Is a shower room the new wet room? Here's why you need to try this spa-inspired bathroom trend in 2025

Ever-practical and stylish wet rooms have long been popular, but shower rooms are a new trend on the block, helping create that spa-like feel at home.

While a bath is great for long candlelit soaks, a shower is a more practical option for speedy morning routines. But you shouldn't have to sacrifice a sumptuous atmosphere in favour of functionality - luckily a shower room is the perfect solution.

A shower room is a fully enclosed shower that is slightly larger than a regular option. It takes inspiration from saunas and steam rooms with beautifully tiled surfaces and an all-encompassing feel. While wet room ideas certainly have a place in our homes, shower rooms are quickly becoming our new favourite way to bring a slice of luxury to daily life.

Why are shower rooms trending?

If you're wondering whether to make a shower room your next bathroom renovation project, it'll probably pay to understand what exactly a shower room is.

It's essentially an extra large shower enclosure that takes luxurious bathing to the next level. While we usually see small walk-in showers or wet rooms feature in UK bathrooms, a shower room is where there's a purpose-built room to shower within - similar to in spas.

Larger homes across the pond in the US have inspired this bathroom trend, but they can work as part of small bathroom ideas. If you have an awkwardly shaped bathroom, perhaps with an angled roof or a difficult gap to fill, a shower room will work perfectly to maximise the available space.

But why is it the new wet room? Wet rooms are hugely functional as the entire room is waterproof, but this does mean that after using a shower the whole room will end up wet. A shower room has the benefit of being a spacious zone with the bonus of a door to close it off from the rest of the bathroom.

'Wet rooms are great but we are definitely experiencing a shift to showers and the use of shower trays. Partly the reason why is that shower screens are becoming design-led and with so many different finishes, from the trims to the glass itself, they are now becoming a feature in their own right,' explains Barrie Cutchie, design director at BC Designs.

'We have also seen the use of wet rooms explode as people looked to make smaller bathrooms feel larger, however, we are now seeing a different shift, with people choosing to make one large bathroom, even taking back bedroom space to do it. With a larger space, full showers often lend themselves to utilising dedicated nooks, which will explain why we will see more in the coming months and into next year.'

Shower room inspiration

So why should you choose one? We've sought inspiration from our favourite shower ideas that offer different aesthetics, without compromising on the spa-like look we love.

1. Create a cosy atmosphere

A shower room offers the perfect chance to up the ante with cosiness, creating a sanctuary that feels closed off to the rest of the world. Rather than choosing a glass-walled shower, keeping the door smaller will mean you still get the benefits of added light, without the shower being on-show to the rest of the room.

Add a vintage or industrial-style bathroom lighting idea to complete the look (make sure you choose one with the correct IP rating) and decorate the rest of the room with antique touches, such as open shelving, a reclaimed sink and brushed brass hardware.

2. Embrace a Moroccan spa-aesthetic

The concept of a shower room originates from Turkish and Moroccan hammams where there are separate, enclosed wash spaces to bathe in. These shower rooms are all about maximising colour and texture, so instead of choosing a simple, neutral scheme, consider drenching the space in contrasting tiles.

Handmade zellige bathroom tiles are a great choice for recreating a hammam-esque design, meanwhile, checkerboard floor tiles will add light and balance the colourful look.

3. Pick marble for a luxe look

Every bathroom deserves the luxe treatment and an easy way to bring that look to life is through marble. There are so many surfaces to cover in a shower room, so opting for the same statement veined stone on the walls and floor will create a focal point in an enclosed shower.

If you're looking for a more budget-friendly idea but still want to achieve the same look, you can opt for bathroom wall panels with a marble-effect look. These come in large formats too, making it simple to fit out a more spacious shower room.

Before you make a decision between a shower room and wet room, it's important to think about what you need out of a shower space and bathroom ideas. If it's your main bathroom that other people in your household use then an enclosed shower room might be the more practical option. A wet room, on the other hand, is great for a secondary space that isn't used as often, but can be favoured for more functional tasks, like hosing down the dog after a muddy walk.