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To buy a shower, first assess your water pressure and bathroom layout, then choose a shower type like an electric, mixer, or digital based on your budget and desired features.
A good shower area makes a bathroom practical, easy to maintain, and feel like your own little private oasis. Whether you’re upgrading an existing bathroom or starting fresh, the choices you make around the shower fixtures, tiles, and lighting can dramatically affect both the look and performance of the space.
Planning Your Shower Layout:
Your shower's layout should fit your space and your style. Many people today prefer a walk-in shower, which opens up the bathroom and gives it a clean, modern feel.
Go Walk-in or Fully Enclosed? Walk-in designs use sleek glass panels to stop splashes while keeping the space feeling open. A traditional enclosure is your best bet if you want to completely contain all water and steam.
Think About a Curbless Entry: A flat, barrier-free entry gives your shower a seamless look and is fantastic for accessibility. The key is professional installation—the floor must be sloped just right to keep water flowing to the drain.
How Much Space Do You Need? For a comfortable shower, aim for at least 90 x 90 cm. If you have the room, expanding to 120 x 120 cm creates a truly spacious and spa-like experience.
Don't Forget the Plumbing: Here's a pro tip: install the taps away from the shower head, so you don’t get a cold blast of water when you turn it on. Before you buy, talk to your plumber to make sure your dream fixtures will work with your home's water pressure.
According to the Housing Industry Association (HIA), the average bathroom renovation in Australia can cost around $26,000, depending on the size, materials, and finishes chosen. With such a significant investment, it’s worth spending time carefully considering each piece of the puzzle.
Tiles: Tiles have always been the safe bet, but more and more people are swapping them for wall panels and honestly, it makes perfect sense.
Bathroom Wall Panels: Wall panels are waterproof and don’t need grout. If you’ve ever had to scrub mould from grout lines, this is probably enough to win you over. They also are easier and faster to install than tiles, which saves on labour.
PVC is the most common choice when shopping for waterproof wall panels. PVC is lightweight, affordable and easy to install. At Fontaine Industries, our PVC wall panels are available in a variety of colour finishes such as marble.
A protective barrier to prevent water from splashing is essential when designing a shower area. While the old shower curtain can be a cute addition, today most homeowners opt for the sleek and modern aesthetic of a shower screen.
Shower screens come in a variety designs with different advantages. Glass is by far the most popular option. Screens made of toughened safety glass are durable and resistant to shattering. Plus, some glass panels have advanced coatings which can reduce limescale buildup and make cleaning easier.
When it comes to design, framed screens are the traditional choice. They’re sturdy, reliable, and often less expensive. They are a particularly good choice for larger shower units or for bathrooms where a more traditional aesthetic is desired.
Framed Shower Screens: The frames are typically made of aluminum, like our Lorna, or other durable materials. The hardware comes in various finishes, such as black. The only downside is that the visible frames can feel bulky.
Frameless Shower Screens: On the other hand, frameless shower screens like the Oxley offer a clean, minimalist option that’s increasingly popular. And, since there are no nooks and crannies for dirt to hide in, they’re easier to clean, which is a significant advantage in busy households. However, they generally come at a higher cost and require precise installation.
Semi Frameless Shower Screens: Semi-frameless designs, like the Hilton, offer the best of both worlds. The minimalist aesthetic of frameless designs and the added support of framed screens. This style is often more budget-friendly than fully frameless options while still offering a contemporary look.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Shower Screen:
Start by measuring your shower space carefully. Consider whether a corner, rectangular, or square screen works best, and check that it fits comfortably without crowding the area. Proper sizing ensures the screen looks balanced and functions well, keeping water contained.
Glass is the most popular choice for shower screens because it’s versatile and stylish. You can pick clear, frosted, or patterned finishes to match your bathroom’s look. Make sure the glass complies with Australian safety standards, which means it should be toughened or laminated for durability and safety.
Your shower screen should complement the overall design of your bathroom. Think about colour, texture, and how it pairs with other elements like tiles, tapware, and cabinetry. Choosing a screen that ties everything together creates a harmonious, relaxing space.
Shower screens can accumulate soap scum and water spots over time. A glass screen treated with water-repellent coatings or anti-limescale finishes makes cleaning simpler and keeps it looking fresh longer.
Long-term maintenance is important to consider. To keep your glass shower screen pristine, it’s recommended to go over it with a simple squeegee after each shower, which helps prevent limescale buildup and soap residue.
Your choice of shower heads is perhaps the most important factor affecting your shower experience.
Fixed Shower Head: A fixed head is simple and reliable, allowing you to keep both hands free for washing yourself. A handheld head gives you flexibility, you can rinse yourself off or clean the shower without much effort.
Handheld Shower Head: Handheld options often come with shower rails, so you can adjust the height. If you need spares, Fontaine sells handheld replacements and rails.
Rain Shower Head: For those after the ultimate relaxing experience, there’s the rain shower, which feels more like standing under a waterfall. They’re bigger, and they create a spa-like effect that many people love.
Multi-Function Heads: If you want variety, go for multi-function heads. Massage, mist, rainfall - it’s nice to change things up depending on your mood. But always check your water pressure. Some models don’t perform well in homes with low pressure.
Smart and Eco Shower Heads: These days, you’ll also find showerheads with eco and smart features. Water-saving models cut down usage, reducing your water bills. Thermostatic mixers allow you to tweak the temperature precisely to your liking, so you don’t get sudden bursts of hot or cold. Some smart showers even let you set timers and digital controls.
Here we have another dilemma - Should you go for a shower base or a fully tiled floor?
Shower Base: A prefabricated base is simpler. It comes waterproofed and ready to go, which lowers the risk of leaks.
Tile Shower Floor: A tiled floor looks amazing and lets you customise colours and layouts, but it requires precise waterproofing. If anything goes wrong, it’s harder to fix. And obviously, there will be grout lines to keep clean.
If you’re leaning toward a base, check out Fontaine’s shower base range.
Practical choices matter, but style is what makes you love the space.
If you lean more towards a traditional look, you can’t go wrong with classic tile. You can go for neutral colours like beige, white, black or gray and create a truly timeless space. You can also pick brighter hues like sage or pink, and create a lively ‘70s aesthetic.
On the other hand, if you prefer the sleek, contemporary aesthetic, wall panels will be the perfect choice. You can go for a matte, stone or wood-like finish and create a warm and relaxing space, or pick a glossy option for a trendy, luxe vibe.
Tapwares:
To create a space that feels complete, you also need to think about tapware finishes. Here, your options include:
Chrome: Timeless and bright, perfect for classic looks.
Matte Black: Modern and bold, great with minimalist or industrial styles.
Brushed Brass and Gold: Warm and elegant, adding luxury with a practical fingerprint-resistant finish.
Brushed Nickel and Gunmetal: Subtle, softer alternatives that work well with both contemporary and traditional designs.
Brushed Copper: Warm, matte and sophisticated, adding a touch of organic elegance that minimises fingerprints.
Antique brass: Elegant, warm and timeless aesthetic, complementing a variety of decor styles from traditional to modern designs with a classic twist.
Mixing finishes is also trendy, enabling you to personalise your space with layered metal accents.
If you want your shower to work for everyone, think about accessibility. Walk-in showers or low-profile bases make getting in and out easier. They’re safer for older family members too.
Slip-resistant flooring reduces the chance of falls. You can also add shower accessories for mobility like grab rails or a fold-down seat if you need extra support.
Some jobs you can handle yourself. Changing a shower head or installing a rail isn’t too tricky. But fitting glass shower panels or sealing screens? That’s where many things can go wrong. Common mistakes include poor sealing, panels cut too short, or floors without enough slope for drainage.
If you’re not confident, call in a professional. It costs more upfront, but you avoid leaks and repairs later. And don’t forget: waterproofing has to meet building codes. Skipping corners here often means mould or structural issues down the track.
Bathrooms aren’t cheap to renovate. Before taking on this complex project, you need to carefully consider the cost and how much you’re willing to spend. Bathroom renovation costs in Australia(6) vary depending on size and quality:
Basic renovations: $8,000 to $15,000
Mid-range renovations: $15,000 to $40,000 (average renovation cost around $26,747)
Luxury renovations: $35,000+
It’s also recommended to set aside a budget for hidden costs should something unplanned come in the way, like plumbing upgrades, waterproofing, trims, and seals. Always factor in contingencies.
Yes. As long as the tiles are solid and in good condition, you can fix panels on top.
Considerations Before Installing
Before installing shower panels over tiles, check that the tiles are solid, crack-free, and dry, since covering damaged or damp tiles can cause long-term issues. Clean the surface thoroughly, fix any loose spots, and make sure there’s no mould. Keep in mind that panels add thickness, which can affect how fixtures and trims fit, and always seal joints properly to prevent water from getting behind the panels.
You can fit panels yourself, but you’ll need a plumber for tapware or plumbing adjustments.
Handheld and multi-function heads usually perform better in low-pressure homes.
Your shower doesn’t need to be complicated, but it does need to be planned. Pick the right mix of shower panels, screens, fixtures, and shower bases, and you’ll end up with a space that looks good and works well for years. Get those right, and you’ll enjoy your bathroom every single day.
References:
(1) https://www.buildandplumb.co.uk/blog/beginners-guide-to-shower-panels/#:~:text=Laminate%20shower%20panels%20are%20the,from%2010mm%20to%2010.5mm
(2) https://www.wetrooms-online.com/pages/shower-screens-faqs?srsltid=AfmBOoqsAe3x3V_kwIsmK3P-E5g1CksZjZMHrX95HpUsvpkjUl7NFnQu
(3) https://www.theshowerheadstore.com/blogs/news/types-of-shower-heads?srsltid=AfmBOopSRyfGzIe_3VVUajDovpR4Yuh5JXvS7JLj_ZEG-ZhewraYzQrS
(4) https://www.openagent.com.au/blog/much-bathroom-renovation-cost
Rishii has years of industry experience working personally with a range of customers requiring expert guidance for their bathroom, kitchen and laundry projects. Also overseeing daily operation processes to ensure all customers, trades and business partners are receive the most exceptional experience with our product and service.
