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Wet room small ensuite


10 wet room bathroom designs for you |

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(Image credit: Mandarin Stone / Fired Earth / Quick-Step)

Small wet room ideas open up the opportunity for contemporary design, without the need to squeeze in a shower enclosure or raised shower tray to your master bathroom or ensuite.

Small wet rooms provide a spacious showering area and the high-end look of a luxurious hotel spa. They are also level entry, so easily accessible to all, not to mention hygienic and easy to clean. 

However, small wet room ideas are a big project to take on when it comes to bathroom ideas. You may want to weigh this up against the longevity of the space, as a wet room’s seamless design makes it a great option for accessibility and future-proofing your home for years to come.

Small wet room ideas

A wet room or walk-in shower will add a truly luxurious-up, spa-like showering experience to your wet room ideas.  Done well, a wet room is incredibly desirable and can boost your home’s value, too. Here's how to achieve the best results when planning a small wet room.

1. Go for all-over plaster in a small wet room

(Image credit: Quick-Step)

Hygienic, seamless and extremely beautiful, polished plaster is a popular choice right now. In small wet rooms and walk-in shower ideas, polished plaster’s waterproof prowess and elimination of moisture-seeping joints is the big story. Venetian plaster requires waxing to seal out water, but most micro-cements and Tadelakt plasters are inherently waterproof, not to mention stain-resistant, UV-stable and easy to clean. 

The polished plaster look can be very sleek and contemporary, or more rustic for an earthy effect. Adding pigments allows customisable color, and most types of polished plaster are suitable for use on floors, walls, ceilings and even furniture.

2. Take a less is more approach 

(Image credit: Kitesgrove)

‘When choosing colors and materials for small bathroom ideas and wet rooms, less is more. Here, we deliberately reduced the palette and created a streamlined design to really bring the focus to the materials,’ explains Katie Lion, interior designer, Kitesgrove . 

‘Natural marble is a quietly luxurious choice that instils a sense of sophistication and calm in any wet room. Its unique veining can be a simple but impactful way of bringing interest and layers to what is often a smaller space. We chose a brass finish for all the trims and fixtures to pick out the warm tones of the marble striations, helping it feel cohesive, elegant and timeless.’

3. Introduce a color hit 

(Image credit: Silestone by Cosentino)

A wet room – no matter how big or small – can often leave you feeling cold and exposed, even if the space is well heated. Here, clever color blocking techniques demonstrate how you can break up an empty space, put the shower area in the spotlight and add a much-needed dose of visual warmth. 

Red tones promote coziness – the color here is Silestone’s earthy, Mediterranean shade Arcilla Red – and also work well with textural materials such as wood accessories and woven storage.  

‘Silestone surfaces come in a great range of colors and large format slabs so there will be minimal grouting to clean,’ adds Ross Stewart, general manager, Cosentino Newmarket.

4. Create cocooning curves

(Image credit: Mandarin Stone)

Tucking your shower into an alcove will contain splashing but, if space allows, a curved showering area is far more impressive. And you can still pop a robe hook nearby without risk of soggy towels. 

‘Curves provide a cocooning environment that will help you unwind physically and mentally while you shower,’ says Mandarin Stone’s creative director, Louisa Morgan. 

‘They also provide welcome relief to all the hard edges and surface finishes typically found in bathrooms.’ The trend for stacking skinny tiles vertically makes creating soft curves easier; add a generous border in a darker shade at floor level to really accentuate the shape.

5. Work the walls in a small shower room

(Image credit: Fired Earth)

It goes without saying that the floor of a wet room needs to be fully tanked but what about the walls? Shower tile ideas – on every inch of your wall – can prove incredibly sterile, not to mention costly. In this small wet room by Richstone Properties the walls are only tiled where absolutely necessary, namely in the main shower area and above the basin, and the space feels much more inviting for this restrained approach. 

Do install tiled or stone upstands rather than timber skirting boards to protect lower walls from water damage. Remaining surfaces can be painted in a moisture resistant paint, like satin or eggshell, and don’t forget decent extraction.

6. Divide your wet room

(Image credit: Drummonds)

In smaller wet rooms, it pays to divide the space into wet and dry zones. A tall metal-framed screen lends an industrial edginess to this striking wet room, while keeping water away from the beautiful marble-topped vanity. 

Making a feature of this dividing point boosts the overall design, particularly the clever mix of fluted and plain glass. The former nods to mid-century industrialism, adding an element of privacy, and the latter lets in maximum daylight from the window beyond. Locating the shower controls well away from the showerhead is also a smart idea.

7. Combine a small wet room with a bathing area

(Image credit: Max Kim-Bee
 /Victoria + Albert Baths at House of Rohl)

‘Side-by-side showers are perfect for ensuite bathroom ideas that are designed for sharing,’ says Emma Joyce, brand manager at House of Rohl . 

‘It’s often a feature you’ll find in luxury hotels and allows plenty of personal space while making a bold statement. Try pairing with a freestanding tub to enjoy the best of both worlds.’ 

In this small wet room by Leanne Ford Interiors , the floor has been raised to accommodate drainage pipes, with a stepped front. The entire space inside was then tanked and tiled, essentially creating a giant shower tray that keeps water completely contained.

8. Take a dark and dramatic approach

(Image credit: Sarah Hogan)

Don't be afraid to use a dark color in a small wet room. A good bathroom color scheme is essential for creating the look, feel and design you want in your space – and you can use everything, from tiles and sanitaryware to accessories, to create a unique look.  Introducing a dark and dramatic hue to your wet room – or walk-in shower – will really lift your whole home, bringing this functional space in line with the rest of your decor. 

9. Invest in luxury bathroom materials

(Image credit: Future / Mark Bolton )

There are few materials that can create the feeling of a luxury bathroom design that marble can. Elegant, timeless and effortlessly beautiful, marble is usually used in wet rooms to create a statement finish, and although it is an expensive investment, it is a look that will last a lifetime. 

'Marble bathroom ideas work wonderfully in small wet rooms, and because of the relatively small space, it is also cost-effective, too. However, consider the use of marble carefully for spaces where you are using it in swathes because no slab of marble is the same as another. 

'What I love most with marble is the activity, veining and coloration,' says interior designer Cara Woodhouse. 

10. Make sure you wet room is warm and ventilated

(Image credit: Mandarin Stone)

It’s important to take extra steps with regard to heat, ventilation and drying. No one wants to exit a wet room onto carpeted rooms. A screen will help to contain major puddles, but underfloor heating and heated towel rails will also speed up drying and help prevent slip hazards. And, do consider all non-slip bathroom flooring options when at the initial planning stage.

Mechanical ventilation is a must – and will help to clear steam quickly – look for models with intelligent humidity sensors that automatically boost when required.

Is a wet room good for a small bathroom?

A wet room is a good idea for a small bathroom. There are lots of benefits to having a small wet room – from being able to utilize a tiny or awkward space where a bath or standard shower enclosure cannot fit, to future-proofing your home.

What is the smallest size needed for a wet room?

The smallest size usually recommended for a wet room measures a minimum 800 x 800mm. 

According to the best bathroom designers, when planning a shower design for a small bathroom, there are a few aspects which may determine the space required. Will pipework be exposed or concealed? Do you need to install a glass panel to prevent other areas of the room from getting wet?

Plus, don’t forget that adequate ventilation must also be installed in line with building regulations to prevent mould and damp spots.

Linda graduated from university with a First in Journalism, Film and Broadcasting. Her career began on a trade title for the kitchen and bathroom industry, and she has worked for Homes & Gardens, and sister-brands Livingetc, Country Homes & Interiors and Ideal Home, since 2006, covering interiors topics, though kitchens and bathrooms are her specialism. 

Small wet room bathroom ideas

Inspiration

Posted by Ruth Foster in Inspiration | 1 year ago 4 min read

If you think a small space can’t be transformed into a spa-like wet room, we’d like to convince you otherwise! As part of our celebration of The Great British Bathroom, we demonstrate exactly how it can be done with some great small wet room ideas.

A wet room, if you’ve never come across the term before, is a bathroom where the showering area is incorporated fully into the overall design of the room. This is done by tanking (waterproofing) part or all of the room, so that there’s no need for a conventional shower tray. Usually, a specially-designed wet room shower tray will be fitted level to your floor and tiled over the top, with a drain cover leading to the waste outlet.

A wet room can be sleek, minimalist and is considered by many to be the ultimate way to turn your bathroom into a luxurious, spa-like space.

Whilst all of this may sound great, I expect you are reading this and thinking it’s a pipe dream and something you couldn’t achieve in your own bathroom. Well, you’d be wrong. In this article, I’ll answer some of the most commonly asked questions about wet room and show you how to achieve this in a small space.

Commonly asked questions about wet rooms

Is a wet room suitable for my home?

Virtually any space can’t be turned into a wet room, so there’s no real reason why your existing bathroom wouldn’t be suitable. Obviously, the smaller it is, the more likely you’ll need to add some form of protection from spray, like a glass screen.

Where does the water go?

Instead of water from your shower being contained within a shower tray, in a wet room environment, it will usually spill straight onto your floor, before leaving through a waste outlet.

To achieve this, your floor needs a gradual slope leading down to the drain itself. This can carried out by re-flooring part of your room or by using a ready-made shower tray former. You can then add tiles over the top.

How do I waterproof my bathroom?

Depending on the size of your room, you should only need to fully waterproof the flooring and lower section of walls in your showering area, whilst adding splash protection for the rest of walls in this section. Even if you aren’t creating a wet room, a waterproofed bathroom can bring many benefits.

Why should I fit a wet room?

There are many advantages to be gained from installing a wet room and we touch more upon these in our wet room benefits blog post.

What other things do I need to consider in a small wet room?

A small wet room space means less protection from splashes, so you’ll need to think carefully about how you store items like towels and toilet rolls. You may also need to be more creative with storage, as wooden units might not be suitable.

Also, if you’re transforming your master bathroom into a wet room, it may mean your property becomes less attractive when the time comes to sell, as many home buyers want a bath.

Next, let’s take a look at some fabulous small wet room ideas.

Small wet room ideas

To demonstrate just how a wet room can be achieved in a small space, here’s one we created earlier.

We’ve chosen a clean, contemporary appearance which uses space-efficiently. As you can see, our wet room features both tiles and shower wall panels, which are key to the overall look. Large format tiles are quicker to install, however, depending on the type of shower tray former you use, smaller tiles may be easier, due to the angle of the slope towards your waste. We’ve opted for wood effect tiles but you could dramatically alter the appearance with white gloss or stone effect designs. Always make sure your tiles are suitable for wet room use before buying.

To achieve the wet room showering space at far end of our bathroom, we’ve used the Mode single fall wet room shower tray former and installation kit with end waste, although you could have your waste in the middle of the tray, depending on the position of your waste outlet pipe. This has then been tiled over and waterproofing wall and floor kits used around the lower sections of wall and surrounding floor.

A luxury wet room demands a luxury shower, which is why we’ve selected the Mode Quartz square riser system, complete with dual heads and precise, thermostatic control. Although, a concealed shower, where the valve sits within your wall cavity, can save on space and give your bathroom an even more streamlined appearance.

Whilst we’ve included a wall hung heated towel rail to store towels, one thing that many people don’t realise is that underfloor heating can be added to your wet room, meaning no need for a bulky radiator. Not only will underfloor heating keep your toes warm (great on cold mornings), it’ll also help to dry out your floor more quickly.

Finally, whilst we haven’t been able to include any storage units, we have added a wire basket in the corner of the room, to keep all those bottles of shampoo, conditioner and shower crème close at hand.

Your small wet room layout

The layout of your small bathroom may ultimately dictate how your wet room functions. It certainly helps if your shower area is at one end of your bathroom, away from your door access. The position of your toilet and basin are also key considerations.

As our wet room space is quite narrow, we decided against adding any form of splash protection, with the wall hung basin (which is suitable for a wetter environment) positioned closest to this end of the room. The toilet, for obvious reasons, is situated as far away from the shower as possible, to ensure this remains dry and usable at all times.

With such a small room, one thing you will need to seriously consider is your door opening. With our room, we have a door that opens outwards, although this may not always be practical. One other thing to take into consideration is ventilation, especially if your wet room has no windows. You will need to ensure you have a good quality extractor fan fitted.

As well as being easier to clean, a wet room is ideal if you lack mobility, whether it’s due to old age or disability. If this is the reason you wish to install a wet room, why not browse our Independent Living bathrooms, with a full range of products like grab rails, shower seats, enclosures and more, to make your space accessible yet stylish.

How to install a wet room

Whilst we’d always recommend hiring an experienced trade professional, you can find out more about installing a wet room, along with a step-by-step video, in our latest DIY advice guide.

More walk in and wet room ideas & advice

Whether you choose a wet room or not can often come down to the budget you have at your disposal. A walk in shower enclosure may help you to achieve a similar look and feel, without going to the expense of waterproofing large parts of your bathroom. Check out just some of our walk in and wet room ideas below.

If you need more advice on what to buy and how to plan a wet room, take a look at our expert guides by clicking the links below.

Shop wet rooms

If our small wet room ideas have begun to “wet” your appetite, why not browse our comprehensive range of wet room bathrooms? From wet room installation to shower trays, enclosures and accessories, we have everything you’ll need to create your perfect wet room in a small space. Click on the image below to begin shopping.

The Great British Bathroom

Throughout the year, we’re celebrating The Great British Bathroom, from the smallest cloakroom to the grandest master suite. Why not discover even more inspiration by clicking on the image below?

Posted by Ruth Foster in Inspiration | 1 year ago

As our resident Interior Designer, Ruth is passionate about home-related trends and loves light, airy interiors shaped by organic forms and colours. With a background in textiles for interiors, she is studying for a masters in interior design.

Small Bathroom Design 2020

Everything you read about the design of small bathrooms is hardly applicable in a real apartment, and all the photos had nothing to do with your renovation. I have prepared 9 adequate applicable tips and 103 photos from ordinary real apartments after renovation and relocation , not in a perfectly clean room.

9 design ideas for small bathrooms

Some things may seem controversial, we'll figure it out below.

  1. Find space for a narrow vertical or corner cabinet. Usually all the photos on the Internet are taken in a sterile clean bathroom, which in fact does not exist. Design without order makes no sense and maintaining order without closed storage systems is unrealistic.
  2. The basic style is minimalism. In a small area, our task is to make it as simple as possible. As a result, it will not work, because high functional load, but it will look good. If you are smart with finishing, there will be a collective farm.
  3. Light colors are much better than dark ones. I myself love dark colors in the interior, but in a small bathroom and a small kitchen, only light ones, take my word for it.
  4. If the washbasin is deep and the size allows, use a mirror cabinet with hinged doors. In a small bathroom, there is always not enough storage space.
  5. Countertop bowl takes up less space. There is a useful plane around the bowl.
  6. Tiles for a small area do not have to be small. There will be a separate item.
  7. WC with installation. It takes up less space, does not waste the floor, is easy to clean, looks modern.
  8. The heated towel rail can be conveniently placed in a niche above the installation. But not in terms of usage. But it does not take up space at all and it is easy to supply and drain water. close to the stand.
  9. I'm attacking your bath. Most likely you don't need it. Practice shows that even those who liked to lie in the bath, when they have both a bath and a shower, they hardly use the first one. About the design of a bathroom with a shower.

Now let's take a look at real photos. If you plan to place a washing machine in the bathroom, read about the design of a bathroom with a washing machine. There is a photo with the machine.












Trendy tiles for a small bathroom

For a small bathroom, the choice of tiles is not critical. Yes, she gets off everything except the ceiling, but at the same time all visible areas are small. The main thing is not to be too smart with tiles and not to take something bright and catchy. The idea is simple:

The interior of a small bathroom is not built on tiles, but they can ruin it.

To imagine what is relevant now, see the photo of the tiles in the bathroom. Equally important is the correct laying of tiles in the bathroom.

in a small area in the bathroom: a sink, cabinet, mirror, bathtub, wardrobe, toilet bowl, heated towel rail, door, towels, rug, toothbrushes, toothpaste, tubes, etc. Everything has its own colors, everything blocks the walls. If you choose a colorful bright tile, you will get porridge in 99% of cases. There is not a single item in the photo below, but there are already a whole bunch of flowers. This is how the bathroom can look only after the renovation and before the move.

Choose a light tile. The ideal colors are shades of grey. They do not contrast with the colors of the plumbing, do not narrow the space, and are well suited for the best gray grout. The smaller the area, the more important it is to follow this rule. Read about the design of the bathroom in Khrushchev. Compare from the photo how the design looks in reality in dark and light colors in a small area:











Gloss tiles are usually a poor choice. But in the interior of a small bathroom - gloss ok . The best semi-matte as usual. If the surface is not flat, but with a texture - good.












for a small bathroom we choose modern design styles, the tiles must match. Imitations of wood, stone, travertine, concrete - approx. Incomprehensible glazed colored tiles that do not imitate any material - not ok. In 2020, natural materials are in fashion in bathrooms.








There is an opinion that tiles in a small bathroom should also be small. In fact, the size of the tile is not so important. If 2 solid ones fit on the wall, it's fine. The main thing is the correct cladding of its walls. It is strictly forbidden to lay rectangular tiles vertically. This nonsense is broadcast under the sauce of visually enlarging the room and blah blah. No, it's terrible, you can't do that.

Never lay rectangular tiles vertically.


You can use spot patchwork on the walls, but there should not be any non-abstract patterns and patterns. Patchwork is also different and for a small bathroom is better suited light cold colors. Use at most on 1 least loaded wall.







and the grout itself is not cheap and it is advisable to take an epoxy grout for it. And if the bathroom is small, then the budget is most likely limited. If you really want to, you can zone some areas with mosaics, but this should be with ideas and with reference to other objects.




You don't have to worry about floor tiles - there is almost no floor. Its area is already small, part of it is lost under the bathtub and cabinet, the other under the rug. Take porcelain stoneware of a neutral color, grout in color and do not worry. It is better to lay tiles on the floor from the entrance. all other corners will be forced and clippings will not be visible.






Small area repair

Keep it simple. When you actually start using the bathroom, a wild amount of things will appear and any complex design idea will be part of the salad.

Every centimeter counts, and manufacturers allow for tolerances of several millimeters. Solidity is important in design - the smaller the gaps, the better both the appearance and practicality. If your plan includes back-to-back joints, take a tape measure and personally measure all items before buying. This also applies to tiles from different collections.










Try to hide and make everything monolithic. If you say 1 word, base small bathroom designs - neatness .








The bathtub for a small bathroom is rectangular as standard, but there are corner options that take up even less space. The smallest corner bath 140×90 i.e. shorter than regular cast iron.






Take a matte stretch ceiling. The cheapest option with an acceptable appearance and maximum practicality.



If you have money, then it is ideal to take a mixer built into the wall. Firstly, it does not take up space, and secondly, it does not have the problems of conventional mixers - it does not collect water stains around itself, it does not get dirty from splashes that constantly fall on it.

Analysis of real photos

Photo first, analysis below.

Realized ideas

Bathroom less than three meters without a toilet. There is enough storage space thanks to the large narrow cabinet to the left of the sink. It is in the correct color (white gloss). Due to the color it does not look bulky, although it is very roomy. The bathtub has a folding glass curtain and a bar for a shower head - you can take a shower even while standing and not fill the bathtub. The colors of the tiles are beige and gray, the grout is the correct gray. Part 1 of the wall is accented with a non-navyaschev pattern - it is permissible on 1 wall. Hanging cabinet - convenient to clean, does not occupy the floor.

The eye estimates the area of ​​the room by the free floor. In a small bathroom, hanging a cabinet is important.

An example of a modern classic small bathroom design. A glass for a toothbrush and a soap dispenser are raised from the washbasin. This is important because when they stand on the washbasin, there are constant circles of dirt around them. Glossy tiles in the form of bricks have taken root in all styles, it is unrealistic to spoil the interior. Again, a white glossy cabinet and wardrobe. On the floor, wood-effect porcelain stoneware that does not match in style or color. If the area was larger, it would look bad. But in a small bathroom it is not striking. There are no gaps between the cabinet, cabinet and door trim. The latter is often forgotten and miscalculated.

Enough flowers. Inexpensive neutral finish - background. The colors are added with towel and artificial grass. Therefore, it is important to leave the neutral finish in the small bathroom . Too high concentration of objects with their own colors.


2 examples where modern bathroom design ideas are implemented in a very small area. Light colors, neat chiselled accents and overall airiness = a beautiful bathroom.

Errors

If a photo is included in the errors section, it does not mean that the design of the bathroom there is bad, errors can be pinpoint due to the features of a small area.

A good example of small bathroom design: wood effect tiles in the wet area, decorative plaster on the rest of the walls. Mistakes 2. An ordinary toilet bowl and not an installation. As a result, it does not look modern, it takes up space, a box is visible hiding the sewerage outlet from the shower, toilet paper and other items lie almost on the floor. Installing a hanging toilet would hide all communications and organize a normal storage system above the installation.

Slatted plastic ceiling in the bathroom - the last century. Tension costs the same pennies, but it would have looked normal.

Just a reminder of the benefits of light colors in a small area. Very cool tiles and stylish design, but because of the small dimensions, the bathroom looks cramped.

Visually, the size of this bathroom is reduced to the border of white tiles. For zoning, there are enough differences in color for a couple of tones. There is no need to use such contrasting finishing materials in a small bathroom.

Outdoor storage areas look beautiful only in photos in design projects. In reality, they always create a mess and spoil the interior. Circled on the left is a white grout that has already turned black. The washing machine should also be closed with the same door as on the left.

Wrong choice of tiles (glossy glazed, it's not clear what), wrong laying (vertical), unprincipled horizontal mosaic borders = design about nothing. New, neat, but does not cause emotions.

Don't be smart, make enough storage space, choose the right light tiles, use the ideas from point 1, and you're guaranteed a cool bathroom interior. Read also about the design of the toilet.

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