Annexe Knowledgebase

A shower room is a fantastic way to save space in a small bathroom. Removing the bath and building a large shower enclosure will give you plenty of room to move around, making the area look bigger than ever.

Every bathroom, no matter how small, can be transformed into a beautiful shower room. Intelligent design will mean you can enjoy a comfortable space the whole family can use – plus, clever storage solutions will create a clutter-free haven, where everyone can move around freely.

Be in control
By installing the shower controls on the wall opposite the shower head you can make sure the water temperature is just right before you step under it. A wall nook is a far better idea than a shelf too as it doesn’t protrude.

Frame the area
Black shower fittings, dark grout and patterned tiles really give this shower room stand-out style. It also means two people can use the bathroom at the same time.

Room to dry
A wooden stand provides a convenient space to dry off before stepping out of the shower and a curved glass panel keeps the water in the shower tray.

Go for spa style
White metro tiles and fixed glass panels give a simple yet smart look to a shower area. Installing a huge rain shower head will bring a spa-like feel to your morning routine, to get your day off on the right foot.

Spread out
If you have a bath elsewhere in the annexe, sometimes you just want a shower room that’s stylish, practical and pretty.

Using the full width of the room means there’s plenty of space to walk into the shower without the need to move any doors or screens.

Add a little bling to your shower room
Turn an all-white shower room in to something special with glamorous gold tiles and shower fittings. White is great in a compact room as it makes everything light and spacious, while gold adds an instant warming effect.

Be elegant with marble
The natural veining of marble makes for a stunning backdrop to a walk-in shower. Go for a large-scale tile for the best effect and choose varying colours to create a beautiful patchwork.

Using the same tiles from floor to ceiling makes the shower look almost seamless. Here, a small step has been added to accommodate practical drainage, but in fact it only adds to the luxurious feel.

Pick a cool pattern
Impact your flooring. A pattern adds loads of character to a space and helps to define the shower area, with its plain white shower tray.

Marble wall tiles can pick out the grey tones of the flooring, too, and add a luxury feel to the scheme. A full-length mirror at one end is great for reflecting light and making a room feel larger than it is.

Do it the country way
Shower rooms are often seen as more modern than country. But this beautiful scheme manages to achieve a country-chic look without compromising on contemporary comforts.

Limestone tiling, plus plenty of wood finishes bring elements of the outdoors inside and create a relaxing space that has nature at its heart.

Style with graffiti
Try a sleek shower with a cool update with Banksy-inspired tiles. Sure to be a talking point, tiles are anything but dull and add loads of colour to a neutral space. Grey floor tiles offer an easy-to-keep-clean option that doesn’t interfere with the arty wall.

Think outside the box
We all know how popular white metro tiles are, but for those of you who want something a little warmer, grey could be the colour for you. Grey looks great with wood and also lends itself well to colourful accents, such as the yellow.

In terms of the shower, the key to its success is its position. It’s a relatively narrow enclosure, but clever planning means there’s a roomy feel to the shower area and therefore also the entire room.

Use every bit of space
Want a cloakroom shower? Consider a wet room design that takes advantage of even the tiniest of spaces. Without any need for a shower screen or shower tray, you will easily be able to squeeze in a shower.

Other clever tricks include a space-saving basin and a recessed shelf that keeps all the potions you need easily to hand. Walnut-effect boarding also makes an interesting departure from ever-popular tiling.

Indulge your senses
If you like a steam room. Then a marble bench offers the perfect spot to sit and enjoy the benefits of all the steam accumulated after a long wash.

A combination of a rainwater head and handheld fittings mean you have all the showering options you need, plus it makes it easy to keep a large enclosure like this clean.

Create a stylish en suite
This en suite benefits from a generously proportioned shower. With the door opening near to the enclosure, many people might assume it’s impossible to have a spacious shower.

If it won’t work facing one way, try pointing your shower in another direction until you get the spacious design you crave.

Go for dramatic black
Choose striking black tiles for the ultimate contrast to white bathroom fittings. Pick an assortment of sizes and styles, from high gloss to slate effect.

The shower area can be marked out with small rectangular tiles and these have been broken up with larger-format neutral tiles to lighten the space and avoid it looking too heavy.

Enhance a narrow roomWith the shower, loo and basin are all right next to each other.

A bath wouldn’t fit, but because the shower enclosure runs from wall to wall, it is far larger than a standard cubicle. Mosaic tiling creates a hotel-style feel and recessed shelves mean there’s no need for unsightly storage racks.

Mix light and dark
Choose a combination of light and dark tiles for a balanced look in your bathroom. Using black marble tiles on the walls looks fantastic but also offers a happily practical benefit: water stains and limescale will be almost invisible.

If you want to cover a large space, marble-effect tiles made out of porcelain offer a budget-friendly option that looks really realistic.