5 reasons why wet rooms are the UK’s hottest new bathroom trend

The design and supply of wet rooms is a key part of our service offering here at NPM Bathrooms, and we’ve recently seen a huge surge in its popularity here in the UK. If you’re not entirely sure what they are, allow us to quickly explain!

Essentially, a wet room is created by sealing the walls and floor with a waterproof membrane, resulting in a space that’s 100% watertight. Most wet rooms consist of an open, fully tiled shower area, without the need for a shower enclosure or tray. There’s always a gently sloping floor which guides any water towards a drain, allowing it to be channelled away without risk of seeping out anywhere to damage other rooms in the property.

This opens up a huge number of design possibilities and practical advantages. We’ll outline a couple of the key ones below!

1. They’re highly accessible and easy to use

As we’ve touched upon, wet rooms do away with full shower enclosure and tray, which provides easy access to the showering area without having to step over anything or move anything out of the way. Though this makes them highly convenient for people of all ages, it also makes them especially helpful to older people or those with mobility issues, as the design immediately removes a couple of daily obstacles that can sometimes be challenging to navigate.

(In our personal experience as expert designers here at NPM Bathrooms, we’ve found that this reason alone is sometimes enough for some clients to prefer wet rooms over other, more traditional bathroom designs!)

2. They can improve the quality and value of your property

This is a particularly happy bonus for our younger customers, or new buyers. When you install a wet room in your home, you’re essentially adding a waterproofing solution to one of the areas most notoriously vulnerable to leaks and water damage. Over a period of years, the wear and tear of regular bathrooms – especially very old ones – sometimes results in water running into areas it shouldn’t, or a build-up of damp and moisture on the walls.

These problems are eliminated by wet rooms, as all the water is channelled away via a central drain, and all moisture and condensation is contained within the walls of the room. In short, it basically makes your home far less susceptible to water damage, which has a positive effect on its value should you ever decide to move or sell.

3. A wet room is a great space-saving option

This is amongst the reasons that wet rooms are so often chosen for smaller houses, commercial buildings or apartments. Though baths are included by default in at least one bathroom in an average house, they’re not necessarily essential for a wet room. This gives you the option of removing the bath if it’s not something you’ll use. (These days, there are a surprising number of households that don’t, especially if there are no young children in the house.) Showers are instead viewed to be a much more practical option, especially since you won’t have the screens or tray to worry about either.

The removal of the bath immediately opens up a huge amount of space that you can use for other bathroom fixtures or furniture – or simply to enjoy a bit more breathing room!

4. It’s very easy to keep clean

Tying into its space-saving practical advantages, a wet room also takes very little effort to keep clean. To start of with, the removal of the bath will mean that there’s one less (large) feature of the bathroom to require cleaning, and the watertight nature of the space means that bathroom cleaners can be used very liberally all over the room. The likelihood of damp spots and mould is also completely eliminated, as the tanking throughout the room will prevent it them from being able to form.

5. It’s a fantastically stylish option

The modern trends towards minimalism and efficiency lend themselves well to wet rooms, which tend to have an appealingly fresh, contemporary style. As well as being useful from a practical perspective, it lends a real wow factor to your home. You can also perfect the mood and atmosphere you want for your wet room by picking out your favourite bathroom tiles to complement the space. We’ve got a huge range to choose from here at NPM Bathrooms, ranging from reserved, traditional colours and textures to brighter, bolder patterns or metallic accents.

Wet rooms are also something of a speciality for our designers. Click here to see get a better idea of what we can help you achieve for your space, or give us a call on 01282 697717. Alternatively, you could pay us a visit at our expansive showroom on Manchester Road – we’re always happy to see you!