Creating an effective wet room

Wet rooms are ideal for small and large bathrooms as they have no need for shower trays or cubicles. They add a sense of space and dimension.

For a small bathroom with no windows, a wall and floor finish that should be carefully chosen to give the impression of space and light. Natural stone and light shades will do this best. Small tiles and dark shades should be avoided. Another way of increasing the appearance of a small bathroom is to create a modern wet room look by adding mirrors, although it is important to consider where the mirrors are going to be in relation to the shower.

Sufficient lighting in a wet room is essential, it is important that the right amount of lighting is used and natural daylight helps a huge amount.

Ventilation in a wet room is also extremely important, good ventilation will ensure that the room is not going to contract any mould problems.

In a larger bathroom the wet shower area can become a focal point and create a spa like feel. A larger bathroom can take more colour and texture: mosaics create an interesting effect but can make a room look to busy. Under floor heating is very important in a large wet room as it can make a lot of difference to the how quickly a wet room dries out.

The fittings that are added are very important, more than one shower head can give a wet room a modern, spa feel. It can also give the room a very contemporary, expensive look. Wall hung toilets and basins are extremely practical in wet rooms as they add in the easy to clean factor.

Wet rooms do look stunning but they can cause nightmares if they are not correctly installed. Employing more than one contractor is unadvisable; if just one company is used then there can only be one line of responsibility if anything happens to go wrong. Also placing the shower area away from the door means that the floor will be less likely to stay wet by the toilet and basin.

Water leaking is a major concern for many people, making sure that the wet room is tanked or waterproofed properly is massively important. The floor level will have to be raised for the drainage system and the bathroom door will need the bottom shaved of to accustom this.