Totalook: interview with the designer
Walk-in showers: what are the best tiles?
The jet of water that runs down, flowing, comforting you at the end of a long day is a sweet and evocative sound, which can also energize you. The trends are clear: a walk-in shower is the top interior design trend for bathrooms. The beauty routine is increasingly inspired by spas, places for relaxing and trendy sensory experiences, to also be recreated at home.
Both showers without a door and those without a shower tray fall into the walk-in shower category, which is confirmed as being a modern and fashionable choice. The first type has become increasingly popular over the past few years, as it provides a sensation of respite and luxury, besides being easier to clean compared to traditional showers. Without a door or a shower curtain, it blends perfectly with the rest of the bathroom, creating a sensation of openness. To efficiently contain the water, the floor can be slightly sloped towards the drain or a partial glass panel can be installed.
A walk-in shower without a shower tray, or with its floor at the same level as the rest of the flooring, is instead characterized by the presence of a single horizontal surface, which must be anti-slip. Here too, a sloped floor is created so that the water can flow directly towards the drain, without creating raised or uneven areas that could block the water. In both cases, the shower can be personalized with elements such as seats or niches for bathroom products in order to create a functional and comfortable space.
But what tiles are best for walk-in showers? There are many possible compositions, but it’s important to opt for a solution that ensures slip resistance. Porcelain stoneware tile, to be personalized based on your needs, offers a high level of beauty and impeccable technical performance.
A walk-in shower: why is it a good idea?
A walk-in shower can be an excellent choice for those who are looking to add a touch of luxury to their bathroom and want a more modern and minimalistic design. From a practical and functional point of view, are walk-in showers a good idea? For the design and renovation of bathrooms, a shower that is at the level of the bathroom floor is an increasingly common trend for a number of reasons. Above all, appearance: a walk-in shower has a cleaner and more contemporary look. If the bathroom floor is made with the same material as the shower, you will obtain a refined and joint-free area. On top of that, you can create a personalized design by choosing from various materials for the shower floor, such as ceramic, stoneware, marble and resin tiles to name a few.
A walk-in shower is also much easier to access. Furthermore, this type of shower is an excellent solution for those who have a small bathroom: without a shower tray and glass door, you can gain a little bit of space, at least visually, making the room seem bigger. And finally, there is the benefit in terms of ease of cleaning: germs and dirt can accumulate in the corners and cracks of a shower tray. Without a shower tray, cleaning is simplified and hygiene is ensured.
What is the best material for a walk-in shower?
Even though there are a wide range of alternatives to choose from, porcelain stoneware is a very popular material because if offers a series of benefits, from aesthetic versatility to technical resistance. If you are asking ‘what is the best material for a walk-in shower’, remember that porcelain stoneware is waterproof and resistant to wear: it can therefore handle moisture and everyday traffic without undergoing damage. It is also easy to clean and maintain: it doesn’t absorb bacteria, mold or odors and does not require the use of special products or complex cleaning techniques. And finally, it is available in a wide range of colors, textures and finishes, making it ideal for different styles and designs. Below are some walk-in shower tile ideas:
- Clay-effect porcelain stoneware tile: Emilceramica’s Sixty collection celebrates the raw material used to make ceramics with a surface made of pure matter. The bathroom and the shower can explore the potential of numerous colors (Fango, Cielo, Salvia, Talco, Antracite, Cenere and Sabbia), formats and surfaces from the collection until the perfect compositional needs are embraced. Also, the tiles from the Sixty collection are made using SilkTech technology, which makes them anti-slip but without sacrificing the silky texture of the surface.
- Concrete-effect stoneware. For a bathroom with a decisive and contemporary character, we recommend Re-Play Concrete, available in six color options and three different tactile designs; for a shower that fully reflects the unique personality of those who experience it.
- The Pigmento by Ergon collection is instead inspired by hand trowelled cement resin, a magnificent expression of chromatic and textured suggestions. Soft, matte and full of reflections, it is composed of nine colors, both in traditional thickness stoneware and large, thin slabs.
- Stone-effect porcelain stoneware. Quartzite from Greece is expressed in the Oros Stone collection, which reproduces the grain of the rock with characteristic luminous microcrystals, alternating volumes and unique light effects in every composition.
Choosing the right shower for a small bathroom
For those looking to maximize their available space, create a modern and minimalistic environment and simplify cleaning, a walk-in shower could be the ideal choice, even for bathrooms with limited space. In a small bathroom, a walk-in shower without sliding doors or a shower tray creates a sense of openness and airiness, visually making the environment seem more spacious. A bathroom that is small in size but looms large in design inspirations.
24 May 2023
Magazine
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