With homeowners wanting spa-like sanctuaries in their bathrooms, open-concept wet rooms are one of the most popular new home trends. What is a wet room? Why do you want one in your home?
What is a Wet Room?
Simply put, a wet room is just as it sounds. It’s a room that is designed to be fully, completely wet, with specific design and functional elements that protect from moisture damage.
A wet room is an open-concept area, often within a larger bathroom, where the bathtub and shower share an enclosure. This differs from a traditional bathroom footprint, where the shower is usually in its own stall.
In a wet room design, the tub and the shower might be surrounded by a glass partition, or if there is no tub, the shower might occupy much of the room.
The walls and the floor of a wet room are sealed tightly with a special waterproof membrane.. Often the floor is slanted, with a drainage system in a central location to wick water away.
Some wet room designs incorporate the entire bathroom, including the toilet. In this instance, it’s better to place the showerhead on the ceiling, and to ensure it is angled in such a way that the stream won’t douse the toilet and vanity.
Benefits of Wet Rooms
Good Design for a Small Bathroom Footprint
A wet room embraces the concepts of open plan, with no walls or other barriers taking up square footage and makes use of vertical and horizontal wall space to extend functionality, as well as maximize usable physical space, making it a good choice if your bathroom has a small footprint.
The openness of a wet room is also helpful in awkward room configurations, where a traditional stall shower, shower/tub combo may not fit.
Aesthetically, with the removal of walls, and the inclusion of either a glass partition (a common design feature in a wet room), and typically with lots of tiled surfaces, wet rooms tend to be airy and bright, especially if there is a window to usher in natural light. This helps to amplify the sense of space, and make a small room appear larger.
Wet Rooms Support the Principles of Universal Design
While wet rooms are rising in popularity thanks to their sleek aesthetic, one of their greatest benefits is that they are more functional than a traditional bathroom. Their barrierless design makes them appropriate for universal design and accessibility, in addition to being stylish. That means that the bathroom is functional not only for seniors, but also for end users of all ages and stages, who may face mobility issues, even temporarily due to illness or injuries.
Wet rooms are a good choice for homeowners hoping to age in place, multi-generational families, or homeowners who are forward proofing their homes to boost resale value down the road, by widening their potential buyer pool.
What are the Best Materials to use in Wet Rooms?
Tiles are typically the most popular flooring material, with many homeowners electing to run the same tile up the walls for a cohesive aesthetic. Certain types of tile material are not well-suited for wet room floors, such as ceramic or high-gloss finishes, because they can be slippery, especially when wet. Choose a tile with some texture, which will give you more traction underfoot.
Porcelain, mosaics or natural stone are good floor choices, because of their durability, texture and threshold for water resistance. Natural stone, however, might be more porous, so proper sealant is a must. If you are keen on ceramic tiles, use them on the walls only.
As important as the tile choice is grout and installation, as this will play a key role in your wet room’s longevity. Make sure the grout is waterproof and take extra care that the waterproofing membrane layer isn’t damaged during tile installation. With all the moisture in a wet room, watertight protection is essential.
Typically, from a non-slip perspective, it is better to have smaller tiles with more grout lines, as the grout helps to provide additional texture. Oversize tiles are trending though, and if that is your selection make sure your material choice compensates for the lack of grout to create texture from a safety standpoint.
Wood is a very popular material choice in bathrooms currently, given how it supports the Japandi, Scandi and Biophilic aesthetics, but take caution if installing wood walls or counters in a wet room.
Make sure that you’ve got proper ventilation via a fan.
Ensure wood grains and wood grain ends are fully sealed.
Cover all wood surfaces in an additional, heavy-duty sealant to protect against mold and mildew growth.
Wet Room Design Inspiration
Here are some design tips to make your wet room a truly luxe space in your home.
Add multiple showerheads for maximum waterpower.
Include a steam shower for a spa-like experience.
Don’t forget to include a stylish grab bar when installing your fixtures, especially important if the wet room is being designed for accessibility. Also, install a built-in bench, adorned in the same tile as your shower.
You may be familiar with the idea of creating a focal point in your open-concept main floor to direct the eye and to help delineate zones. The same principle applies in a wet room, which is also an open-concept room. Placing a striking soaker tub against an accent wall is a good focal point.
Having a large window is ideal, as it reinforces the openness of the design, as well as fosters an indoor/outdoor connection, which is often a design feature of high-end wet rooms. It’s even better if you can frame a desirable view with the window placement.
Have fun with alternative tub materials beyond traditional acrylic. Copper, cement or wooden tubs are trending materials, in all sorts of sleek shapes.
How to Keep a Wet Room Clean (and Relatively Dry)
With additional moisture present in a wet room, keeping it clean can be challenging. The key is to try to keep it as dry as possible as well, and ongoing cleaning will be easier.
The most essential tool for your wet room? A squeegee. After you shower, wipe down walls (especially glass partitions) with the squeegee. This helps to remove mold and mildew-causing moisture proactively. It’s also a good idea to have a sponge mop handy, and to do a quick mop of the floors to soak up any extra moisture that doesn’t make its way to the drain.
Another trick to keeping your wet room drier (and therefore, cleaner) is to open a window during and briefly after showering, to help with ventilation.
Use a mixture of vinegar and water or non-abrasive commercial cleaner and microfiber cloths for a streak-free clean,
Remember to clean grout regularly, to avoid mold and mildew. Use a paste made of baking soda and water, apply to a toothbrush, and wipe in a gentle, circular motion.
