Enclosed by a glass panel but without a door, space-enhancing designs have the indulgent look of a wet room while keeping the water contained in your annexe.

Suit the space
Many off-the-peg walk-in designs come with a low-level shower tray with a bath-sized footprint, making a bathroom-to-shower room conversion straightforward. But there’s also a vast array of tray and glass panels sizes to suit big and small spaces. And bespoke cut panels can fit the slope of a converted loft shower room perfectly.

Will it need waterproofing?
Installing a walk-in shower involves less upheaval than creating a wet room, where the whole space needs to be waterproofed or tanked. For a wet-room effect you may decide to go without a shower tray. In which case, a seamless run of floor tiles will be fitted across the waterproofed floor and into the shower area with a slope towards a drain. Both suspended timber and concrete floors can be suitable, but space must be created beneath for a concealed shower tray or former and drainage.

Super shower heads
An impressive, walk-in shower deserves a statement shower head. Oversized rain shower heads give an invigorating drenching. The latest walk-in designs include a shower head that’s neatly incorporated into the panel supports for a streamlined look. Consider adding body jets and a separate hand-held shower, which is useful for washing your hair. Hi-tech options include digital showers that can be switched on remotely to heat the water before you step in, and programmed with your preferred temperature settings.

Special effects

• Barely-there frameless panels are the ultimate in cool design. Investigate low-iron glass – it has a crystal-clear finish and no green tinge.
• For a space-enhancing, seamless look, tile the walls and floor with porcelain tiles in a stone-effect finish.
• Glossy glass, acrylic and laminated marine grade MDF (that clicks together like flooring) are smart alternatives to tiles and have no grout lines to attract mould and soap scum.
• Separate the loo from the shower area with a low wall, tiled to match the room.
• Underfloor heating is a must-have for drying out a wet floor quickly.
• Consider designs with spa-style LED lighting and built-in Bluetooth speakers.