Wet rooms and steam cabinets

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The most desirable types of showers around at the moment are wet rooms. If you wish to use the whole bathroom, then it has to be lined with a waterproof membrane, which usually costs at least £2,000. Do take professional advice, as there are many points to consider, from the capacity of the drainage system to the rate of water flow and recovery. You could opt for a semi-wet room, or a walk-in shower; this will be spacious but with fewer technical considerations. Semi-wet rooms still involve extensive waterproofing of part of the room, while glass panels are used to screen off the rest of the room and contain the spray. Walk-in shower enclosures consist of a tray and side/front panels, but are without a fully closing door - the walk-in area serves as a drying-off space. The latest have frameless glass panels and recessed trays to create a wet-room look.

If a wet room is not for you, and you have the budget and the space, you could create a spa-like bathroom with a steam cabinet. Fully enclosed with a roof, these contain a steam generator and usually a seat. Chromatherapy (colour therapy) is also included in some models. If the bathroom doesn't have the space for a separate shower, look at the range of over-bath showers/steam cabinets from Jacuzzi - some models offer whirlpool bath options as well.

Ceiling-mounted shower fittings, along with body jets, are de rigueur in a wet room. If you want to install a new shower into an existing enclosure, or over the bath, consider a shower panel, such as one from Triton, which includes a fixed showerhead plus a hand-held spray and various body jets. Aqualisa offers remote-controlled showers, which can be switched on before entering the enclosure; the Grohe Wireless shower can be switched on or off from any room in the house.

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