If you’re looking to do up your bathroom, look no further than a wet room. Sleek, open-plan and offering excellent accessibility requirements, wet rooms are gaining popularity within homes in the UK, thanks to bringing both luxury and practicality to users.
In this blog, we’ll share some inspiring wet room designs and ideas to help transform your bathroom.
What is a wet room?
Before we go any further, let’s first define what a wet room is and how this differs from a traditional bathroom.
A wet room is an open-plan bathroom which has been treated (waterproofed or tanked) to allow the entire room to get wet.
The floor will have a slight gradient to allow water to drain away, and everything is level: no separate shower trays are required, making it an excellent choice for people with accessibility needs, as you can simply walk straight into the shower.
Wet rooms are also a great way of utilising space and can be installed on the ground floor or an upper floor of a house or flat, and they can be installed in small or large bathrooms. They are particularly popular in smaller spaces due to their space-saving qualities.
Wet room designs for every bathroom size
Now that we know what a wet room is, let’s explore wet room design ideas for bathrooms of all sizes.
Small wet room ideas for compact spaces
If you have small square footage to play with, wet rooms are a fantastic way to make the most of the space you have, thanks to the fact that they are open and uncluttered.
Ways to maximise this could be utilising floating vanity units or wall-mounted toilets, which hover above the ground, creating the illusion of more space as the floor flows underneath them.
Light, neutral colour schemes should be used, as they help to open a room up and create the feeling of more space.
Glass screens are useful in small wet rooms as they help to minimise splashing from the shower into other parts of the bathroom.
Large wet room ideas
If you’re lucky enough to be turning a larger-sized bathroom into a wet room, you will likely have the space to install a bench in your shower area, and this can be especially useful for those with mobility requirements.
The bench could feature built-in storage, keeping products out of sight and maintaining clean lines. And you could even add hand or grab rails for added peace of mind for those less steady on their feet.
When you have a bigger wet room, you can be a bit more playful with the design, providing accents via statement tiles, and you could even consider recessed lighting for ambience.
Wet room style inspiration
There are a number of different styles you could ‘tap’ into for your wet room.
Below, we’ve rounded up a few of these styles:
Minimalist wet room designs
In keeping with the open-plan nature of wet rooms, you can lean into a minimalist style where you employ the use of sleek lines and frameless glass, so there is nothing jarring to the eye. Larger tiles help to create a more minimalist feel.
It’s also useful to have concealed storage here, or even recesses where shampoo bottles can live tucked away.
Natural & spa-inspired wet room designs
Wet rooms are evocative of spas, so you can really lean into this aesthetic by incorporating natural materials such as stone tiles, coupled with hanging plants. It’s a good idea to also use warm golden lighting to really create an elevated, soothing experience.
Industrial wet room designs
Wet rooms also lend themselves well to an industrial look and feel. You can deploy this by opting for ‘crittal’ style finishings – think matte black fittings, concrete textures and bold, geometric tiles.
How to choose the right layout for your wet room
Getting the layout right is key to a successful wet room, both in terms of functionality and long-term durability.
Because the entire space is designed to get wet, everything from the drain position to the slope of the floor and waterproofing measures must be carefully planned from the start.
Drain positioning & a sloped floor
The location of your drain is one of the most important layout decisions. It should be positioned at the lowest point of the room so that water naturally flows towards it.
In small wet rooms, the drain is often placed centrally or directly beneath the shower area. In larger spaces, a linear drain along one wall can create a sleek, modern look while improving drainage capacity.
Whichever style you choose, a gently sloping floor is required to guide water towards the drain and to ensure efficient drainage.
Screens
One of the things people like most about installing a wet room is the open plan’s look and feel. That being said, most designs will still incorporate a glass screen or partial partition to contain spray and keep towels or storage areas dry.
Clear, frameless glass keeps the space open and airy, and here at Forsyth Glazing, we provide customers with quotes to supply and fit their custom-sized shower screen.
Important considerations for a wet room
When creating a wet room, it is essential to use a professional for the installation of this.
Here we will run you through some key considerations to keep front of mind when engaging an installer.
Importance of tanking (waterproofing)
Before any tiling or flooring is fitted, the entire shower area, and ideally the lower walls and floor of the room, must be fully waterproofed using a tanking system. This involves applying a waterproof membrane or liquid sealant to prevent leaks into floors and walls.
Corners, joints, and pipes are the most vulnerable points, so they should be sealed meticulously.
Cutting corners in this step is one of the most common causes of wet room failures, so investing in professional installation and high-quality materials pays off in the long run.
Flooring
Because the entirety of the wet room can get wet, it is essential that the flooring is non-slip.
You need to find a durable, waterproof and slip-resistant floor, that also looks sleek to maintain the aesthetic appeal of a wet room.
Non-slip tiles are a good option as they feature a textured surface or an anti-slip coating that provides extra grip even when wet. Other non-slip materials, like textured vinyl, are an option.
Whatever you go for, ensure that it is certified for wet area use and has the proper waterproofing installed underneath it.
Ventilation
Because wet rooms generate a lot of moisture, good ventilation is essential to prevent condensation and mould.
A powerful yet quiet extractor fan should be fitted and ducted to the outside, ideally with a timer or humidity sensor so it continues to run after use.
Underfloor heating or a heated towel rail also helps keep surfaces warm and dry between showers.
Conclusion
Wet rooms are incredibly versatile and can be flexed to different budgets and tastes. What’s most important is to ensure you work with a professional installer, to have peace of mind, that it is water-tight and fit for purpose.
After that, the world’s your oyster and you’ll be enjoying your brand-new wet room in style!
If you have any questions or queries about getting a bespoke shower screen supplied and fitted, please don’t hesitate to contact our team, who will be more than happy to assist you with your request.
