At some point, almost everyone has a walk in shower in their home. This type of shower is very convenient and saves space in the bathroom – a room already notorious for being small. Some walk in showers even come with a hinged bottom part that when closed is watertight so you can also take a bath. This setup is ideal for handicapped and elderly people. Here are seven tips for designing, maintaining, cleaning and enjoying your walk in shower.
1. Whenever possible, build your walk in shower big enough to easily raise your arms while showering. For most people, this would be about 42 inches square. This would make sure that you can enjoy your shower.
2. When building, never rush the process of grout, adhesive and caulk drying or curing. This tip can actually make or break your new step in shower, so be very careful with length of time spent drying and curing. Also be sure the bathroom is warm enough while these compounds are drying.
3. Walk in showers can be any shape, size and configuration that suit your lifestyle and available space. That’s the beauty of them! Think outside the cubicle when designing your walk-in shower and you’ll have the best shower ever.
4. Glass block is a great option for building a walk in shower, for many reasons… not the least of which is that they are easy to clean! Explore this option fully before finalizing your design.
5. It is possible to convert your existing tub into a step-in shower for a lot less than to rip it out and install something new. This would save you a money and is also less hassle for you.
Walk In Shower Ideas
Designing walk in showers can really stimulate your creativity. Here are a few simple design ideas that you may be able to implement, and while each design could be fairly expensive to install you can often find cheaper ways to achieve the same result.
A corner shower system is perfect for small sized bathrooms. There are plenty of inexpensive corner shower kits available which you could even install on your own providing the plumbing is already in place. With this type you would probably want to opt for a sliding shower door.
Add a bench to your shower. This is especially restful when built directly underneath your shower head. Install a massage shower head with multiple options and treat yourself to your own spa shower.
Go vintage. Install a hand-held, antique style shower head and place a small triangular bench in the corner to store shower and bathing accessories. Re-tile the walls with white tiles of varying sizes, large tiles on the upper part of the wall and small tiles on the bottom section, filled with black grout for an interesting effect.
Create a door-less shower. Install your shower panel in the corner of the bathroom and simply add one clear Plexiglas panel, going from ceiling to floor to one side, separating the shower area from the rest of the bathroom. Add blue ocean shower panel and all will envy you your wetroom.
Walk In Shower Sizes
Many home renovators are asking the same question – is a 34 inch shower too narrow? And what about floor trays that are as small as 32″? Is it really a walk in shower if it’s less than 37 inches?
Small Older Shower Sizes
Older shower enclosures may have been adequate at 32″x 48″ with a 24″ door, but most people will find these dimensions claustrophobic, in fact in many places there is a building code that makes it mandatory a shower be at least 30 inches wide. Two inches more than what is required by a builder’s code, especially if the walls are solid, covered in tile and perhaps the only glass is a small door, is indeed a small shower enclosure.
Open Showers with Space and No Splash
However the main concern about a walk in shower is not the exact dimensions of it, but how it feels inside. How much light does it have? Does it have the illusion of space? That illusion of light and space can be achieved by using glass panels, glass blocks for walls or simply leaving the space open. The idea of a totally open shower stall scares many people away from a wonderful experience because they fear splashing.
Yet the key to an open style walk in shower is the flooring of the bathroom – waterproof teak, natural stone or nonskid tile flooring will solve this problem because the small amount of spray will not matter as much. And unless there will be body jets that spray horizontally out from the back walls, most vertical shower heads will cause minimal splash.
Walk In Shower Designs And Styles
Tiled Walk-In Shower Styles
The two most in-demand kind of tiles utilized for creating a walk-in shower happen to be ceramic tiles as well as granite tiles. The modern day walk-in bath style utilizes the tile granite. In order to depict an exquisite as well as attractive appearance within your bathing room, the tiles will be affixed on the walls of the bathroom as well as walk-in shower enclosure consists of glass to ensure that these types of stunning tile styles are seen.
Using soft patterns on tiles is often the answer to acquiring a stunning bathroom design and style but additionally take into account your price range as most frequently, the folks making use of luxury styles have got substantial spending budget. Numerous walk-in bath styles have a bath tub within the cubicle or enclosure.
Obviously, most of these forms of walk-in shower styles call for and occupy a greater area simply because of the bath tub than as opposed to the standard types using just the shower heads.
Spa and Zen Designs
Judging by the title of this kind of shower style, you usually may think that it is going to be somewhat expensive. This kind of walk-in shower style offers a bunch or a number of shower heads which provides you with the enjoyment just like associated with a spa.
One of the most desirable colors pertaining to this kind of style is usually cream, pastels as well as white. These kinds of color mixture provide a crispy, fresh look to your own walk-in shower. It is possible to add ambiance and further spruce up your walk-in bath using perfumed candles.
Rustic Design
In the event that you do not have a large spending budget and also would like to get a better price, you might opt for the rustic design as your shower style. The rustic design is actually favored by a number of people since it is the least expensive alternative on the market. Make use of of natural colorations is essential when utilizing a rustic design. With this design, the shower heads that you use made of copper. The cabin or the bath enclosure consists of beechwood. This can really provide your walk-in shower the initial feeling of a sauna space.
With regard to bigger bathing rooms, steam bath, therapeutic massage jets, Jacuzzi as well as some other additional facilities could be incorporated. Most of these may be added in subject to your spending budget.
