Tired of cold water dodging when turning on your shower? We have an easy solution that will help create the perfect start to your daily routine…
Controversial, we know – but hear us out: Most of us have experienced the struggle of the one-legged lean while turning on a shower to avoid being drenched. Sometimes it’s successful; sometimes, not so much.
Avoid the daily dance – and cold water splashes – by simply looking at where you place your control panel. And what you’ve probably guessed by now – it’s not under the shower head.
So, where do you start? When designing a bathroom, the first consideration should be the placement of plumbing points. This includes your shower controls, waste, and water pipes.
“For walk-in designs, it’s essential to position the control panel near the entrance of the shower space. This will allow you to start the water without getting wet,” explains Uns Hobbs, of Uns Hobbs Interiors. “Additionally, they should be easily accessible and placed at a comfortable height, making it convenient for all users. This also allows you to adjust the water temperature and pressure safely before stepping into the shower.”
James Lentaigne, MD and creative director of Drummonds agrees, and says that height-wise there’s a space, at around 100cm-140cm off the floor, where shower controls feel naturally comfortable for most users.
“They are usually placed directly underneath the shower head for practicality. This is because water connections run behind that wall – but there is no set location for the controls,” he says. “With good planning, it’s often best to move them to one side. Or, to the entrance, so you can wait for it to heat up before stepping under.”
Shower system designs and styles
However, this layout only works with a particular kind of valve. If you want all-in-one exposed shower systems – where the shower head and controls are attached by pipes on display – then you won’t be able to do this. The only way to achieve it is by using concealed systems, with pipes hidden behind the wall.
There are lots of styles available – from minimalist push buttons to traditional cross handles – with single, double or triple functions. So, once you know what kind of valve you require, you can start thinking about its position. Whether it’s on same wall as the shower head, but to the side, or on an adjacent stud wall – a timber frame covered in plasterboard.
Tell me about it, stud
Kimberley Bremner, designer at Jeffreys Interiors, explains further, “If you have a stud wall, placing your controls near the entrance is easy to achieve, as you have depth in the stud to house the body of the valve. Other options include framing out a wall, or adding a half-height stud wall instead of a glass shower panel.”
These options provide the opportunity to include storage niches or shelving for your products – plus a potted plant or two. Just don’t put the panel too far.
Jamie Bebbington, managing director at Aston Matthews, advises: “Ideally, you still want the controls within the cubicle or wet area so that you can turn the water off or adjust the temperature without having to move into the bathroom.”
If you have a shower and bath combo the same applies – place the controls somewhere where you don’t need to move the glass or curtain to turn it on.
Speak to the professionals
Of course, playing with your plumbing and walls like this needs to be done by experts, so ensure you discuss your ideas with plumbing professionals or bathroom designers to know your options.
We recommend getting at least three quotes, and comparing them like for like. Remember to not just go for the cheapest. There’s lots more to consider than price alone.
An added bonus of placing your controls outside of the splash zone is that cleaning your bathroom becomes easier, as Adam Wollerton, design manager at Bathrooms & Kitchens Eleven, adds: “Taking the controls out of the direct flow of water lowers the chance of limescale and watermarks building up on the shower valve itself.” Perfect if you live in a hard water area.
While it’s too late to save all those mornings of cold hands and wet floors for us, hopefully, we can save a few of you from the same fate and have a perfect shower, every time.
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