How Can Sliding Shower Doors Upgrade Your Shower Space?
All in all, the purchase and installation of shower doors has the potential to be a much more involved process than you might ever have imagined. There’s a multitude of factors at play to determine the correct shower door choice for a specific bathroom space, with the size and layout of the area, shower type and interior all amongst them, as well as personal preference of course.
An increasingly popular style has emerged in the form of sliding shower doors however, which are quickly becoming renowned for their capacity to maximize space in compact bathrooms especially.
Whilst pivot or hinged shower doors necessitate a significant amount of free space immediately in front of the walk in shower or enclosure to open out into, sliding shower doors have no such requirements. They’re also very simple to open, close and adjust, offering easy access upon entering and exiting the shower area. And they represent an especially good idea for homes in which elderly relatives or those with limited movement may reside or make use of the shower facilities.
Even once you’ve determined that a sliding shower door is the right solution for your bathroom though, there’s still a massive variety of options to select from, and all sorts to weigh up.
This blog aims to provide you with all the information you need to pick the right sliding shower doors to enhance both the functionality and aesthetics of your shower space, and bathroom in general…
What Are The Main Advantages Of Sliding Shower Doors?
We’ve already touched upon the space-saving aspect of sliding shower doors, and how those properties can prove advantageous in comparison with alternative shower door styles.
But there’s a plethora of benefits associated with the installation of sliding shower doors away from their streamlined profile alone, including the following…
1. Curtail The Need For Shower Curtains
Although shower curtains can provide an attractive decorative facet in some bathroom spaces, they can often prove to be more hassle than they’re worth.
Shower curtains are highly susceptible to a build-up of mildew and mould, which can congregate if damp curtains aren’t properly pulled across the hanger to dry out. This is an especially common occurrence in family households where plenty of people use the shower, and so the chances of someone forgetting to tuck away the shower curtain appropriately are increased.
A mouldy shower curtain can not only damage the appearance of a shower area and bathroom on the whole, but it can also prove unsafe for users as well.
You can save yourself a headache and some in-house squabbling by opting instead for sliding shower doors, which leads into the next positive we’ll highlight…
2. Easy Maintenance And Cleaning
The trouble with shower curtains is exacerbated with just how faffy they can be to clean, and hinged shower doors can also be difficult to keep sparkling fresh as well, with people required to frequently step in and out of the shower enclosure or home bathtub to get the job done properly.
With sliding shower doors, the amount of time required to maintain and clean the shower enclosure on the whole will be much reduced.
The doors will simply slide open, allowing you to spray and wipe them down, before being easily closed again.
What’s more, expensive solutions aren’t necessary to successfully tend to sliding shower door panels. Bleach-based products and other chemical-laden liquids are really not needed – water and a simple glass cleaner will suffice, meaning sliding shower doors are plenty cheaper to clean and maintain too.
3. Spa Designer Style
A luxury spa within a home is an understandable pipe dream for most, but that’s not to say certain features can’t be introduced at a relatively low cost.
Sliding shower doors offer an excellent means to populate your bathroom with some luxurious spa-like elements, bringing an elegant, streamlined touch of class to the area.
When selecting translucent sliding shower doors in particular, the license exists to mesh styles with surrounding tiling or other décor almost effortlessly. In fact, sliding shower doors can help your walk in shower become an outstanding focal point of a bathroom space, as opposed to a simple necessity.
To accentuate the spa aesthetic to the utmost degree, lighter colour schemes and an infiltration of natural light are useful hacks to consider.
4. Keep The Water Within
Probably the most simple reason on the list. Morning showers represent a preferable choice for many due to the sense of rejuvenation they provide.
All in all, they deliver the perfect refreshing energy boost to kick start your day, preparing you in earnest for whatever tasks lie ahead.
As such, it’s a great idea to identify potentially stellar updates at a relatively low cost where possible, and sliding shower doors would tend to fit the bill.
For a premium performance and quality aesthetic, sliding shower doors could be installed alongside decorative tiling or shower wall panels without shelling out a fortune.
In turn, the shower doors and overall walk in shower space can become one of the most eye-catching areas of the room, and even act as a stylish bathroom centrepiece.
6. Easy, Convenient Access
One of the very most frustrating feelings one can feel is the pain of stepping underneath a shower system in full flow without an essential item you’ve forgotten to bring, or have prepared ready for when you step out of your enclosure.
And the likes of shower curtains and hinged shower doors can make grabbing what you need a monumental chore, and an unnecessarily difficult process.
By contrast, sliding shower doors offer a much more convenient vice, and make it far easier to reach out and take your new shower gel, towel or razor with minimal fuss.
Depending on the layout of the bathroom, you might not even need to leave the shower enclosure to get a hold of what you require.
If you have the capacity to position a heated towel rail nearby your walk in shower meanwhile, you could enjoy the feel of toasty warm towels without even stepping foot outside the shower space.
What Are The Different Types Of Sliding Shower Doors?
Framed Sliding Shower Doors
In the form of framed sliding shower doors, you can create a visual structure to your bathroom layout, and even choose to ‘frame’ such a shower entrance vice as a focal point of the area.
What’s more, framed sliding shower doors represent an excellent option with which to inject a unique sense of personality into a minimalist bathroom or en-suite, especially in more compact spaces.
Clean, sharp design lines are typical defining features of framed sliding shower doors, which often also incorporate toughened safety glass for extra durability and performance quality.
Overall, they will tend to deliver sleek, modern designer style, easy usability and a long-lasting premium performance.
Frameless Sliding Shower Doors
Frameless sliding shower doors offer an appearance in contrast to framed panels – sleeker still and dripping in modern designer style, they will bring a luxury aesthetic to any contemporary bathroom and beautifully enhance space.
Another type that usually incorporates toughened safety glass to ensure a robust performance and healthy lifespan, frameless sliding shower doors are able to slide in both directions, and come supplied in an immense variety of sizes and styles to suit any preferences and requirements.
Semi-Frameless Sliding Shower Doors
As a hybrid model between the two designs, semi-frameless sliding shower doors are an ideal option to deliver the best of both worlds.
Simple, clean design lines succeed in providing a visual structure to the space, whilst minimalist elements remain a prominent feature still.
Durable, easily cleanable glass can be expected to populate semi-frameless shower doors too, in company with quality, flexible hinges for easy movement in either direction.
Quadrant & Corner Sliding Shower Doors
Quadrant and corner sliding shower doors offer an exemplary practical vice for walk in showers, especially in smaller bathroom areas where the layout dictates the corner is really the only place a shower enclosure can properly fit.
Another style to create the illusion of extra space, their understated design enables them to act as a perfect accentuating feature of a modern minimalist bathroom.
You can expect reversible movement with excellent flexibility, as well as easy-to-clean, durable shower glass and a smooth but robust performance from corner and quadrant sliding shower doors on the whole.
Single And Double Sliding Shower Doors
Usefully, each of the aforementioned shower door styles are available in both single and double designs to suit any shower space or personal preferences.
Single sliding shower doors are perhaps the most simplistic type, and the easiest to use, whilst still retaining all the same sense of streamlined elegance and luxe you can associate with any sliding shower door model.
Often supplied pre-assembled, single doors are also very easy to install. It is worth scoping out the specifications of different designs, with the likes of quick release rollers and magnetic seals amongst some of the regular extra features incorporated by such types.
Sizing can prove a differential, but in many instances single sliding shower doors will be just as big as double versions.
And double sliding shower doors boast several benefits as well – not least the easier cleanability they offer, as well as enhanced space when entering or leaving the shower enclosure.
Always incorporating clean design lines and a simple-to-use design, they provide comfortable access to walk in showers of any size, and even if only from an aesthetical standpoint, will be favoured by many.
Shop Sliding Shower Doors From Big Bathroom Shop
Big Bathroom Shop offer a supreme selection of premium quality sliding shower doors in a wide variety of stellar designs. Hopefully, you’re well equipped to decide on the right style for your bathroom, and well versed with regards to all the features and advantages each type possesses after reading this blog.
If you would like any further advice or information surrounding sliding shower doors though, or have any other bathroom queries, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. You can leave your thoughts in the comments section below, or contact us via Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.
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Which Generation Use The Most Water In Bathing And Showering?
The environmental impact of water usage might be just about the only facet of the showers vs baths debate we’ve yet to wade into, so we’ve decided to put that right in this blog.
More specifically, we’ll focus on research concerning contrasting age demographics, and look to decipher whether excessive water usage could present a burgeoning problem amongst the younger generation moving forwards.
We’ll explain which age ranges prefer taking showers to baths, and which brackets will tend to spend longer than is perhaps absolutely necessary when indulging in either vice. In turn, how the related excess water use could have a negative environmental influence.
Do Showers Or Baths Use More Water?
In basic theory, you can imagine that showers would use more water than baths, considering the constant flow in opposition with a filled tub that doesn’t require any top up.
However, a number of factors are at play that can swing the pendulum in the other direction. Not least, the size of the bathtub in question, and the amount of time the user chooses to spend engulfed in the refreshing deluge of a shower system. The specific shower model’s flow rate is another element to consider as well.
The likes of traditional freestanding baths, for instance, often incorporate a wealthier surface area than a number of modern bathtubs, or alternative designs such as corner baths. And as a result, they’ll usually accommodate more water.
Similarly so, a multitude of modern showers will provide superior flow rate in contrast with other styles, providing refreshing full body coverage but also using plenty more water in a shorter space of time.
Ultimately then, there’s no real definitive answer without taking into account the aforementioned elements and their opposing values.
Generally speaking though, it is thought that a 10-minute shower will use significantly less water than a soak in the tub would. Standard showers are thought to use around 2.5 gallons of water per minute, whilst a large freestanding bath might require the distribution of up to 70 gallons in total.
Which Age Ranges Prefer Baths Over Showers?
According to our research, with a sample size of 1000, it’s actually the middle aged to older generation that prefer to take a bath as opposed to a shower.
42.7% of 55-64 year-olds questioned said they preferred to climb into the tub, with the next highest percentage of bath preferring folk (40.4%) stemming from the 35-44 year-old age bracket.
But whilst there’s a correlation between the same age ranges spending longer in the bath on average, there’s little to suggest that extra water is being wasted in comparison with those who don’t soak for quite as long. Of course, the bathtub will typically be filled up initially, so no requirement usually exists to top up the levels after entrance.
That said, the 6.5% of 55-64 year-olds admitting to bathing for in excess of an hour at a time could need to replenish the reservoir they’re sat in after a while. And the same goes for the 5.2% of 25-34 year-olds who also answered that they soaked for 60 minutes plus.
Meanwhile, that same latter category produced significantly the highest percentage of those surveyed to bathe for up to 40 minutes (17.4%), suggesting that there could be some truth to the notion that the younger crop are somewhat prone to a touch of water wastage.
What do the shower statistics say though?
Which Age Ranges Prefer Showers Over Baths?
The youngest age range surveyed were the very most receptive to the idea of taking a shower over a bath, with a whopping 69.2% of 18-24 year-olds asked preferring the shorter and sharper blasts of a typical shower system.
However, of that same age bracket, just 4.3% said they spent five minutes or less within their shower, with a majority 40.4% taking between five and 10 minutes to shower.
Incidentally, that timing spectrum was by far the most popular showering length amongst all demographics on the whole, with 45-54 year-olds the most dominant in the category – 53.8% of the range said they showered for more than five minutes and less than 10.
What is particularly notable though, is that of each of the three youngest age brackets would appear to be far more in favour of longer showers when lined up against the older three age categories.
More than a third of all respondents aged between 18 and 44 said they spend a minimum of 10 minutes in the shower, whilst 22.1% was the highest percentage that answered the same of the eldest three age ranges (55-64 year-olds).
Plus, 16% was the lowest total of the youngest three categories that explained a preference for showering for up to 20 minutes. By contrast, 7.1% was the highest amount of any of the three eldest groups to mirror that shower ‘speed’.
And practically every person who admitted to showering for 25 minutes or longer hailed from the initial three age brackets too. Just 0.6% of people over 45 said they spend so long in the shower, with the 25-34 age range flying the flag for excessive shower stints – their 4.6% to stick around for 25 minutes or more was the highest of all those surveyed.
So Who Wastes The Most Water?
All in all, based on the data we’ve garnered from a sizeable enough sample, it seems the blame can be shared to some extent.
Although the older generation would seem to prefer the water-sapping confines of a bathtub more so than the younger clan we questioned, it seems the shower-mad youngsters are prone to spending an excessive amount of time in their enclosures.
The fact that 5-10 minutes was the most popular shower duration amongst all those questioned is encouraging overall, and surely in most circumstances, a shower doesn’t really need to go too far past the 10 minute, and 25 gallon mark.
But why are we harping on about water wastage anyway, I hear you ask?
How Does Water Wastage Impact The Environment?
There are anthropocentric, biocentric and ecocentric reasons to preserve water supplies as and when possible, with no drawbacks to any of them.
Anthropocentric
Basically, freshwater supplies are limited in several countries all around the world, with 36 nations listed as being in an ‘extremely high stress’ situation as it pertains to clean H20.
The UK itself is currently at a ‘low/medium’ stress level, and only continued efforts to preserve supplies where possible can ensure it continues to maintain that status.
Crops, plants, commercial prospects and in turn, the livelihoods of certain people can all be put at risk by the unnecessary wastage of water in extreme examples.
And we’re more prone than most areas to using water unnecessarily too, considering how easy it is to take for granted the presence of taps and shower systems that can literally offer fresh water at the twist of a handle or touch of a button.
From a more selfish aspect, using excessive levels of water both domestically and in a business sense can lead to unwanted added energy bills, and a greater budgetary strain.
Biocentric
Put simply, a biocentric viewpoint is one that sees humans as no more important than any other living organisms on the planet. Essentially, every living thing exists within the same ecosystem, and the sharing of the same resources is vital to each of them.
As alluded to in our anthropocentric explanation, several countries struggle in terms of their freshwater supply, and several species of animals and plants suffer as a result.
And given the integrity of so many animals and plants to the environment and the cyclical way the world works, the needless wasting of water represents an extremely narrow-minded practice in the grand scheme of things.
All in all, frequent excess water wastage can lead to animal species heading towards extinction, with a lack of water also detrimentally affecting plantations from growing as they should, as well as a far less ready supply of available drinking water.
Ecocentric
The ecocentric point of view is not too dissimilar to the biocentric one described – it promotes the idea that the earth, its ecosystem and everything contained are equally as important as each other.
Accounting for an enhancing global population, the demand for freshwater is at the highest level ever, and in turn, fresh water needs to be sourced from alternative means such as ground water and aquifers.
These methods take much longer than usual as the extraction rate is far exceeded by the regeneration rate, further exemplifying why avoidable water wastage is just that – avoided.
Ultimately, the unsustainable nature of these water sourcing processes can see added carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere on the back of filtration, extraction and transportation processes. And as a result, our carbon footprint is further solidified, assisting an increase of the earth’s temperatures on the whole.
Explore Big Bathroom Shop For More Showers vs Baths Info
Be sure to explore the Big Bathroom Shop blog to find out further information about a wide range of topics related to the showers vs baths debate, and much more too.
And if you would like any help or assistance regarding our product range, or choosing the perfect bathtub or shower for your bathroom area, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.
You can leave us a message in the comments section below, or contact the team via Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.
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As a broad generalization, two main profiles exist as it pertains to those who take showers on a daily basis – people who hit the shower in the morning and those who prefer to cleanse in the evening.
For those that tend to go for the latter option, the main reasons typically relate to feelings of relaxation and hoping to unwind after a long or stressful day. The morning showerers are usually seeking a refreshing boost to awaken the senses, and kick off their day in an invigorating fashion.
But, do the benefits of one shower routine outweigh those associated with the other?
The title of our blog has probably already indicated so, and the rest of this article will cover the numerous health advantages that would appear to set morning showers apart…
1. Improved Skin Condition
From a general perspective, showers are beneficial with regards to skin health. But morning showers are actually considered to be more advantageous.
Indeed, a shower taken early doors is a greater help in combating acne, and also in terms of balancing the natural oils on the skin.
2. Ease Stress And Anxiety
Plenty of people experience the sensation of early-morning stress and anxiety, often linked to the prospect of the multitude of tasks that will populate the day ahead.
A morning shower offers an excellent means to tackle this stress, especially in the case of lukewarm or cold showers, as explained in greater detail on our blog – Cold Shower vs Hot Shower: What Are The Benefits?
Simply put, morning showers guarantee your body receives the oxygen it requires. Sufficient oxygen presence in the brain will help you to de-stress, no matter how busy your day ahead might be.
3. Enhanced Immunity
The immune system can be enhanced by morning showers, which will stimulate the body to produce new white blood cells. These cells are then used to help fight off illness.
Our biological clock represents the reasoning for this process only occurring to a significant extent during morning showers.
4. Cough Relief
As well as improving immunity from sickness to begin with, morning showers also provide a superb vice to relieve any existing colds or coughs.
In such a condition, phlegm and mucus can build up in the throat and chest areas overnight, making for an uncomfortable morning experience battling a sore throat and persistent cough.
With a hot morning shower, the emanating steam will loosen up these unwanted substances and help to clear your sinuses and enable you to feel much more comfortable in very little time.
For the very best effect, indulge in an aromatherapy shower with the use of scented shower gels and eucalyptus oils, accentuated by the full coverage provided by a modern shower system.
5. Boosted Energy
Probably the most simple reason on the list. Morning showers represent a preferable choice for many due to the sense of rejuvenation they provide.
All in all, they deliver the perfect refreshing energy boost to kick start your day, preparing you in earnest for whatever tasks lie ahead.
6. Rids The Body Of Toxins
A multitude of toxins emerge from the skin whilst we sweat during sleeping overnight. And these same toxins can even formulate whilst relaxing in the high temperature surrounds of a home bathtub, for instance.
Morning showers are an ideal vice for washing these away, and therefore ridding the body of toxins.
7. Better Hair & Scalp Condition
By taking regular morning showers, you’ll notice an improvement in the condition of your hair and scalp.
If you are dealing with an extremely oily scalp and hair, even an evening shower will not prevent the areas from remaining oily to some extent by the following morning.
Taking frequent morning showers is an obvious but failsafe method to dodge or curtail this issue.
8. Muscle Ache Relaxation
Any niggling muscle aches or pains can be alleviated greatly by taking a morning shower, ultimately relaxing the body and achieving a comfortable physical state.
Essentially, morning showers can help you feel far less tense from both a mental and physical perspective, providing the perfect foundations to attack the day ahead from your very own shower enclosure.
9. Increased Fertility
It might surprise you to learn that morning showers have been linked to increased fertility levels in the male population.
So if couples are having difficulty conceiving, or even just planning ahead to conceive, it is worth the male indulging in frequent morning showers to garner the potential positive effects.
Again, cold showers can be especially useful in this regard. The cold water can trigger testosterone, and more importantly, research indicates that male sperm production is enhanced dramatically after just a week’s worth of cold morning showers.
Get In Touch With Big Bathroom Shop
To find out more about the benefits of morning showers, or for any further information regarding the showers vs baths debate and much more, consult the full Big Bathroom Shop blog.
Or, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our friendly team if you would prefer. You can leave your thoughts in the comments section below, or contact us via Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.
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The last 18 months or so have seen many of us working from home for extended periods of time – and we’ve been taking advantage of this in a range of different ways.
Somewhat safe in the knowledge that we can get up and take things a bit slower than we normally would, some of us stay up past our “usual” bedtime and get out of bed a little later.
Others kick back in the garden and enjoy a few extra minutes on their lunch break, knowing full well that an additional 15 minutes of lazing in the sun “won’t do any harm”.
And then there are those of us who have decided to shower or bathe on company time.
That’s right, we British like to talk about the “stiff upper lip” and “just getting on with it”, but we’re just as guilty as everyone else when it comes to getting that little extra time away from our workspace!
Taking Advantage Of The Boss Not Watching
We surveyed 2000 people and found that around 1-in-10 of us were either taking more showers or having more baths since we started working from home.
And that’s no bad thing, really, as we all know that there are many of us who have taken to showering a lot less since we weren’t allowed to leave the house!
But with the boss not being around to watch us (though that would be weird), we found that men were more likely to take advantage of working from home, with 10% of those surveyed saying they were taking more baths in lockdown – compared to 6.2% of women.
3.8% of men and 3.6% of women have also started taking baths on their lunch breaks, with 7.8% of those aged 18-24 most likely to take the plunge when they should really be fuelling up for an afternoon of work.
And of all the cities in the UK, residents of Southampton are more likely to try and get away from their home office desks, with 10.2% taking more baths in lockdown and 8.2% using their dinner break to have a nice relaxing soak.
Are We Really Using Company Time To Take Get Clean?
Making The Most Of Our Bathtubs
Although many more of us are now taking baths in our lunch breaks, the question of whether we are actually eating into company time – and being paid to get clean – still remains.
The average UK lunch break is 34 minutes – but according to our study, we spend an average of 25 minutes in the bath, so perhaps we’re being a bit hasty calling out the UK’s workforce!
However, if 25 minutes is the average, that means some of us are spending a lot longer in the bath than others – so who is it?
Well, according to our data, 35-44 year olds tend to spend a little longer soaking away their worries than anybody else, with 25% of them taking over 45 minutes in the tub.
However, the biggest offenders for extended lunchtime bathtub breaks are actually the over 55’s – as 6.5% of them freely admit to spending well over an hour giving themselves that “prune-like” glow!
And Sneaking A Shower
For showers, it’s a little different and perhaps not as naughty as it is taking a bath.
Of those surveyed, we found that many people only took around 10 minutes to take a shower – which leaves ample time for a bite to eat in the remaining 24 minutes of the average lunch break.
However, some residents of London (2.5%), Birmingham (1.4%) and Nottingham (1.5%) did say they spent in excess of 25 minutes showering, leaving little time to dry themselves off before needing to be back at their desks.
Men were marginally more guilty of taking their time in the shower, with 1.3% of those asked stating they spent over half an hour in there, compared to 1.2% of women.
And it was the millennials in the survey that showered for the longest, with an average shower time of 12.2 minutes, with 5% of that age group taking over 30 minutes in the shower!
What Happens When We Go Back To The Office?
With all this extra time being spent showering and bathing while working from home, it begs the question – what will employers do to accommodate this new-found desire to keep clean when we get back to the office?
If companies allow a “smoke break” for those people dependent on nicotine, will they have to start allocating time for people wanting shower and bathtub breaks too?
Perhaps we’ll see employees demanding contracts that state they must be allowed to take showers on site and enjoy the relaxation a bath can offer on a daily basis!
Who really knows?
One thing is for certain, however, the “new normal” is not as “normal” as we think, and in years to come don’t be surprised to find yourself walking past your colleague in their bath robe, making their way back to their desk, smelling strongly of Original Source or Dove.
I for one support these possible changes, if only for the singing in the shower competitions that are likely to come about when everyone has got used to it all!
Have You Changed Since Working From Home?
We’ve all been through a lot in the last year and a half, and we’d love to hear how you are doing things differently than before the pandemic began.
Are you a secret lunchtime showerer? Leave a comment below or tag Big Bathroom Shop on Instagram or Facebook and tell us about your own bathroom tales.
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After all, it depends what you’re trying to achieve and how you define “better”.
Want to relax? You’ll probably take a bath, right?
But is a shower ever as relaxing as a bubble bath? That’s what we’re asking.
Are baths better or worse for your health than a refreshing and invigorating shower?
Is there one method of getting clean that’s more beneficial?
Well, sort of, we guess…
Both baths and showers have their own health benefits and lead to the same outcome – getting clean.
So let’s explore the benefits of both to find out which is best!
Is A Shower Or A Bath Better At Getting You Clean?
Taking a shower will get you cleaner than a bath can.
Is that obvious? We’re pretty sure you knew that. But it’s true.
Why? Well…
In a shower, water mixes with soap or your favourite shower gel and helps to break up the oils, dirt and sweat that’s accumulated on your skin.
Water hits your body evenly in a shower and washes the dirt away from you and down the drain.
In a bath, some of us can’t get the idea of “sitting in our own filth” out of our heads – and in a bath, that’s pretty much what you do.
So, if you want to be as clean as possible, you should definitely be opting to take a shower over a bath.
Can A Bath Be More Beneficial Than A Shower?
The short answer is, yes, in terms of your health and well-being a bath is better than a shower.
Showers may be better at cleaning you than a bath can be, but that does not mean that a beautiful bath time isn’t good for you too.
Baths can help to exfoliate your skin, stimulate your nervous system and are great at helping you to relax.
In fact, a Japanese study discovered that the health benefits of taking a warm bath far outweigh those of taking a shower.
The research delved into the benefits of taking a hot bath compared to taking a shower, and asked people to report back on their physical and mental well-being after each.
Although showering is the most common way of getting ourselves clean, according to the results of the study, the benefits of a hot bath should not be underplayed.
It found that people who bathed more often than they showered were more inclined to feel happy in themselves, had a better nights sleep and suffered less with stress and anxiety.
But, the study didn’t stop there.
It also found that taking a bath helped improve a person’s metabolic rate too – meaning people who take regular baths could be onto a weightloss idea that many of us shower lovers have missed!
It stated that baths are great for your heart rate and can be beneficial for people with heart conditions and physical disabilities and that baths can help to give your entire musculoskeletal system a recharge; alleviating the stress in your joints and muscles.
So, can a bath be more beneficial than a shower?
Yes!
In relieving pain, reducing stress, and perhaps helping you to lose weight – while still keeping you clean – they win, this round.
Other Advantages Of A Bath Over A Shower
A standard bath, filled with water is one thing, but there are several variations on the bath time theme that perhaps you haven’t considered.
Sure, hot baths do a good job of relaxing you, but you can approach a bath in several different ways – each of which offers a little extra than a shower can.
Baths can be a great delivery system for all sorts of ingredients that are good for your health too.
Check out these “alternative” bath ideas and you’ll be milking up bathtime like Cleopatra in no time.
Oatmeal Baths
Oatmeal baths have been used to treat a range of incurable skin ailments for a long time.
One such skin condition – that doesn’t have a cure – is Eczema, and an oatmeal bath can be great at reducing the swelling and itchiness caused by it.
Essential oils have long been known to help relax and calm your mind and body and a few drops in a steaming hot bath can soothe tired muscles and chill you out.
Eucalyptus and Lavender are the two most common essential oils used at bath time, but you wouldn’t go wrong with Camomile or Lemon oil either.
Milk Baths
You may have heard how Cleopatra kept herself looking young by bathing in Ass’s milk to cleanse her skin and give herself a radiant glow.
But is there any truth to the milk bath myth?
Well, yes.
The benefits of a milk bath can vary based on the type of milk you choose, and these days there are several options to choose from.
From coconut milk that is filled with lauric acid – which features in many skin care products – to buttermilk that’s a great anti-wrinkle solution, there are several milks you can use in a soothing bath.
Sitz Bath
This is a slightly more medical type of bath than any of the others above, and is often prescribed to new mums to help soothe issues arising from childbirth.
A Sitz bath is a warm and shallow bath that is used to cleanse the perineum – that’s the little bit of flesh between your bum and your genitals – and they’re great at soothing itchiness and irritation caused by hemorrhoids too.
There are kits that you can buy to use while sitting on the loo, or you can create one in your bathtub at home by putting about 4-6 centimetres of warm water in the bath and lowering your rear end over the side and into the water.
With a Sitz bath, you only want to put your bottom in the bathtub and avoid getting anything but your bum wet.
Sit(z) there for a few minutes to cleanse the area before patting (not rubbing) yourself dry to soothe the perineum.
Advantages Of A Shower Over A Bath
So it’s pretty clear from the research we’ve found that baths have an advantage over showers in terms of relaxing you and offering a couple of medicinal uses too.
But surely showers have their own benefits too, right?
Well, yes, and they are many and varied and shouldn’t be overlooked.
We take both hot and cold showers depending on our mood and the type of day we’re experiencing, and there are benefits to both.
A hot shower will produce heat and steam – elements that will soothe muscles and help to release toxins in your skin.
Colder showers can help to boost your immune system and even burn fat (which means I am taking cold showers from now on!).
Go From Hot TO Cold To Stay Healthy
This amazing study highlighted that people who took hot-to-cold showers were invariably healthier than those that did not.
It showed that starting with hot water showers and decreasing the temperature resulted in the adults in the study taking fewer sick days off work over the course of a 12 month period.
This is a sort of “response conditioning” that was designed to determine if repeated exposure to cold showers – over a 30 day period – had any sort of cumulative impact on a person’s wellness and health state.
Though only a small study, it would suggest that hot-to-cold showers are more beneficial if you want to stay healthy!
A shower will help to improve blood circulation under the skin.
This process is known as vasoconstriction and it controls how blood is distributed throughout your body.
A cold shower can stimulate the blood flow in your scalp – improving the look and feel of your hair and perhaps help with reducing baldness.
It is this same process that helps to give your skin a “glowing” look, so is definitely something to consider before a night out or an important job interview – as a cold shower could help you look your best!
Cold Showers & The “Feel Good” Factor
It has been suggested that showers that start off at a moderate temperature – before being reduced to freezing cold – can help to wake up your nervous system and stimulate natural endorphins.
This approach has been prescribed for people suffering with depression and is notable for its simplicity – in that anyone with a shower can give it a try, and see if it has a positive impact on their mental health and well-being!
Should I Take A Bath Or A Shower?
As with all personal hygiene – and as the name suggests – it is your own personal preference that should determine if you take a bath or a shower.
But, if you’re looking to relax, ease daily fatigue and perhaps treat chronic pain, you should probably take a bath for all three.
For more effective daily cleansing of the skin – and for additional health benefits – a shower may be a better option.
Showers can also give you an immune-system boost and prevent a range of ailments if you switch from hot to cold for the last few minutes of your daily routine.
Which Team Are You On – #TeamBath or #TeamShower?
Tell us about your bath or shower routine in the comments below and follow our Instagram account to hear stories from people in both #TeamBath and #TeamShower camps to discover what the UK population prefers!
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For many, the idea of a freezing cold shower first thing in the morning is enough to make you shudder, never mind the reality of actually taking one. A hot shower early doors provides the majority of people with the perfect means to kick off their day, and an ideal foundation from which to go about their daily business.
As much as we might love to invigorate our senses with a toasty warm shower, and be far from thrilled at the prospect of a cold shower though, there is plenty of evidence to suggest it is beneficial to mix up our shower routine as it pertains to temperature.
Even if you have horror memories of nipping in and quickly hopping in a cold shower, having been the last in a busy family household to use it, you might not so readily recall how you felt in the aftermath. Or be aware of the numerous health advantages cold showers can provide.
In this blog, we’ll take a look at the associated benefits of both hot and cold showers, exploring the best instances to brave the lower temperatures and much more.
What Are The Main Advantages Of Cold Showers?
There are several advantages to taking a cold shower, including the following…
Invigorating and refreshing to awaken your senses
Helpful in tackling acne, can assist with glowing hair and skin
Relieves itchy skin
Bolsters blood circulation
Can enhance weight loss
Assists in alleviating muscle soreness after exercise
Cold Shower Wake Up Call
Whilst you may find the sensation unpleasant, a cold early morning shower can have positive physiological, psychological and neurological effects as the temperature ‘shock’ takes hold.
This cold water shock enhances the heart rate, oxygen intake and level of alertness of the shower user, all in all providing a real ‘livener’ to make them feel incredibly refreshed, switched on and ready to attack the day ahead.
Jump in your shower enclosure feeling groggy and unprepared, exit a brand new man or woman that can take on just about anything!
Help Hair And Skin To Shine
Whilst scant scientific evidence exists with regards to the positive effects cold water can have on hair and skin, anecdotal attestation is widely abound.
All sorts of wellness publications and expert sources have long been keen to extoll the virtues of cold water, with its propensity to constrict blood flow a certified consequence. This practice is explained well in this Camille Styles blog. In turn, the constriction of blood assists in giving a healthier tint to the cold showerer’s skin.
Furthermore, a Glamour magazine article suggests that cold water will strengthen your hair cuticles, and as a result, that taking regular cold showers will lead hair to be shinier and significantly less frizzy.
It is also worth noting that in contrast to hot water, cold water will not dry out the sebum layer, which is a naturally formed lubricated barrier which acts as a protective shield for hair and skin. Therefore, frequent exposure to cold water can see hair in particular build strength and general health over the course of time.
Shivering Over Scratching
Neither are exactly favourable sensations, of course. But cold showers can prove an excellent combative measure for those who suffer from itchy skin or related conditions that leave them feeling the urge to scratch.
Stacy Chimento, an American-based dermatology expert, has been quoted by The Healthy as saying, “cool water can help calm down the itchy sensation.” She continued, “cool water helps numb the itching sensations and pacify irritated skin, whereas a hot shower can make the skin even more sensitive.”
So, especially for sufferers of conditions such as eczema or psoriasis, cold showers could be monumentally beneficial.
Boosting Your Blood Flow
As far as health benefits associated with cold showers go, one of the very most poignant is enhanced blood circulation, regularly flagged up by expert health commentators.
The science behind this effect can be explained in how it influences the body at surface level. Basically, once the cold water makes contact with the body, noticeably concerning areas like arms and legs, it will compress blood circulation on the body’s surface.
In turn, the blood pumping throughout deeper tissues will circulate at a more rapid rate to deliver and maintain an optimal body temperature for cold shower users.
That considered, cold showers provide a contrasting reaction to hot showers for those who might be suffering from cardiovascular issues or hypertension. Because cold temperature exposure activates the circulatory system to alleviate inflammation and help to combat cardiovascular diseases.
Cold Shower Weight Loss Assistance
It might not make a massive amount of difference, but speaking from personal experience at least, every little helps when it comes to a bid for losing weight. So this makes for another excellent reason to work a cold shower into your regular routine.
The way that cold water can benefit you from a weight loss perspective lies in the properties of particular fat cells. The likes of brown fat, for instance, can generate heat in burning fat. This occurs when the body becomes exposed to colder temperatures, as it would in a cold shower.
What’s more, these brown fat cells are often found around the shoulders and neck area of the body. Absolutely ideal, especially if you have a modern shower with multiple outlets for targeted coverage.
On average, a 15-minute cold shower will burn 62 calories – that’s worth a full extra Jaffa Cake and then some to the calorie counting dieters!
Sore Muscle Relief
Tying in with the weight loss theme, cold showers can also aid sore muscle recovery in the aftermath of exercise – a perfect vice to remember after an especially tough session at the gym.
Cold water boasts regenerative properties, which allows it to enable your muscles to relax and repair on the back of strenuous activity.
Are There Any Disadvantages To Cold Showers?
They are few and far between, certainly so when compared with the benefits, but cold showers can be disadvantageous in some instances.
Mostly, common sense will dictate when not to indulge in a cold shower. For example, if you are already cold, the cooler temperature won’t help you to warm up in any way. In fact, it can have a negative effect in making you become colder still, and ensuring you have a longer wait for your body to warm back up to its ideal temperature.
Similarly so, it is probably best to avoid taking a cold shower if you are feeling unwell. The initial shock of the cold water could have a further detrimental effect on your immune system.
It’s a better idea to ease into cooler showers when you’re in rude health.
Why Do We Tend To Prefer Hot Showers?
So, given the many benefits and scarce drawbacks associated with cold showers, they seem a no-brainer to introduce into a healthy regular schedule.
Why then, in general, do we prefer hot showers?
Well, for a start, the warm water tends to feel nicer and more relaxing as we come into contact with it, rather than causing the initial shock effect that comes to fruition when taking a cold shower.
For many, a hot shower is a key to relaxation, and enables the person to unwind and de-stress before heading to bed and preparing to do it all again tomorrow.
There’s a science behind that notion as well, as hot showers alert the parasympathetic nervous system which is linked to making us tired, making a warm shower an excellent evening practice before bed.
As well as assisting in the relaxation of muscles, hot showers can also help repair skin blemishes and aid in the relief of respiratory problems.
On the latter point, standing in a hot shower enclosure engulfed by steam represents a time-old natural combative effort against colds and coughs. The water’s heat and accompanying steam can help to clear nasal passages, open up airways and loosen phlegm.
And with regards to skin blemishes, hot showers can help to open up the pores of the skin, so you’re able to rid them of any lingering oil or trapped muck.
Are There Any Disadvantages To Hot Showers?
Whilst cold showers have been proven to be beneficial from a cardiovascular perspective, hot showers can contrastingly worsen issues in this regard.
They have been known to further enhance the blood pressure of sufferers of high blood pressure, and those with any form of cardiovascular disease are also advised against taking showers that are too hot.
Also, hot showers can lead to irritable, dried out skin. Hot water can damage the keratin cells which reside on the outer-most skin layer – the epidermis. In turn, the disruption caused to these cells curtails them from confining the appropriate moisture required, which creates dry skin.
And particular skin conditions can worsen via excessively hot showers as well. Ailments like eczema and psoriasis can be exacerbated with high temperatures providing the perfect foundation for skin to dry out.
Itchy skin is another potential undesirable side effect of hot showers too, as the lofty temperatures can lead mast cells, featuring histamine, to deposit their matter in the skin to cause it to itch.
Should I Take Hot Or Cold Showers?
There’s numerous benefits and a few disadvantages to both hot and cold showers – so which type should you indulge in with regularity?
Well, whilst the advantages of cold showers seem to outweigh those of their counterparts, we wouldn’t want you to have to stand and suffer if you find a cold shower barely tolerable. Ideally then, you should try to take a lukewarm shower when possible, so you’re getting the best benefits of both whilst enjoying a comfortable showering experience.
Alternatively, you could adopt a ‘contrast shower’ approach, whereby you set the water temperature for as cold as possible for a set period of time, say a minute. Then, you can crank the temperature right up and take a hot shower for a minute, and repeat the process for as long as you wish (between three and five cycles each is recommended).
Contrast showers are advantageous in that the cold shower part of the process will constrict the blood vessels of the user, meaning all the blood will flood to the centre of the body.
Then, the hot shower portion will see the blood vessels open up and blood flood out again, distributed all throughout the organs and muscles of the ‘contrast showerer’. As such, it has an excellent detoxifying effect, and helps with regeneration too.
Some advanced digital showers will even have the facility to set the temperature to automatically shift after a set amount of time to make the contrast shower process more convenient. Our Buyer’s Guide To Modern Showers has more information on these tech-savvy shower systems.
Get In Touch With Big Bathroom Shop
Hopefully, this blog has helped you gain an understanding of the benefits and drawbacks of both hot and cold showers, and how best to work either type into your regular showering routine.
For any further help or information regarding showers, or any other bathroom-related query though, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the friendly team at Big Bathroom Shop.
You can do so by leaving your thoughts on the comments section below, or by contacting us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
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The bathroom is very rarely the largest room within a house, and with that considered, it’s understandable that many would consider a redesign process in such a space a touch daunting.
What might prove a simpler solution than you could imagine, however, could come in the implementation of walk in shower ideas. Some of which can actually help maximize space in a compact bathroom, rather than hinder it.
Taking into account colour schemes, tiling options, interior layout and all other design facets, this article will cover an impressive range of walk in shower ideas for bathrooms large and small. See if you stumble across a stunning walk in shower style that can completely transform your bathroom area…
1. Go For Glass Shower Doors
A simple but wholly effective means to create the illusion of extra space is to allow natural light to infiltrate. As such, glass shower doors provide an excellent option as it pertains to walk in showers, if they include any doors at all.
They provide a transparent barrier which has a minimal impact on visual space, and enables light to flood into the bathroom, illuminating the areas that most require it.
For a special aesthetic consideration, explore the possibility of tinted glass shower doors to frame the enclosure. Exuding effortless luxury, this typically more expensive nuanced style can act as a beautiful bathroom centrepiece, whilst still allowing light to flow freely throughout the space.
2. No Bathtub? No Problem
Now, if you are a ‘bath person’, please don’t be offended at such a blasphemous notion. But there really is an argument to be had, especially in more compact bathroom spaces, to proceed without a bathtub in bringing some stunning walk in shower cubicle ideas to life.
Most obviously, freestanding baths will tend to dominate the bathroom areas they are fitted within, in terms of both appearance and space.
In the absence of a bath, the scope exists to go whackier, wilder and wider in putting your walk in shower ideas into practice.
You could extend the shower area to span the full length of the rear wall, for instance, to create a bigger and better modern shower space. An idealistic spacious enclosure for a luxurious, spa-like showering experience with full coverage.
3. Select The Right Shower Tray
There’s plenty of variety when it comes to shower trays, so you’ll have lots of flexibility when bringing your perfect walk in shower enclosure to life.
A simple but useful hack is to opt for smaller and longer shower trays as opposed to chunky square designs in order to maximize room.
And shallow pan shower trays are the way to go as well. The lack of depth incorporated by such components allow for the walk in shower enclosure space to open up and remain airy and moveable within.
4. Tip-Top Wall Tile Inspiration
Though they might not be readily associated with smaller bathroom areas, eye-catching statement wall tiles really can work in such spaces. The best idea is to adopt a sparse approach with brightly coloured, adventurous patterns. In turn, you can draw immediate attention to pivotal parts of the bathroom.
Contrasting with a standout bathroom tiling backdrop, a stylish shower wall or splashback will enhance a sense of space, and open up a plethora of design possibilities throughout the area. The main one, of course, can prove to be the introduction of your ideal walk in shower.
5. Work In A Shower Partition Wall
Compact bathrooms will sometimes require a partition within a walk in shower space to prevent water from travelling to areas you don’t want it to – who wants to exit the shower to soaking wet towels draped across the nearby heated towel rail, for instance?
So, instead of a glass shower door, the prospect of a half-wall fitting acting as a walk in shower guard is an appealing alternative prospect.
The implementation of a shower partition wall such as this is beneficial from a privacy perspective, whilst ensuring the bathroom remains open and free. It also offers an ideal foundation component to add the likes of decorative ornaments, shower essentials, and stylish tiles.
6. Corner Showers For Compact Bathrooms
One of the simplest entries on the list, but the space-maximising effectiveness of corner showers cannot be underestimated within a compact bathroom.
The most striking advantages of corner shower enclosures is their minimalist design and practicality, allowing more than adequate room for other essential fittings and fixtures like bathroom vanity units or wall hung toilets in especially modernized settings.
Should you have any concerns that a corner shower won’t provide sufficient space, you could consider a neo-angled walk in shower layout as an alternative choice. This type of design will allow for a wider ‘wingspan’ and eliminate protruding corners that could be present elsewhere.
7. Stick To Size With Fixtures And Fittings
A common mistake that it is easy to make when transforming a bathroom (especially a smaller one) to feature a walk in shower space, is to go too big and bold with accentuating bathroom furniture.
Where room is restricted, you can easily overwhelm the space with the addition of oversized freestanding vanity units, for example. In order to ensure your walk in shower enclosure remains the star of the show, opt for more subtle, minimalist styles such as wall hung vanity units, which will be altogether far less intrusive.
For some layouts, bathroom combination units will be well suited. These incorporate a toilet, basin and vanity unit within a single component to maximise space and deliver streamlined style in the form of some essential fittings.
Our blog, A Buyer’s Guide To Vanity Units, shines the spotlight on a multitude of attractive bath vanities for smaller bathrooms.
8. Introduce Suitable Colours For Smaller Bathrooms
You can avoid hassle and stress by keeping it relatively simple and suitable in drawing up a bathroom colour scheme, again particularly in relation to more compact areas.
Fresh, light clean tones can work wonders in alluding to wider space, whilst a mish-mash of various louder hues can have the opposite effect, leading the bathroom to appear cramped and cluttered.
Standard white shades will give off a spacious, light and airy aura which can be tweaked and enhanced by accompanying complementary colours and textures. Or lighter pastel shades, all the rage in cottagecore bathrooms, are well worth considering as well. What’s more, the Big Bathroom Shop On Trend page can point you in direction of some of the most in-vogue colour options available.
9. Account For Alcove Dimensions
It can often be the case that compact bathrooms accommodate out-of-the-ordinary dimensions and overall shapes. However, it is possible to turn an unwanted alcove or eave into a dream design feature as opposed to an objectionable distraction in connection with walk in showers.
The most obvious solution, if space allows for it, is to install the walk in shower within the alcove area itself, or in a position where the walls can act as natural shower partitions (see point 5).
Also, if there are any roof windows present, these offer an excellent option to oversee a walk in shower, allowing natural light to flood the area and completely open up the bathroom.
10. Laying Down The Tiles
So it’s a touch less of an authoritative sentiment than ‘laying down the law’ might represent, but by following this similarly titled mantra, you can really set the tone for a beautiful walk in shower space to refresh your bathroom.
Imaginative floor tiling patterns within a walk in enclosure are an excellent way to create the illusion of added space. Using block patterns and solid contrasting colours and shapes will help to elasticate the room and make everything appear larger.
You have free reign to go big and bold with walk in shower floor tiles as well. Just because the room they are fitted in might be small doesn’t necessarily mean the tiles themselves has to be as well. Sizeable format tiles are a superb option for minimalist walk in shower bathrooms with subtle, low level grouting providing the neatest finish that will be barely visible.
11. Don’t Neglect The Shower Itself
When implementing a new walk in shower cubicle, your primary considerations, most likely, rest with the design of the enclosure itself. And whilst that is appropriate, you should strive not to neglect the actual shower system to fit.
Look to add a shower that lines up with the décor and overall theme of the bathroom area. So for retro or classic style bathrooms, look to traditional showers. Or, in contemporary bathrooms, add a modern shower with a finish reflective of the surrounding interior. There’s plenty of styles to consider in our dedicated blog, A Buyer’s Guide To Modern Showers.
12. Squeeze In Minimalist Storage Solutions
The size and structure of bathroom furniture and vanities can accidentally take up excessive room in a smaller bathroom on occasion, so it could be worth seeking out a nifty alternative storage option if possible.
In-built shelving or small mounted benches could be installed into small alcove areas, for example, to save on floor or wall space and prevent future storage issues for bathroom essentials like shower gels, shampoos, towels and toiletries.
Explore Big Bathroom Shop For Walk In Shower Inspiration
Big Bathroom Shop offer all sorts of walk in shower trays, doors, frames and full enclosure designs to suit any style or bathroom layout.
This guide will have hopefully whet your appetite with some supreme walk in shower ideas to transform a small bathroom, but if you would like any further help or advice, please don’t hesitate to contact our friendly team, and be sure to explore the other resources available through our blog. For instance, our Shower Enclosure Buying Guide, or dedicated article, The Best Shower Enclosures For Maximizing Space In Small Bathrooms.
You can leave your queries in the comments section below, or reach out to us via Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
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Modern Shower Styles For A Refreshing Bathroom Reset
When you really think about it, a shower system has to be considered one of the utmost important fixtures within a home – it provides the facility to kick off your day in a wholly revitalizing manner.
So, for the many people who count a refreshing showering experience as an integral part of their daily routine, we’ve decided to shine the spotlight on an immense variety of contemporary showers to ponder when upgrading your system.
Think premium performance, stunning aesthetics and ease of usability. All elements that will play a part in punctuating the profile of a perfect modern shower system addition, and enable the user to enjoy an efficiently invigorating shower with regularity for many years to come.
As such, the selection and buying of a modern shower really can prove to be one of the most integral decisions you make, certainly in terms of additions you make to your home, and more specifically, bathroom.
Don’t be daunted by the sheer wealth of modern shower ideas available, though. Allow Big Bathroom Shop to steer you through an ultra-stylish contemporary shower system landscape, dropping handy hints and tips along the way to ensure you ultimately arrive at the right modern shower choice.
What To Consider For Modern Showers
Before diving straight into shopping for modern showers, there’s a few things to take heed of, that might even help you to eliminate certain models from your thinking from the off.
Basically, you should consider which sort of domestic water system is in use at your home, in addition to the water pressure that is operational throughout the property.
The importance of these two simple factors cannot be underestimated – they can play a huge role in determining which types of contemporary showers represent suitable options for your bathroom specifically.
Essentially, the water pressure within your home will largely dictate how powerful the performance of any modern shower will be, and realistically which type you can install.
There’s a simple means to measure water pressure as detailed in our blog on How To Create An Amazing Showering Experience. However, if you aren’t totally confident in drawing up the correct calculations, you can enlist the services of a professional plumber for peace of mind.
With regards to the water system, you’ll typically find that UK properties tend to be built with one of three specific types. We’ll explain how to identify which sort your home incorporates below.
What Type Of Water System Do You Have?
Gravity Fed Water Systems
The most common type to be found within UK households, gravity fed water systems typically feature a cold water tank (often housed in an attic area), along with a water cylinder (usually stored in a closet or airing cupboard).
Such systems can be susceptible to providing low water pressure, however it is possible to enhance the pressure via the fitting of a shower pump.
A single pump has the facility to feed into multiple modern showers at the same time as well, making them a very worthy addition to larger properties with two or more working shower systems.
Combi Boiler Water Systems
Typically, combi boiler water systems will include a boiler in the absence of water cylinders or tanks. They are designed to heat up water as and when it is distributed via the connected shower, taps or other water outlets.
Generally speaking, combi boilers tend to offer the highest level of water pressure, and they can be teamed alongside a shower mixer to deliver hot water to order when required.
Unvented Water Systems
In the case of unvented water systems, a boiler or immersion heater raise the temperature of a water cylinder under high pressure.
This enables mass quantities of hot water to be supplied to modern showers and other water outlets within the home.
After you’ve identified which sort of water system is present in your home, and gauged an idea of the water pressure levels too, you’ll have formed a general idea regarding which sort of modern showers will be suited to your property specifically.
Furthermore, you’ll be aware of any sort of extra shower accessories you might need to guarantee your chosen component is working to its full capacity, such as shower pumps.
Essentially, determination of the correct water pressure and water system can help you narrow your modern shower system search down considerably, right from the off.
What Are The Main Types Of Modern Showers?
There’s a broad array of modern shower styles on the market, each offering their own unique advantages and in some instances, minor drawbacks as well.
We’ll dive deeper into the properties and features of each main type shortly, but first enjoy a brief overview of the various available models…
Thermostatic Mixer Showers
Thermostatic mixer showers boast a thermostatic shower valve, which allows the shower to deliver water which remains at a consistent set temperature.
They represent an especially prudent modern shower choice for family households in which elderly adults or young children make use of the shower cubicle facilities, given that they pose a much lower scalding risk.
Manual Mixer Showers
With manual mixer showers, both hot and cold water supplies are combined with manual functionality.
A fairly no-nonsense contemporary shower selection, manual mixer shower systems are simple to install and offer excellent ease of usability.
Digital Showers
Digital showers can essentially pertain to take the form of a new-age, ultra-modern thermostatic mixer shower. Basically, this shower style utilises digital technology to enable the user to program a set water temperature that will not fluctuate.
Depending on how advanced a model you potentially invest in, you could source a digital shower system with the capability to be regulated via a smartphone, remote control or alternate device.
Smart Showers
Another style to retain distinct possibilities with thermostatic mixer showers, smart shower systems do so in a yet more technologically savvy sense than even digital models do.
Smart showers seamlessly integrate with other smart home systems including the likes of Amazon Alexa and Google Nest, so you can control water settings like flow and temperature via voice activation settings.
Power Showers
Power showers are another type renowned for offering an efficient, hassle-free installation means.
They operate by taking water from both hot and cold water feeds, incorporating a key internal pump which bolsters water pressure to deliver an altogether more gratifying showering experience.
Electric Showers
Another modern shower style that is quick and easy to fit, electric showers are often confused for power showers due to their similar aesthetic. Such is the makeup of electric shower systems to include their own heating element, they are able to work with only a cold water supply intact.
Of course, the technical aspects of modern shower systems are a crucial consideration. However, you shouldn’t allow the ‘nuts and bolts’ elements completely dictate which type of shower you opt for.
Once you are satisfied you’re shopping in the right category of contemporary showers to suit your water system and pressure levels, you can go about selecting a style that meets your preferences from an appearance perspective.
Classic chrome, as well as brilliant bronze and black are amongst the most readily available modern shower finishes, so there’s versatility abound in terms of something to suit contemporary bathroom décor.
As earlier alluded to, there’s an immense variety of modern shower room ideas to wade through, so you can be confident of identifying the perfect combination of performance and aesthetics to enhance your specific bathroom space.
Thermostatic Mixer Showers
The mixer controls contained within these showers feature a thermostatic valve which will make sure water is maintained at a constant temperature. Exactly what the temperature is set to can be determined and altered by any users manually.
What results is a supreme choice with regards to family households, in which small children or elderly adults will regularly make use of the modern shower cubicles present. The increased reliability concerning temperature control makes them such a stellar pick from a safety perspective.
In order to successfully fit a working thermostatic mixer shower, you’ll need a hot and cold water supply with a water pressure of 0.1 bar or more.
You can also top up the water flow, if you would prefer, via the use of an electric pump.
Key advantages, as well advertised previously in the article, are the safety features of thermostatic mixer shower systems. They offer, on a basic level, a reduced scalding risk, with the water temperature completely unaffected by the use of other water outlets elsewhere in the home.
Manual Mixer Showers
Manual mixer showers are a perfect selection for settings that boast a strong hot water supply in cohesion with lofty water pressure.
This sort of modern shower combines both hot and cold water supplies so it can be set to the user’s ideal temperature any time they set foot within the shower enclosure. They are also very easy to initially install and simple to operate thereafter.
The same basic requirements exist for manual mixer showers as they do with thermostatic versions – both hot and cold water supplies must be present with a minimum water pressure gauge of 0.1 bar.
Usually providing a cheaper alternative to mixer showers with thermostatic properties, manual mixer shower systems are very much advantageous from an ease of installation and use perspective.
Given their inferior safety features in comparison however, manual mixer showers are perhaps better suited to adult-only households.
Digital Showers
As aforementioned, digital showers can largely be defined as a jazzed up, technologically enhanced version of thermostatic mixer models. They are able to provide meticulous water temperature control due to the presence of a standard processor.
Certain digital shower systems offer remote control functionality, allowing users to regulate water temperature and flow rate at the touch of a button via smartphone or an alternate device. An excellent generational innovation that enables you to get your shower up and running in prime condition ready for when you enter.
Both concealed and exposed shower valves can accompany digital showers as well, as well as specific digital valves, so you can be sure to find the right key fitting to enhance any modern shower room aesthetic.
To successfully fit a working digital shower, you’ll require hot and cold water supplies in addition to an electrical supply, plus a minimum 0.1 bar water pressure level. As with thermostatic showers, you can team electric pumps with digital systems to boost water flow, if you would prefer.
Ultimately, digital showers derive the utmost popularity for a combination of safety features, simple-to-use controls and cutting edge convenience elements such as remote control utility. Typically, they’ll boast ultra-contemporary looks as well, making for a seamless blend within a modern bathroom setting.
Smart Showers
Right at the very forefront of modern shower technology sit smart showers, which could loosely be referred to as a savvier, more modernised version of a digital shower system.
Smart showers can provide users with a truly tailored showering experience, with customisable features and settings applicable to water flow, temperature and timings in terms of when to switch on and off.
Many smart shower systems also offer touchless control, with in-built sensors constituting extremely easy usability. Plus, remote control functionality is again a regular feature amongst several smart shower models.
Hot and cold water supplies are again needed, with a minimum 1 bar water pressure level also required for smart showers to thrive. And an electric pump can be fitted to boost water flow, if a more immersive shower coverage better suits the preferences of the user.
Perfect for gadget lovers, smart showers’ main advantages stem from their capability to deliver a fully customised showering experience even without having to touch a single button. Most smart shower systems can be linked to voice activation devices such as Google Home and Amazon Alexa components.
Furthermore, you can create safety-specific shower programmes for any children or elderly relatives who might make use of your modern shower enclosure. All in all, they represent an excellent investment for the tech-savvy modern bathroom shopper, who loves to keep up to date with all the very latest home tech innovations.
Power Showers
The term ‘power showers’ is bandied about with great regularity, often times in reference to any sort of contemporary shower system that outputs a vigorous flow rate. But they are a modern shower type in and of themselves in actual fact.
Power showers incorporate an integrated shower pump, and are fed water from each of the hot and cold water supplies to provide an enhanced water flow.
Both thermostatic and manual versions of power showers exist, so you can select the style best reflective of your household needs. Generally, manual power showers will tend to be less expensive than thermostatic options.
Either type makes for an excellent addition to a home with low pressure water systems, especially those with gravity fed networks, though a consistently reliable water supply is a necessity. Again, hot and cold water supplies are required along with a minimum water pressure gauge of 0.1 bars.
Perhaps the biggest beneficial aspect of power showers as a modern shower selection is the fact that they can bolster water pressure even in the absence of an extra water pump.
Electric Showers
Often confused with power showers in several scenarios, electric showers actually represent one of the most common modern shower types available, due in no small part to their versatility. Essentially, they are suitable for fitting in almost any property.
Electric showers feature their own heating units, meaning they can operate irrespective of a connected hot water supply – a fact that makes them an especially prudent choice for the likes of bathroom en-suites or particularly small downstairs modern shower rooms.
Only a cold water supply is required with a minimum 0.1 bar water pressure gauge for a successful electric shower installation. However, the fitting must be completed by a qualified plumber and electrician. So be sure to factor in additional costs for these services when considering your modern shower budget.
Probably the biggest plus point with regards to electric showers is their suitability for any setting, along with their economical and efficient performance quality, and the fact that the temperature of the water they deliver is unaffected by any other outlets within the home.
Selecting The Right Modern Shower Head
Once you’ve zoned in on the perfect style of modern shower to add to your home, you can begin to think about which sort of shower head will best line up with your modern shower room ideas.
Contrasting shower head styles can have a massive influence not only on the aesthetics of the bathroom, but also on the way in which your modern shower system actually operates.
There’s four main styles of modern shower heads on the market, so we’ve put together a brief overview of each type below…
Ceiling Mounted Shower Heads
Arguably the most in-vogue option with regards to statement modern shower head style, ceiling mounted shower heads offer an entirely streamlined appearance, with the fixture failing to impact on any surrounding space.
Both square and rounded designs can be fit within the ceiling itself to create an ultra-contemporary look, and deliver a fully immersive shower experience with full coverage from above. They are an especially tempting option to team with modern shower systems that can provide a rainfall effect water flow.
Riser Kit Shower Heads
Riser kit shower heads are parked into a fixed bracket attached to the shower enclosure wall, and are adjustable depending on the height of the user for a more comfortable shower. Furthermore, they can be detached from their fixed or ‘resting’ position for targeted showering – homing in a specific area of the body or even for rinsing the modern shower cubicle.
An expansive array of riser kit shower head designs exist so you can be confident of finding a style to suit your tastes, and they’re certainly worth looking into as a fail-safe, simple shower head option.
Fixed Shower Heads
With fixed shower heads, which are amongst the very most popular available styles, the shower head can be wall mounted or ceiling mounted dependent upon personal preference, each providing a clean, luxurious aesthetic.
As such, fixed shower heads bore their main advantages from a looks perspective. They’re ideal for accentuating an elegant modern bathroom appearance, but are perhaps not the finest option for busy family bathroom areas, as they can’t be adjusted for more flexible usability.
Again, a wealth of fixed shower head designs exist, so if you do decide the style is right for you, there’ll be no trouble identifying attractive models for contemporary or traditional bathroom interiors.
Combination Shower Heads
There’s the best of both worlds, at least from a functionality point of view, with combination shower heads. In essence, this shower head type features both detachable and fixed shower heads to provide the utmost level of versatility.
Although you could fear multiple heads resulting in a cluttered look, the plethora of stylishly streamlined combination shower head sets available means such worries are unfounded.
You can create a classy appearance with the best aspects from both fixed shower heads and adjustable riser kits factored in with regards to usability.
Choosing The Right Modern Shower Valves
Another supporting element that has to be considered when investing in a new modern shower system is which sort of valves you opt for, as well. Two main types exist in the form of concealed and exposed shower valves, with single, double and sometimes triple versions available in each style. So you can select the ideal version in accordance with the number of outlets your modern shower features…
Concealed Shower Valves
Concealed shower valves are a particularly popular pick for modern shower room areas in which slick, streamlined designer flair is the order of the day.
As their moniker suggests, concealed valves are barely visible, with their working parts cleverly masked by the wall they are attached to. The only parts to be clearly seen tend to be the controls attached to a back plate which are connected directly to the wall.
When fitted in cohesion with fixed shower heads, concealed shower valves will feed straight into the ceiling or wall. If you install concealed valves to work with a riser kit or shower hose, by contrast, an extra outlet will usually be used to feed into the component.
The space-saving, sleek profile of concealed shower valves probably has the strongest claims with regards to reasoning for their immense popularity.
Exposed Shower Valves
They’ll typically take the eye instantly, with exposed shower valves visible on the exterior of shower walls.
Again, there’s a multitude of different exposed valve designs available to suit any bathroom layout or style. Shower bar valves are the most common type of model available.
In the case of exposed valves, riser kits, shower pipes or hoses will connect to the valve directly.
All in all, they’re an easy-to-install and comparatively inexpensive shower valve solution, if perhaps not providing the same level of aesthetic appeal for modern bathroom interiors as their concealed counterparts.
Combining Features For A Perfect Modern Shower
Once you understand the key features that combine to make the right modern shower system for you, you can work out whether all main components fall within your budget, and start putting together your dream setup.
Of course, a simpler and potentially more cost-effective way to do so can be to invest in modern shower bundles or shower panels, which will often incorporate all the elements you crave into a single component.
Indeed, sleek shower towers will typically incorporate a shower head, often offering rainfall flow functionality, as well as in-built valves and simple touch-button or touchless controls.
As alluded to, they can make for a simple but effortlessly stylish means to bring ideal modern shower aesthetics and practicality to your bathroom in one fell swoop.
Alternatively, you can put together your own bespoke perfect modern shower package by selecting a shower head in your ideal shape, along with the perfect accompanying valves and control panels.
Shop Modern Shower Systems With Big Bathroom Shop
No matter which sort of modern shower style you have your heart set on, there’s an excellent array of options available from Big Bathroom Shop, seamlessly combining outstanding aesthetics with premium quality functionality.
If you would like any further help or advice with regards to selecting the perfect modern shower system for your bathroom space, or have any other pressing bathroom concerns, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our friendly team.
You can leave your thoughts in the comments section below, or contact us via Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.
https://wpcdn.bigbathroomshop.co.uk/info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/modern-showers-blog-banner.jpg?strip=all&lossy=1&quality=70&ssl=14911401John Kleehttps://www.bigbathroomshop.co.uk/info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/bbs-blog-logo-300x82.pngJohn Klee2021-05-19 09:13:462021-12-14 11:23:23A Buyer’s Guide To Modern Showers
With the beautifully designed Milano Elizabeth shower collection, creating your dream bathroom that oozes luxury and elegance is easy to achieve.
Available in a range of gorgeous finishes, the Elizabeth showers are the perfect blend of traditional design and modern showering functionality, bringing a classic feel to your bathroom, whilst offering a sensational shower experience.
With such a huge selection of Elizabeth showers, we understand that it’s not an easy task choosing the right one that enhances both your bathroom design and meets your showering requirements.
So, to help you out, we have created this ultimate buying guide that will hopefully point you in the right direction.
Milano Elizabeth Showers – Exquisite Traditional Details & Opulent Finishes
The majestic Elizabeth shower range certainly makes a statement, yet brings opulence and timeless appeal to your bathroom, allowing you to create a look that will never fall out of fashion.
The Elizabeth shower heads and shower valves feature exquisite traditional details, which really will set your bathroom apart from the rest. After all, it’s the small details that make all the difference.
The range of opulent finishes will also make your bathroom stand out from the crowd, whether you want to keep things classy with chrome or add some vintage chic with gold or bronze, we’ve made it easy to create the look you truly desire.
The gold and bronze finish is moisture-blemish resistant too, meaning less of those annoying water spots.
The oil rubbed bronze and brushed gold showers have what’s known as a living finish that naturally patinas over time, which creates a vintage appearance.
As the surface reacts with the environment and daily use, the showers begin to develop their own unique patina that transforms and ages with time. The changes you’ll see are what give the products real character.
Enjoy a Relaxing Shower Experience with a Milano Elizabeth Shower Head
The simply stunning Milano Elizabeth traditional shower heads come in a choice of sizes and finishes, including chrome, brushed gold and oil rubbed bronze, to further elevate the look of your bathroom.
Each one delivers luxurious rainfall water coverage, giving you the most calming and soothing shower experience.
The Elizabeth shower head features an apron style design for that perfect traditional look and that’s sure to create an eye-catching focal point within your bathroom.
Elizabeth Shower Head Features:
150mm, 200mm and 300mm diameters
Chrome, brushed gold and oil rubbed bronze finishes
Can be wall or ceiling mounted
Traditional apron design
Luxurious rainfall water coverage
Swivel joint
Solid brass construction
Long life 10 year guarantee
The Elizabeth shower heads have been crafted to the highest standards from solid brass for guaranteed durability with an exceptionally hard-wearing finish.
Each shower head has a swivel joint that allows you to easily adjust it to the desired angle and can be fitted with the matching wall-mounted or ceiling-mounted arm, which again has a solid brass construction.
In addition to the apron shower heads, there’s also the Milano Elizabeth hand shower, which is available to purchase separately or as part of a shower riser rail kit, complete with matching hose and outlet elbow.
The hand shower has been crafted from brass with a ceramic handle and delivers a refreshing spray of water. This also comes in chrome, brushed gold and oil rubbed bronze finishes.
Enjoy Effortless Control with a Milano Elizabeth Shower Valve
Just like the traditional shower heads, the shower valves come in brushed gold, oil rubbed bronze and chrome finishes, making it easy for you to create a coordinated look.
The chrome shower valves are available with white or black ceramic detailing, giving you an extra option.
What’s more, you can also select from a concealed valve if you want to create a streamlined finish or an exposed design for a stand-out traditional look.
Elizabeth Thermostatic Shower Valve Features
Chrome, brushed gold and oil rubbed bronze finishes
One, two and three outlet options
Beautiful traditional design
Thermostatic temperature control
Easy-to-use lever and crosshead handles
Ceramic detailing
Anti-scald technology
Solid brass construction
Ceramic disc technology
Long life 10 year guarantee
Milano Elizabeth traditional thermostatic shower valves have a solid brass construction for outstanding strength and a luxury feel, whilst the hard-wearing finish will stand the test of time.
The lever and crosshead handles allow you to control your shower with ease and the built-in anti-scald technology adds total peace of mind when showering.
With one, two and three outlet valve options that the Elizabeth shower range has to offer, you can build a custom shower experience.
The Elizabeth twin shower valve supplies water to a single shower function such as the apron shower head. The twin diverter valve delivers water to one function and can divert to a second, so you could have an apron shower head and riser rail set up.
The triple shower valve supplies water to two functions, whilst the triple with diverter valve operates two outlets separately or simultaneously and can divert to a third outlet.
Whether you require a simple yet elegant valve and shower head set up or would prefer a full-on system with massaging body jets, shower head and hand shower kit, we have just what you need at Big Bathroom Shop.
You can add a majestic touch to your bathroom with a multi-function Milano Elizabeth brushed gold shower or add some vintage chic with a Milano Elizabeth shower in oil rubbed bronze.What’s more, we’ve also created traditional showers with bath fillers, specially designed for use over your bath.
These include both a bath spout and shower head, so you can combine the best of both bathing and showering in your luxury traditional bathroom.
These Elizabeth shower kits incorporate a rigid riser rail, shower head and exposed thermostatic valve, whilst the grand rigid risers have the addition of a hand shower.
There’s also rigid riser kits with a bath spout for your shower bath set-up, ensuring all your requirements are met.
We hope this buying guide has uncovered all you need to know to help you make the right decision, so all you need to do now is head on over to Big Bathroom Shop and shop the beautiful Milano Elizabeth shower collection!
https://wpcdn.bigbathroomshop.co.uk/info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/milano-blog-banner.jpg?strip=all&lossy=1&quality=70&ssl=14911401Liz Tabronhttps://www.bigbathroomshop.co.uk/info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/bbs-blog-logo-300x82.pngLiz Tabron2021-05-10 13:44:482021-05-10 13:54:00Milano Elizabeth Traditional Showers – The Ultimate Buying Guide
