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With more people preferring to alter their current home than move out, home makeovers are becoming increasingly popular. If you’re planning on renovating your home this year, it’s likely that your bathroom ranks as a priority. As a solution, turning your traditional bathroom into a wet room might just be the way to go – especially if you have children.
A mess-free solution?
Essentially, a wet room is a bathroom that is completely waterproofed, with the shower at the same level as the rest of the floor, and generally without any enclosures. This allows for a true open-plan concept, which not only can make for a sleek and seamless design, but can make a previously small bathroom feel larger and even allow for less clutter. However, for those who have children, one of the best things about having a wet room is that it allows for an easy clean and a virtually mess-free space.
Because the entire bathroom becomes waterproofed to become a wet room, there’s little need to worry about spills and messes, as they can be wiped up without issue. This feature is great for the little ones who are just learning how to shower on their own, as it’s a great help for managing water spillage as they get out of the shower. Thanks to a unique design, wet rooms commonly have underfloor heating that helps any moisture on the floor to dry out effectively, unlike traditional bathrooms. This eliminates the need for rugs that would otherwise get soaked as you get out of the shower, and helps to reduce the risk of slipping in puddles. The waterproofing aspect of a wet room can also become quite useful in the unforeseeable event that your child clogs the toilet or sink (or for any other unexpected pipe leaks), as no damage is likely to be done to the floor – thus saving you the cost of water damage.
Accessibility benefits
8% of children in the UK have a disability, making accessibility a must for many parents looking to renovate their homes. For parents who have children who experience mobility issues, a wet room can make the entire bathroom much more accessible. This is because the open-plan concept allows for those with wheelchairs, crutches and other equipment to enter and use the bathroom without worry of bumping into anything (such as a shower door, wall of a bathtub or any other barriers). The benefits of accessibility are also great for those unexpected moments in life when your child might have an injury that requires a cast due to sports practice. Not to mention that an open and accessible bathroom can also benefit other members of the family as well, such as when the grandparents come to visit. This makes a wet room not only versatile but also beneficial to many people.
Full-customisation
While a wet room might seem like it involves a shower-only space, this simply isn’t true. In fact, one of the great things about installing a wet room is that it can be fully customised to your family’s needs. For example, if your children enjoy bath time and aren’t ready to begin taking showers, you can have a free-standing bathtub in your wet room along with a shower – some people even choose to separate their shower and bathtub from the rest of the room with a glass divider in order to prevent water from splashing into the rest of the room. Handles and bars can also be added for additional security, whether it be to enhance accessibility, or as a safety precaution if you’re worried that your child might slip or fall.
If you’re thinking of renovating your bathroom this year, a wet room might just be the answer. In addition to providing you with a sleek bathroom design, a wet room can provide many kid-friendly benefits, such as being virtually mess-free, accessible and easy to customise according to your child’s needs.