A walk in shower enclosure is a great choice for modern bathrooms. But is there an optimum size for your needs? We found out...
Getting a new house is always exciting as it indicates a new chapter of your life. A new beginning with new stories to live through and tell!
Just before you get to live out your fantasy, there are many boring and not-so-fun aspects to home ownership that you have to settle. Home renovation is one of them, although, it's not all tedium. For example, if you choose to upgrade to a walk-in shower, you certainly won't regret it!
If the title of this blog post, captured your attention, then you’ll know that we’re going to be talking about walk-in showers today. And yes, even walk-in showers can have their own dedicated article.
Bathrooms don't exactly take up a huge amount of space in your home, but can include a variety of things including showers and shower enclosures. It can even be designed as a wet room, complete with shower floor and a nice shower screen.
The design of your bathroom shouldn't be overlooked, as you'll need a comfortable and relaxing place in which to start your mornings and end your evenings. Another big thing that many people look at is the walk-in shower cost.
Read on to learn more about the pros and cons of the different sizes of walk-in showers to help you finalise your decision about your shower enclosure.
What exactly is a walk-in shower?
Let us first clarify what a walk-in shower ensclosure is as you’d be surprised at how many misconceptions people have. When someone says “walk-in shower”, what do you picture? Is it just a shower room? A massive shower head? Do you imagine huge shower trays, glass panels, shower enclosures so big they could be whole wet rooms? A shower room isn't complete without a good shower tray, and if you're going to be as luxurious as you can, you can even look into fitting a flip down shower chair for your walk in shower enclosure.
As the name suggests, a walk-in shower refers to a separate area in the bathroom with one or more shower heads for people to wash and clean up. Pretty self-explanatory, really. The defining feature of a walk-in shower compared to normal showers is that a walk-in shower doesn't have any doors or (if we're going back a bit) curtains acting as partitions. That’s the key point. No shower doors, only things like glass panels.
That doesn’t mean a walk-in shower is completely open and exposed. Half partitions are typically installed to prevent the water from splashing everywhere. The section where the door is supposed to be is left empty so that you can literally walk into it without any barriers.
A walk in shower enclosure adds a touch of modernity to any bathroom suite
The benefits of having a walk-in shower
The concept of a walk-in shower has been gaining more attention lately and for good reasons.
1. More spacious
Glass is typically used to construct a walk-in shower. Being able to see inside the shower with minimal partitions will make the bathroom feel more spacious, even for smaller-sized ones.
2. Suitable for all types of bathrooms
Regardless of the structural layout and size of your bathroom, a walk-in shower is always an option. Its versatility allows you more flexibility when it comes to designing how you want your bathroom to look.
3. Easy to maintain
With the absence of a shower door, a walk-in shower is relatively easy to clean. There are fewer hidden gaps or curves that require cleaning.
4. Increased convenience
For families with people with mobility issues, walk-in showers allow them to take a shower with fewer hindrances. All they have to do is walk into the shower instead of having to worry about a door or big step getting in their way. Simple, straightforward, and with absolutely no fuss.
Walk-in showers are a vital component in accessible bathrooms
What is the best size for walk-in showers?
So you’ve decided to get a walk-in shower, what now? Depending on the size of your bathroom and the other amenities that you wish to include, your walk-in shower size may vary. Typically, there are 3 sizes for a walk-in shower that are commonly installed. Let’s take a look at them.
The standard and average size
To measure in numbers, the standard size for walk-in showers is approximately 1700mm in length and 700mm in width, which is the exact same footprint as a standard sized bath.
Walk-in showers are often installed in place of a bath. People who rarely use the bath might find it to be a waste of space and money and would rather opt for a more practical walk-in shower that they will use frequently. Hence, the measurements are modelled after the typical bath size.
This is a comfortable size for a walk-in shower if you are not short on space and just want a practical and functional place to shower. It is big enough for you to store your toiletries inside the shower stall without feeling too claustrophobic.
The average size for a walk in shower enclosure is around 1700mm x 700mm
A smaller size
Unfortunately, not everyone has the luxury of space, especially when the typical home is getting smaller and smaller. But fret not, it is still possible for smaller bathrooms to install a walk-in shower. In fact, a walk-in shower should be considered for those who are short on space as it gives the illusion that the shower is more spacious than it actually is.
The typical measurements of a smaller-sized walk-in shower can go as small as 900mm in length, whilst still maintaining the 700mm width. You probably cannot stretch your arms freely in this space but if you’re just looking to wash up and shower for practical reasons, then a minimal walk-in shower will work just as fine as any other shower.
You wouldn’t want to go any smaller than this, though. Remember that walk-in showers do not have doors or curtains. Any size smaller than 900mm by 700mm will likely cause the water to splash everywhere and you probably wouldn’t want that.
At 1200mm in length, this walk in shower enclosure can be fitted in even the smallest of spaces
A larger size
If you do have additional space, then you might want to consider scaling up your walk-in shower. A measurement of 2000mm in length and 1000mm in width would be considered a larger size for a walk-in shower.
You’ll have plenty of space to work with. Larger walk-in showers can even include a comfortable bench for sitting (yes, sitting in the shower) or a rain showerhead. With glass walls used as partitions, having a bigger walk-in shower will feel like entering a private spa right in the comforts of your home.
Regardless of the size that you’re going for, walk-in showers are highly versatile so you need not worry much. It’s best if you consult an interior designer to help you with the measurements and get more professional advice on how you can maximise your bathroom space.
This premium walk in shower enclosure from Mode Bathrooms is available in a range of sizes up to a spacious 1800mm x 900mm
Conclusion
And there we have it! Here’s a brief introduction to walk-in showers and the benefits of each category of size for them. Hopefully, you’ve learned a bit more on the topic and gained some inspiration to design your own bathroom. Do get more advice from your friends and family or even professionals. Ultimately, it boils down to your personal preference so choose what feels right.
Shop shower enclosures
For a full and comprehensive selection of walk in showers, plus other types of enclosures, browse the full range from Victoria Plum today. Simply click on the image below to start shopping.
