjustable shower, plus a rain shower in the roof. There is a generous seat on which to sit, made of wooden slats for that spa effect. Halogen lights twinkle from above, setting the mood for relaxation. The shower tray on this model is cast marble.

Once you have decided which type of shower you want, the next step is selecting the perfect shower head. This is the most important part of fitting a shower because the kind of shower head you have determines the way the water flows.

Fixed head showers like the Grohe Euphoria Shower System are set into the wall and the most opulent looking and effective, but it is not always possible to do this. A shower head fixed on a riser which can be moved up and down will suit most bathrooms and most people, including children.

The other thing to think about is the way the water actually sprays out of the shower head. If you prefer a soft, gentle shower spray, a shower head with a large rose will do the job, but bigger heads use more water. The force of the water is not controlled by the shower head though; it is the valve that controls that.

Perhaps the most versatile type of shower head is the adjustable variety which can be turned to give a champagne flow, or a more intense pulsing kind of spray. There are a number of different combination heads available. These are ideal if you like to match your shower to your mood and should please everyone in the house.

Another very important thing to consider is cleaning. A shower head tends to get water-stained and can build up a calcium deposit, so fitting a head with a wipe clean surface that is easy to take apart and clean will save a lot of work.

Matki Showering prides itself on sublime innovation and effortless style. Indulgent, handcrafted, functional – Matki shower collections offer consumers premier shower enclosures, shower trays, mixers, taps, and basins. Competing with the most luxurious brands in the world and appealing to the most discerning of customers, Matki showers are a mark of pride-of-ownership that remains unrivalled in today’s marketplace .

Eleven collections ensure interested parties can find a style that matches their taste and space.

The Matki Walk-In is composed of glass and is entirely freestanding, allowing it to be installed even in the centre of a room. Matki also offers curved, corner, and recessed walk-in models. The Matki Wet Room collection offers bathers seamless glass panelling, chrome fixtures, and an all-inclusive showering solution. These Wet Rooms can be installed on a wall or in a corner.

Those looking for a sliding door shower enclosure should examine the Matki Classica collection. Low profile trays and thin enclosure glass make this an elegantly slim bathroom solution. In addition to corners and walls, the Classica Inline Door shower enclosure can be recessed into a wall.

The Radiance collection offers bathers curved corner units, meant to complement modern and traditional bathrooms alike. The Matki Radiance Collection also contains straight sliding door, pivot door, and recessed, inline door models. The Illusion and EauZone collections reach toward minimalism, using thin doors and minimal framing elements, while the Mirage collection provides consumers with a curved, double-door look. The functional Colonnade collection recesses itself into almost any wall.

Bristan is one of the largest suppliers of bathroom suites, pumps, accessories and heating for bathrooms, in the UK. The company is at the leading edge of the market and this assures both quality and excellent after sales support. You will also find that the sheer buying power of a company of this size results in a very competitive pricing structure.

The range of products on offer also means that this is somewhere you can buy all the items for your new bathroom and can avoid having to purchase your suite from one company and all your accessories from another. This helps create a look that is stylish and very harmonious.

It is also possible to buy very traditional bathroom suites here, so you have the choice of being as conventional or as modern as you wish. You also have peace of mind, because even though the products are very durable, if anything does happen to go wrong, you can be sure that a company of the stature of Bristan is more likely to still be around than some of the lesser-known brands in the industry.

For those on a very tight budget, there are often ‘end of line’ products available. You should bear in mind that this means the items are no longer in production, so in the future replacement parts will be more difficult to source. You should therefore be sure to give some consideration to the possible future cost implications, before you plump for what seems like an exceptional offer.

Along with the bath, the shower is one of the most essential items in the bathroom, so it is important to choose one that is right for you. If you have a bathtub and wish to add a shower, but cannot afford to add a new shower area, then there are a variety of stylish showerheads available. Many stores offer luxurious ranges to suit spa style bathrooms. Handheld showers are a cheaper option and again there are many different types available. Some showerheads offer water saving features and come with a variety of settings giving you full control over the water pressure.

If you are looking to add a new shower area, the choice of shower enclosures is vast. Depending on the space you have available, you could have a shower enclosure than runs along a whole wall. If you have a small bathroom, then a corner shower enclosure may be the best option. Looking at different styles and shapes of enclosure will give you an idea of what will best suit your particular bathroom.

Clear glass looks good on most shower enclosures, but if you want to keep the area private, it may be better to opt for obscured glass. There are many different designs of patterned glass that look good in shower enclosures and also provide privacy. For those on a lower budget, a shower curtain or screen is the best option for combined bath and shower units. Screens look great in stylish bathrooms and shower curtains have many different patterns and pictures for those who are aiming for a more creative theme.

There are a wide variety of products you can use to make your bath or shower a more relaxing experience. For a luxurious shower experience, there is a selection of shower gels to choose from. Original Source, a UK company who specialises in bath products, offers a wide selection of shower gels, with flavours such as lemon, tea tree, lavender, vanilla milk, cocoa and much more. They also offer shower pouches in a variety of flavours, including watermint and lemongrass.

Bath bombs, bath crystals, bath balls and salts are ideal for those who are looking for a luxurious bathing experience. The Bubble Store, a UK store, offers a wide variety of these types of products. Their bath bombs are just £0.75 each and come in a variety of flavours, including tropical fruits, lemon and lime, lavender and peppermint and more. You can also buy these bath bombs as part of a lucky dip that the store offers at a discounted price.

The Bubble Store also offers lots of other great items for the bathroom, such as oil soap, fragrance soap, body butter, lip balm, bath foam and much more. These items are sold separately as well as in gift packs for around £14.99. Their bath crystals come in a selection of flavours and are priced at £1.20.

If you have children, a bubble bath can make their bathing experience more fun. Bath toys such as rubber ducks can help make your bathroom more suitable for children. Bubble baths are offered in a variety of interesting flavours, and some may be more suitable for children than others, so have a look around and see what kind your children would like.