Three Most Common Wet Room Bathroom Designs

Wet Room Bathroom Styles & Designs

​Wet Room style bathrooms are a hot trend in Australia right now, and for many good reasons. It’s a trend that's not disappearing anytime soon. In this article, Northern Rivers Bathroom Renovations explain what a wet room is, the different styles of wet room bathroom design commonly seen in Australia, and the Pros and Cons of wet rooms.

Open Shower in Nashua NSW by Northern Rivers Bathroom Renovations

What is a Wet Room?

With its design roots from Japan, a traditional wet room would usually be two rooms. The first room, known as an entrance room, is used for undressing/ dressing and would also have a bathroom vanity/sink. The 2nd room would be the actual bathroom consisting of a shower and a deep bathtub. The toilet would be separate from these two rooms.

​In Australia, we don’t usually see the traditional Japanese style wet room, but rather we see many versions of wet room type bathrooms, especially in the bathroom renovation industry where the renovator is often limited by the existing room size and accessibility to existing plumbing. A wet room is a bathroom in which the shower is open (might have a partial screen but not fully enclosed) and its floor area is flush with the rest of the room.

​The following wet room bathrooms are the three most common wet room designs we see in Australia.

One big Open Wet Room

​One big open wet room. This style of bathroom is often referred to as an open bathroom. This bathroom design is where the shower is not enclosed with a shower screen or panel. There is no shower tray or shower hob. 

Open Wet Room design

An Open Wet Room bathroom designed and renovated by Northern Rivers Bathroom Renovations in Bexhill NSW. The design consists of an open shower, freestanding bathtub, floating vanity and toilet all in one room.

Open wet room with shower, bathtub, vanity and Toilet in one large bathroom.

​This Open wetroom Bathroom was created by converting an old 3-way bathroom into one big room.  Converting the old 3 way design to one room created a very functional design, people can come and go using the vanity or toilet and not need to worry about stepping in water as the shower is up the opposite end of the room.

A small open wet room in Alstonville NSW

Another stylish open wet room bathroom by Northern Rivers Bathroom Renovations in Alstonville, NSW.  This small bathroom design has a wall hung vanity, a samll freestanding bathtub and a screenless shower in one room and the toilet in a separate room.

Screen-less shower beside a freestanding bathtub.

​While an open bathroom design is not for everyone, this style of a wet room is ideal for people with disabilities or for people who hate cleaning shower screens. If an open wet room is designed right, they can be an extremely functional space that’s easy to maintain with minimal cleaning.

Shower only Wet Room

​This style of wet room is as the name suggests. It is a bathroom that doesn’t have a bathtub. It is a wet room design that can have various layouts depending on what the homeowner is wanting to achieve and the existing space to be used. This wet room can be just one big shower room, with the vanity and toilet in separate rooms of their own, as seen in the image below.

Shower only wet room in Skennars Head NSW with separate shower room, toilet room and vanity room by Northern Rivers Bathroom Renovations.

Another style of this shower only bathroom design is a room that has the shower and vanity in one room and the toilet in a separate room. The shower can either be an open shower (no glass screens or panels) or it may have just one panel of glass (also known as a walk-in shower) to help control the spread of water.

Shower only Wet Room in Wollongbar NSW. This Bathroom was of a minimal design with a floating vanity and an open shower.

A visually stunning open shower by Northern Rivers Bathroom Renovations

A shower only wet room design with a vanity and Shower in the same room. Bathroom design by Northern Rivers Bathroom Renovation.

A panel of glass protects the wall hung vanity from water spray. Bathroom Renovation in Ballina NSW.

The other most common shower only bathroom design is where the room includes a shower, vanity and toilet in one room. Once again, this room can have a screen-less open shower or a walk-in shower with one panel of glass.

A walk in shower wet room including vanity and toilet in the same bathroom. Renovation in Ballina NSW by Northern Rivers Bathroom Renovations.

Toilet, wall hung vanity and walk in shower in ensuite bathroom, Nashua NSW. Renovation by Northern Rivers Bathroom Renovations.

A shower only bathroom design is great for small spaces or for those families with a busy lifestyle where having a bathtub is not an important aspect in their home. These bathrooms are also extremely accessible and are often the first choice for those who are seeking a bathroom design that is assisted living friendly.

Partial Wet Room

​The design of this wet room bathroom has a bathtub and shower separated from the remainder of the bathroom by a shower screen panel. The shower screen panel helps to control the spread of the water and protects the vanity from water splashes. This type of bathroom design does not usually include a toilet in the same room. 

A partial wet room design

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​The bathroom above is a classic example of a partial wet room. Northern Rivers Bathroom Renovations designed and built this bathroom for a client in Lennox Head NSW. Our client wanted a completely new layout that was spacious and had clean lines. Our client had a young family and it was important for them to include a bathtub in the bathroom design.

​This type of wet room layout is perfect for long narrow bathrooms. Space is used efficiently in an open plan layout, creating visually stunning bathrooms that are practical to use. The partial wet room design is popular for young families and homeowners who want to open up the floor space of a small bathroom but still want a bathtub. 

A partial wet room with an inset bathtub.

​A partial wet room design can also work with an inset bathtub, as shown in the image above. This bathroom was designed and renovated by Northern Rivers Bathroom Renovations in Suffolk Park NSW. Our clients needed a wheelchair friendly bathroom but still wanted to have a bathtub for their grandkids. 

Pros & Cons of a Wet Room Bathroom

Pros

• Easy to clean.
• Efficient use of floor space creates a functional bathroom.
• Contemporary design which leans towards minimalism, creating visually stunning spaces.
• Excellent way to make use of small bathroom space, making small bathrooms look bigger.
• A bathroom design that is great for all family members, no matter what stage of life. Functional for kids, mobility impaired, wheelchair friendly, elderly, assisted living.

 
Cons

• Depending on showering habits of family members the bathroom may end up wetter than a bathroom with a concealed shower cubicle. This can be controlled by type of shower head used, installing a single glass panel and having proper fall and drainage in floor area.
• Room might steam up more. This can be controlled by not having excessively hot showers and by having adequate ventilation to remove steam from the bathroom.

Are you thinking about a Wet Room Bathroom Renovation.

​Essentially, the secret to a successful wet room renovation is quality workmanship by a licensed bathroom renovator who is an experienced bathroom designer and engages the skill and workmanship of an expert tiler. 

​These are some key elements to consider:

• Only a licensed builder* or a tradesperson with a Kitchen, Bathroom and laundry renovators license is legally able to carry out bathroom renovations in NSW. Only builders with a full residential builders’ licence are permitted to make structural modifications to a home. Not sure if a tradesperson is licensed? A license check can be done HERE

• Waterproofing is an integral part of a wet room renovation. Waterproofing prevents water from penetrating into the structure of your home. In NSW only a licensed builder** or a tradesperson with certificate lll in Waterproofing is qualified to undertake waterproofing.  Not sure if a tradesperson is licensed? A license check can be done at HERE
• Drainage must be spot on in a wet room! Strategic placement of drains/grates are crucial in ensuring proper drainage, as is the fall and gradient of the floor area. This is where experience and skill of the tiler becomes fundamentally important.
• Adequate ventilation is a must to extract steam/moisture from the bathroom.
• The type of bathroom furnishings and the placement of fixtures and fittings need to be considered carefully with a wet room renovation. Wall hung vanities are recommended over floor standing vanities since floor standing vanities are known to suck moisture up off the floor. Wall hung vanities also create a sleek, uncluttered look that contribute to the feeling of space and eliminates hard-to-clean areas. Placement of towel rails and power points will need to be a certain distance away from water outlets. 

Wall Hung Vanities are recommend in Wet Room Bathrooms.

Needing to know more about bathroom renovations??
Our Bathroom Guide is full of useful information such as;

• Different types of contractors
• Understanding insurances
• Understanding quotes & contracts
• Layout & Design
• Questions to ask your renovator

Our bathroom renovation guide can be found HERE

*Northern Rivers Bathroom Renovations are licensed and insured builders who specialise in Bathroom Renovations.  
**Northern Rivers Bathroom Renovations are licensed waterproofers and Ardex Product Certified.