Choosing a New Shower? You Might Want to See These First!
Material? Fixings? Colour? Finish? Functions? There's just so much choice when shower shopping... get inspired here
Lucy Searle
22 October 2017
Houzz Contributor. Editor in Chief of RealHomes.com. I am an editor, journalist, web and copywriter. I was Editor of the hugely successful www.channel4.com/4homes, taking it from a small site to a leading brand. I was also founding Editor of Channel 4’s 4Homes magazine, was Associate Editor at Ideal Home and have written for MSN, Huffington Post, Homes & Gardens, Country Homes & Interiors, Beautiful Kitchens, House Beautiful, Good Homes, and many women’s titles. I founded www.tailoredcontent.co.uk with a fellow journalist and together we blog, write web content and run social media accounts for (mostly) interiors companies. As a general rule, I write about everything from buying and selling property, self build, DIY, design and consumer issues to gardening but have tackled travel and family...
Houzz Contributor. Editor in Chief of RealHomes.com. I am an editor, journalist,... More
The best showers don’t just get the water flow and temperature right – they steal the limelight with their trend-setting looks, too. Check out some favourites here.
Choose exposed or concealed fittings?
Exposed fittings like these will give you more of a vintage feel than concealed ones – plus, they’re easier to replace or repair because they don’t have to be hacked out of the walls. The downside? There’s more fittings to polish after you’ve taken a shower.
Exposed fittings like these will give you more of a vintage feel than concealed ones – plus, they’re easier to replace or repair because they don’t have to be hacked out of the walls. The downside? There’s more fittings to polish after you’ve taken a shower.
Opt for sit down or stand up?
Here’s how to make your shower fittings work hard in a small space: opposite the overhead shower (note, with concealed fittings) is a complementing handheld fitting perfectly positioned for the bench – for those times when you just want to rinse your feet. Stylistically, the chunky controls are the perfect contrast to the minimalism of the room’s scheme.
How do you clean a glass shower door?
Here’s how to make your shower fittings work hard in a small space: opposite the overhead shower (note, with concealed fittings) is a complementing handheld fitting perfectly positioned for the bench – for those times when you just want to rinse your feet. Stylistically, the chunky controls are the perfect contrast to the minimalism of the room’s scheme.
How do you clean a glass shower door?
Get ahead of the trends
The next hot look for bathroom fittings? Oiled bronze, which is darker and more aged-looking than its shinier equivalent. Perfect for vintage- or industrial-style rooms, it works best on shower fittings with an old-style appeal.
The next hot look for bathroom fittings? Oiled bronze, which is darker and more aged-looking than its shinier equivalent. Perfect for vintage- or industrial-style rooms, it works best on shower fittings with an old-style appeal.
Contrast brass with black
Unlacquered brass is another hot trend, with subtly styled, exposed fittings like this one showing off the material to best effect. Boost the good looks of the brass by putting it with a dark wall colour – black polished plaster is an understated but gorgeous match.
Unlacquered brass is another hot trend, with subtly styled, exposed fittings like this one showing off the material to best effect. Boost the good looks of the brass by putting it with a dark wall colour – black polished plaster is an understated but gorgeous match.
Add a splash of colour
If your shower room needs a colour injection, one way to do it is with the shower fittings. Our advice? Limit the colour to the shower heads for an easy-to-update look that is subtly stylish rather than overpowering – and keep the matching accessories to a minimum.
10 nifty ways to fit a shelf in your shower
If your shower room needs a colour injection, one way to do it is with the shower fittings. Our advice? Limit the colour to the shower heads for an easy-to-update look that is subtly stylish rather than overpowering – and keep the matching accessories to a minimum.
10 nifty ways to fit a shelf in your shower
Go for gold
This shower fitting is actually brass, but the high polish makes it richly gold in appearance. The double head adds to the luxurious appeal, but the chrome controls and matching handheld shower head take the fitting down a notch from over-the-top glitzy to out-and-out glamorous.
This shower fitting is actually brass, but the high polish makes it richly gold in appearance. The double head adds to the luxurious appeal, but the chrome controls and matching handheld shower head take the fitting down a notch from over-the-top glitzy to out-and-out glamorous.
Take a rain shower
If you’re going for minimalist looks for your shower room, a rainfall shower is the way to go. Angular brushed chrome fittings will give your shower or wet room a pared-back contemporary look, and for sheer luxury, pick the biggest shower head you can find.
If you’re going for minimalist looks for your shower room, a rainfall shower is the way to go. Angular brushed chrome fittings will give your shower or wet room a pared-back contemporary look, and for sheer luxury, pick the biggest shower head you can find.
Double the effect
Constantly battling for shower space with the rest of the family? A supersized wet room with plenty of spray options, including handheld for the kids (or for when you want to keep your hair dry), is the way to go. Kids showering alone? Smart thermostatic controls will keep them safe.
Constantly battling for shower space with the rest of the family? A supersized wet room with plenty of spray options, including handheld for the kids (or for when you want to keep your hair dry), is the way to go. Kids showering alone? Smart thermostatic controls will keep them safe.
Programme your shower
Replacing a bath with a shower? The most high-tech showers don’t just allow you to pre-set temperature and flow preferences for the whole family, they also give you a choice of showering experiences to suit your mood, in-shower lighting options and some will even play soothing music. Much better than a soak.
Replacing a bath with a shower? The most high-tech showers don’t just allow you to pre-set temperature and flow preferences for the whole family, they also give you a choice of showering experiences to suit your mood, in-shower lighting options and some will even play soothing music. Much better than a soak.
Try traditional styling
If you’re revamping an Edwardian or Victorian home and want a sympathetic – if contemporary – transformation, choose a shower fitting with plenty of curves (we love the shape of this large shower head). Look for authentic tap designs with ceramic detailing. Exposed pipework will create visual interest, too.
Which type of shower have you chosen? Share your images and tips in the Comments section.
If you’re revamping an Edwardian or Victorian home and want a sympathetic – if contemporary – transformation, choose a shower fitting with plenty of curves (we love the shape of this large shower head). Look for authentic tap designs with ceramic detailing. Exposed pipework will create visual interest, too.
Which type of shower have you chosen? Share your images and tips in the Comments section.
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Useful overview of shower types. That ceiling mounted rainfall shower is great, and yes - bigger is better!
Just had a rain shower fitted and it’s a lovely to use but mine seems to drip on forever after it’s turned off. I have to leave a towel down after I’ve dried the shower to soak up the drips and stop everything getting wet again. Have I bought a dud or have other people experienced it.
A very useful article