Bathroom Shower Suites Ideas

When it comes to buying a bathroom suite, if you have a small space you could certainly do worse than consider a shower suite - especially for a second bathroom where a bath may be available elsewhere in the home.

A shower can be practical for the morning rush as well as to relax you in the evening, and if you don't have young children to bathe and aren't particularly fond of a long soak yourself, you may as well make the most of the space you have by accommodating features that you will use.

Many bathroom suppliers, aware of the shortage of space in our modern homes, have made available the option to buy a shower suite rather than a traditional bathroom suite with a bath. This means that you get the highly practical package of toilet, basin and shower at a fixed price.

Would you prefer...

a) A square, rectangular, or curved enclosure?

b) Sliding doors; pivot/bi-fold doors; no doors?

Your choice between angles and curves may seem to be a style choice, and while this is undoubtedly important, you'll find that curved (or quadrant) shower enclosures do also save a little floor space over their square or rectangular equivalents, seemingly without compromising too much on interior space. So if you've got a small bathroom, a quadrant or offset quadrant shower may be best for you.

While a walk-in shower enclosure exudes a sense of luxury and suits a minimalist style, it does have to be a certain size to avoid spray from the shower coming straight out of the entryway. This is why most walk in shower enclosures have long rectangular shapes. If you only have room for a smaller shower, bi-fold and pivot doors offer good access without requiring a space in the bathroom for the doors to open into. Sliding doors are popular as they don't intrude on your space at all, and double sliding doors offer good ease of access.

You'll also need to choose a basin and toilet to complete your bathroom shower suite. With a range of options encompassing traditional and contemporary styles and wall hung or floor standing designs, as well as the option of integrated bathroom furniture such as a WC unit and vanity unit, there's plenty of scope to select the perfect bathroom suite for you. Remember that your bathroom suite will cost less to install if you avoid moving your plumbing pipework around; try to select a toilet with the same 'rough in' as your existing toilet to keep things simple when it comes to fitting.

You'll find that, typically, a shower enclosure - whether it's sold as part of a bathroom suite or on its own - is sold as a single item. Some enclosures may be sold complete with shower tray, but often they are not; they are usually not sold with a shower waste, and more rarely still with a shower system.

Once you've chosen your ideal bathroom suite, then, you'll need to consider the following points:

1. Would I prefer a low profile shower tray? Is my bathroom floor compatible with this type? (ie: do you have a wooden floor, under which pipes can be laid, or a concrete floor, meaning they must be laid over the top)

2. What type of water system do I have? Is it low pressure (this could limit you in your choice of shower)?

3. What kind of shower system will best suit my bathroom suite aesthetically? If you have chosen a traditional suite, a traditional fixed riser shower with exposed pipework and traditionally styled taps would be ideal; if you've chosen a contemporary suite, concealed pipework, a modern shower head and a digital thermostat might be for you.

Once you've made all your choices, your new bathroom shower suite should last you for many years - so do make sure you choose items for their quality as well as their price, and pick a look you'll be happy to live with long term.