Kitchen & Bathroom Design Blog

A bathroom renovation is not only an opportunity to redefine the style of your bathroom design but also a chance to include those extra features you need to make your bathroom a relaxing and well-organized space.  As discussed in last week’s topic here, your choice of shower style can help define your bathroom style, whether it is a traditional family bathroom or a luxury spa-style master bathroom. The shower head you select can also set the tone for your shower experience, particularly with the variety of shower head options available today. 

In general, shower heads are rated according to their flow rate, which equates to the number of gallons of water sprayed per minute.  Higher water-consuming shower heads use 8 gpm (gallons per minute), while lower flow shower heads use 2.5 gpm, and some of the latest models use as little as 1.5 gpm.  Shower heads are also no longer limited to the simple wall mounted style, and today’s bathroom design often features a combination of multiple shower heads with adjustable water intensity.  Another key consideration in determining the best shower head for your bathroom renovation is the height of the people using the shower and whether any of the users are children or persons with special needs.  This may affect the style of shower head most appropriate as well as the height of installation required.

Here are a few of the shower head choices available to complete your next bathroom remodeling job:

Wall-mount: the traditional wall-mounted shower head is an economical choice, generally fits any shower style and meets the requirements of most households.

Hand-held:  this is a very practical option for both bathing and cleaning the shower, as the shower head can detach from its wall-mounted fixture and be used to reach every area of the tub or shower.  It can be an ideal choice for a household with children or a person with restricted mobility.  A hand-held shower head with a sliding bar wall mount can be particularly handy where the shower users are of varying heights as the shower head can be easily adjusted up and down.

Overhead:  these shower heads are mounted directly in the ceiling of the shower and provide a spray of water from directly overhead.  The shower head can either hang down from the ceiling or sometimes be installed flush to the ceiling, which can be a good option where your ceiling height is lower.

Rain Shower head:  this is named for its rainfall like experience, with a wide surface area and a large number of perforations, and gives the effect of a large quantity of water falling on you without a lot of pressure.  It can be a relaxing addition to your spa-style bathroom renovation, particularly when combined with other shower heads.

Shower Panels: with multiple shower heads installed either on a single panel on one wall of the shower or else distributed along the ceiling and walls, your shower can be equipped with different strength jets of water targeted at different body parts.  This type of shower head design is a luxurious addition to any bathroom design and provides a soothing or invigorating massage in your shower, depending on the strength of the water spray.

Better yet, combine more than one shower head style for the ultimate shower experience! Your bathroom design professional can advise you on the best shower head design to suit your next bathroom renovation project.