Bath vs Shower- which do you prefer?
In a busy 21st century world, many of us don’t have time for a luxurious soak in the tub as often as we’d like. And for others, it’s more convenient to have just a free standing shower, rather than a bath taking up space in our bathrooms.
There are those who can’t be without their baths; a relaxing soak, a book and a glass of wine at the end of the day is the perfect way for them to unwind. Others don’t have the patience to sit in the bath, and prefer the convenience of a quick shower. But, whether you prefer one or the other, some of the bathroom ideas we talk about in this post guarantee bliss and relaxation for bath or shower.
Firstly, baths
They don’t have to be a mundane bathroom necessity cluttered up with shampoo bottles and a tired plastic mat. Whirlpool baths are becoming increasingly common, with retailers like B&Q selling them at reasonable prices. You can even buy whirlpool systems to fit into existing baths, so that you can enjoy the relaxing effect of the jets without the hassle of having a new bath fitted. The jets draw in the water and mix it with air so that it can be released forcefully back into your bath, providing a comforting massage effect. Great for easing tired, sore muscles and helping you to forget the stresses of the day.
Alternatively, you can achieve a really classic, luxurious effect with a free standing bath. Many come with ornate claw feet that imitate Victorian style, and if you have the room a free standing bath can make a beautiful feature in any bathroom. The benefit of a free standing bath is that they tend to be much deeper and wider than a fitted bath, and curved to better support your body, meaning you can completely immerse yourself in the bubbles and switch off to the world outside. Claw footed baths look great against bold tiles, or alternatively, flat based free standing baths can make a really modern statement against stone flooring. Either way, these baths make a stunning addition to your bathroom design.
If you’re looking to really splash out on a luxury bathtub (pun not intended), then Kohler might have just the bath for you. The Sok drop-in effervescence bath with chromatherapy really is as indulgent as it sounds. This bath has an overflow channel so that a continuous flow of water can cascade over the sides of the bath while you enjoy whole body immersion with the infinity pool effect. As well as this, the tub is fitted with chromatherapy lighting, a feature supposed to soothe and calm you with underwater coloured lights, each of which have a different effect on your mood. This – along with the effervescence ports that create tiny champagne-like bubbles – makes the bath sound like the ultimate in glamour and indulgence. Unfortunately, though, the hefty price tag means that most of us won’t be rushing out to buy it any time soon.
Or shower spa systems?
From tropical rainfall to home spa systems, some of the features available to install in showers mean you run the risk of never wanting to leave the bathroom. Home spas are becoming popular, offering a shower built into a larger system to give the spa experience right in your own home.
The PROSPA- X25 model is a steam shower massage system that boasts a range of impressive features. Firstly, there’s a built in seat with back massage jets, and a foot and calf massaging system to relieve your aches and pains. As well as this, powerful jets provide a massage for your whole body and function to help improve your circulation and metabolism, as well as rejuvenating and refreshing you.
There’s also a speaker system fitted, so that you can listen to the radio as you shower, and a CD connector means that you can attach it to your own CD player too. Through the inbuilt phone system, you can even call people while you shower. If you’d ever want to.
It sounds like this shower really can do anything, it even cleans itself. There’s a drain filter installed, that helps to efficiently get rid of waste water to prevent your pipes clogging, and an ozone sanitizer system that, once pressed, will clean any bacteria and germs inside your unit and prevent them from growing in the moist, humid environment.
Free-standing and self- contained, you won’t even need to do any retiling once the PROSPA is installed. It’s convenient and easy to fit, and relatively cost-effective too. It’s the one-stop bathroom solution that provides everything you need for spa luxury in the home!
If you’re not looking to totally renovate your bathroom with new fixtures though, there are other alternatives available to help add that little bit of luxury to your shower. You can buy shower heads that offer a number of features, like power jets and tropical rainfall. Some even come with different settings, so you have the option of what kind of effect you want, from soft rain to a massaging downpour or powerful waterfall. There are LED lit shower heads available too, that offer similar colour changing, mood enhancing effects to the chromatherapy bath.
What do you think?
Have any of our suggestions swayed you? Are you a bath obsessive who now fancies having a go in a spa shower? Or are you a loyal shower fan who we’ve tempted into trying a long, luxurious soak in the tub? Let us know what you prefer by visiting Illuminated Mirrors on Facebook or Twitter.
