Bathing beauties

The British are renowned for their love of a good soak in the tub. However, with our fast-paced modern lives, a daily bath is often not a practical option.

A couple of decades ago, ancient plumbing and a misguided view that the hose attachment on a bath mixer tap constituted a decent fitting meant that showers in the UK tended not to be a satisfying experience.

Modern plumbing updates, and the recognition that a good shower can be truly invigorating, means the dedicated cubicle is now a firm fixture in many homes. Showers can also be convenient, easier to access and potentially save you money. Research shows that taking a daily five-minute shower rather than a bath can result in a saving of 13,000 litres of water per year.

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Although it can be tempting to remove a bath to accommodate a shower enclosure, when you are selling your home this may not necessarily be the best decision.

Patrick McCutcheon, head of residential at estate agents Dacre Son & Hartley, advises people to carefully consider the market their property is aimed at. “The two extremes of the property buying market polarise on a shower facility,” he says. “However, in a family home it is absolutely crucial that you have at least one bath”.

If you keep the bath, invest in a dedicated shower fitting with separate plumbing, rather than a hose from your main tap, as this allows for more effective temperature regulation. A glass screen on the side of the bath, rather than a shower curtain, will make the most of the space available to the occupant and avoid shower curtain cling.

When you are designing a dedicated shower area make the best possible use of the space available. A standard shower tray is 80cm x 80cm. This will give a snug enclosure, but you would be amazed at the difference it makes to add just 10 or 20cm to each dimension.

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In modern design there is more emphasis on oblong installations, as these give a feeling of space, without wasting valuable bathroom square footage. The generous 120cm x 90cm proportions of the Cook & Lewis Cascata P-Shaped Shower Enclosure from B&Q are perfect for many bathrooms and the curve adds an element of visual interest. The kit, including a tray pack, is £748 (0845 850 0175 – www.diy.com).

The European-style wet room has also proved popular with the modern UK market. However, this is a very specialist style that can be expensive to install (as it can require a sub-floor to create a slope and full tiling of your walls), not to mention provide a few issues with wet towels and saturated loo roll. As an alternative, shower walls and glass walk-ins can provide the feel and ease of access of a wet-room, while helping to contain the water spray a little more effectively. Merlyn Industries’ Series 8 Shower Wall is achingly beautiful and delivers a minimalist, contemporary look (from £568; 00353 56 779 15555 – www.merlynshowering.com).

To maximise floor space in a challenging environment then a corner installation is often the best option. These provide large side dimensions (allowing plenty of space for the arms while showering) without encroaching too far into the room. Look for outward opening pivot doors and ensure you have enough floor space to easily open them and gain access to the shower.

The Daryl Iana Pivot Pentagon 143 has wall dimensions of 90cm x 90cm, but a straight “room facing” door to minimise the space it takes up. It also features coated glass to facilitate easy cleaning (from £944; 0844 571 0067 – www.daryl-showers.co.uk).

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When it comes to the plumbing, you should be choosing between a mixer shower (which takes water from the hot and cold system which you then mix to your ideal temperature) or an electric shower (which heats cold water as it flows through the shower unit).

If you have good water pressure the former is likely to give a more powerful shower and you can enhance the strength with a system-pump. However, ensure that your mixer has a thermostatic control valve to avoid the horror of hot water turning to ice when someone flushes the loo. Electric showers are great at providing independent hot water (so no restrictions due to your tank size), but can feel a little underpowered. I would always advise opting for a 10kw electric shower as a minimum.

The actual delivery of the water is what makes your shower special, but bear in mind who will be using it. Some of the large overhead shower-fittings (such as the breathtaking Axor Starck Showerheaven which features 500 nozzles) can deliver an array of experiences from tropical rain forest to light mist, which many love. However, these can be a problem for people with long or thick hair that takes a while to dry and want to avoid wetting it every day. For innovation and luxury, consider using a product such as the Kohler WaterTile, a system of body sprays and showerheads that can be tiled into the shower wall or ceiling. The tiles sit flush to the wall, creating a streamlined look. They work well in conjunction with the Kohler DTV Shower control unit (Tile £141 each, DTV Shower £900; 0844 571 0048 – www.kohler.co.uk).

Lighting should not be forgotten. Include waterproof overhead lighting within your shower area to avoid it feeling dark and uninviting.

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Finally, if you fancy a bit of spa indulgence you could install a steam cabin.

These self-contained units also double as luxurious showers. Something like the Calypso Steam Cabin from Better Bathrooms (£2,000; 0844 484 7678) is ideal for a corner installation and only measures 1,000mm x 1,000mm.

With additional features like body jets, an overhead monsoon shower and a radio the problem might be that you spend longer in there than you would a bath.

Jamie Hempsall, BIID, is a multi-award winning interior designer. www.jamiehempsall.com or call 0800 032 1180.