If you’re upgrading your bathroom and looking for the latest bathroom trends to bring modern flare and luxury to your space, your shower is the first place to start. For the last decade or so, walk-in showers have slid into first place in popularity to make replacing a dated shower-tub combination worth it. Now, there’s a new kid on the block, and those common walk-ins may have to step aside. Wet rooms have taken the bathroom design world by storm, and these modern shower spaces — along with luxury shower features like double shower heads and heated floors — are setting up to make a big splash in bathroom designs. 

So, what exactly is a wet room? This type of bathroom layout embraces the ever-coveted open concept design. Basically, all of the items in the wet room — shower, free-standing tub, toilet, and the entire surrounding area of walls and floor — have a waterproof design, and the space is open. There are often no shower doors to deal with and, if there is any partition between the shower and the rest of the room at all, it’s a glass half-wall. 

While traditional standing and walk-in showers have an elevated curb or shower tray to contain water, wet rooms are designed without the tray. Instead, they feature a slightly sloped floor that directs shower water to the drain. Think this sounds like an odd bathroom setup? There’s a reason wet rooms are so popular; it’s because they can seriously transform your bathroom space.

It may seem strange to have an open-concept design in the bathroom, but wet rooms actually offer a ton of benefits. From a design perspective, they create a sleek, modern, and seamless-looking aesthetic in the bathroom, and they allow you to optimize every inch of space in the room. Why you should add a wet room to your bathroom includes a lot more customizability, opening the door to a world of bathroom design possibilities. 

Possibly the most important aspect of wet rooms is the ease of mobility that the design creates. Since there are often no doors, no curbs, and no shower trays to overcome, moving between features in the bathroom is both easy and comfortable. This is great news if you’re in need of an accessible bathroom or are planning for future mobility challenges.

For all of these reasons, wet rooms can aid in adding value to your home. Prospective home buyers often prioritize low maintenance features as well as luxury design when searching for a new home. Cleaning and maintenance in wet rooms tends to be easier than those in bathrooms with traditional showers since they have flush floor surfaces, no shower doors to clean, and fewer nooks and crannies to scrub. Wet rooms have long been associated with high-end hotel amenities, so homeowners and future buyers alike will feel like they’re stepping into a luxury resort.

Looking for more ways to up your shower design game? There are a few other shower upgrades that will make you never want to get out. One of the best ways to enhance your comfort during your daily shower, for example, is to install heated floors. You won’t ever have to step on cold shower tiles again! You can also install dual-usage fixtures like double vanities and double shower heads to create a more functional design for multiple people. These features may even boost your home value since luxury bathroom upgrades can yield up to 45% return on investment. 

Smart technology can also be incorporated into the bathroom area with smart mirrors, smart lighting, and smart toilets, but did you know that there are also smart showers? This modern shower tech allows for a digital keypad or app controls to operate the shower. Even further, with smart showers, you can set user-specific preferences and even voice commands to enhance your daily shower experience. This smart solution also contributes to your home’s overall energy efficiency by tracking usage and allowing you to see how much water and energy your showers are costing every month. That way, you can create energy-saving home habits and save some cash.