Luxury and spa-style bathrooms have been growing in popularity in the last decade as designers have begun to craft larger, more luxurious bathroom spaces.
But not all bathrooms and houses are created equally. While one client may have the space and plumbing to create a stand-alone performance shower next to a jetted tub, another client may only have the space to put a modest-sized stall shower.
As the demand for luxury and spa bathrooms continues to grow, it’s important to keep options open for homeowners. For clients with limited space, steam showers can be a viable (and cost-effective) alternative to both jetted tubs and performance showers.
Common Issues Facing Luxury Showers
Most luxury bathrooms today include some type of performance shower. These showers usually involve two or more shower heads, body sprays, thermostatic valves and a host of other items.
But, performance showers are contingent on a few things: The need for town or street water, the need for adequate water pressure in the home and the need for an oversized hot water tank in order to provide your client with more than a few minutes of hot water.
For people who have wells, older plumbing, smaller hot water tanks or live in an area where water itself is a luxury, it often becomes cost prohibitive and even impossible to try to solve these issues and include a performance shower. Going ahead with the project could mean blowing the client’s budget completely and/or giving them a solution that doesn’t suit their needs.
When trying to include a soaking or jetted tub in a design, you often encounter similar problems: not enough water supply, not enough hot water and not enough space.
So how can you get your client the luxury bathroom they want with the limitations they have?
The Solution: Steam Showers
Steam showers solve these all of these issues, offering a viable alternative to homeowners at a much more cost-effective rate. Steam showers still scream luxury without needing the same amount of space as a tub or a full performance shower.
Steam showers are also independent of the plumbing system for supply and heat, meaning that it uses only a fraction of the water a luxury shower needs. So, older homes with plumbing issues, houses that use well water and homes with smaller hot water tanks can all use steam without issue.
All you need for a steam shower is a non-porous surround, a seat – which can fold if you are working with a limited amount of space – for your client to sit on and a fully sealed shower door.
This space and money-saving option gives your client the chance to sit, relax and unwind at the end of the day, right inside their own home.
Additional Benefits
Besides being cost- and space-friendly, steam showers have other positive attributes as well. Steam is seen as not only a luxury, boosting sales and client interest, but it also provides physical and mental health benefits to the user.
Steam has been shown to:
Relieve pain.
Detoxify the system.
Improve circulation.
Treat the skin.
Aid in recovery.
Enhance the cardiovascular system.
This is why so many gyms and health clubs offer steam to members: It has amazing health and wellness benefits.
In addition, steam showers and luxury bathrooms improve the value of the home they’re installed in. If you’re building on spec or have a client that will be selling in a few years, adding a steam shower to the bathroom can improve value and attract buyers down the road.
The Ease of Steam Systems
Steam systems are simple and easy to add to any shower design. As long as the area can be sealed and is non-porous, a steam unit can be added. The unit itself installs invisibly behind the walls; the only thing that can be seen is the nozzle to release the steam and a stylish control panel.
The panel itself can be finished to complement the color scheme or fixtures used elsewhere in the room, letting it blend in perfectly with the rest of the design. Steam units are easy to use and programmable, so users can get the hang of them quickly and begin enjoying the many benefits of steam.
Add Steam to Your Next Shower Design
Steam showers are growing in popularity right alongside luxury bathroom designs. Make sure you offer your clients the opportunity to add steam to their daily routine and reap the benefits on every project you complete.