Bathrooms
Design Debate: Are Wet Room-Style Bathrooms Serene Or Impractical?
Published on February 24, 2021
There’s no need to wait for the spas to reopen to channel serenity and self-care! We’ve seen wet room-style bathrooms become increasingly popular over the past few years for their tranquility, modernity and practicality. But, there are a few obstacles that come with an open-concept shower and bathing area: everything can get wet. With proper design and planning, this can easily be avoided, and that’s exactly what these savvy designers have done. So, let’s settle this design debate once and for all! Let us know in the comments below: are wet room-style bathrooms serene or impractical?
This wet room-style bathing area is an example of minimalism at its finest. Imagine hopping in the tub as the morning light floods into the room? Sounds like heaven. Plus, the soft pink Moroccan tile doubles as a dream Instagram subject.
“In Victorian homes, you always have a little window tucked under the peaked roof,” says designer Youssef Hasbani. “It’s an area that nobody knows what to do with so I decided I would turn it into a shower.” White penny tiles make the space feel like a secret, light-filled spa.
An expansive glass shower clad in arabesque-shaped Calacatta marble tiles is the perfect place to get away from it all. For a touch of global style, designer Lisa Lev added a vintage Turkish kilim runner.
In this Toronto condo, where statement art stuns in every corner, the principal bathroom feels more pared-back. The shower and soaker tub sit atop a glassed-off Corian-framed marble platform.
Want to make a statement with your shower? Take a page from Feasby & Bleeks Design’s book, and try a framed shower wall — it’s a trend we’ve been seeing a lot lately.
In this timeless principal bathroom, white porcelain tile is framed with black metal strips for an instant dose of drama. “It’s similar to how a fashion designer might accentuate the seams of a couture dress,” says designer Anne Hepfer.
A simple black-framed partition divides the shower from the rest of this bathroom. Dark mermaid floor tiles add drama against the subway tile walls and blond wood vanity.
There’s no need to book a trip to the spa when you have a guest bathroom like this. A watery blue palette, large window and frameless glass shower door create an airy feeling in the narrow space.
Designer Arren Williams opted for matte black finishes in this modern bathroom (including the shower partition), and finished the look off with mid-century modern-style vanity for extra warmth.
“People are looking for luxury in their ensuites,” says designer Sarah Baeumler of the Spring 2020 Princess Margaret Showhome‘s spacious and serene principal bathroom. Equipped with a two-person shower, stand-alone tub and water closet, this self-care oasis is a morning must-have.
This spa-like principal bathroom has its own shower enclosure clad in elegant stone, complete with a bench and built-in niche for displaying the essentials.
You can still create a feeling of serenity in your wet room using a bold tile. Inspired by the Bowery Hotel in New York, this Prince Edward Country bathroom’s wooden shower partition pops against the turquoise hues.
A light wood vanity and striking black-framed windows keep this wet room-style space from getting too sterile. “To maximize the view of the trees, we kept the vanity and tub out in the open,” says designer Tara Finlay.
If you’re lucky enough to have a jaw-dropping view (think: a city skyline or verdant countryside), why hide it behind frosted glass? A large window doubles as a picture frame, while the moody stone enclosure makes you feel like you’re showering outside.
With just 96 square feet of space, homeowner Jeanette Seymour sacrificed a tub for a luxurious shower, and it sure payed off! This bathroom-meets-dressing room is the ultimate sanctuary to get ready in the morning.