One could easily argue that the best way to kick-start the day is by taking a shower. Today we take showers for granted and might believe that they’ve only been around for a few hundred years.
In actual fact, according to inventions.org, showers have been around for thousands of years with the first rudimentary showers appearing in India, Egypt and Mesopotamia. These showers comprised a bucket filled with water which people would pour over themselves. Servants would also perform this duty.
The first ‘modern’ showers complete with plumbing were apparently invented by the Greeks. According to inventions.org, fourth century BC Athenian vases have been discovered which depict scenes of ancient Greek athletes freshening up after exerting themselves under piped showers. So in addition to philosophy, the Olympics and democracy, it would appear that the Greeks gave us showers too.
Showers have since obviously evolved significantly and, as is the case with fashion and décor, the realm of showers is now also subject to emerging trends. Gone are the days where showers consisted of tiny, leaking showerheads in boring cubicles enclosed by cheap, inefficient shower curtains. Today, showers are seen as important focal points of stylish bathrooms which should be celebrated in all their glory. Importantly, showers can either add to or detract from a bathroom or date it which is an important consideration from a house selling perspective.
Kate van Niekerk, marketing manager of Tile Africa shared her thoughts regarding the latest bathroom shower trends and designs. According to Van Niekerk, the latest, ‘on trend’ showers are square and “frameless”. These showers feature clear glass which enhances background tiles and mosaics. Says Van Niekerk: “It is now super fashionable to showcase the ‘whole package’ and not just the shower door. Driving this trend is the fact that modern tiles, mosaics and tile borders are encouraging us to be more daring with clear versus frosted glass showers.”
What is the latest look when it comes to shower heads? According to Van Niekerk, shower heads are now available in much larger sizes than they were before, making this contemporary water spout a stand-out feature in the shower. “With the invention of water-saving shower heads, consumers can now spoil themselves with larger shower heads as the size of the shower head doesn’t influence the amount of water being consumed.”
New ranges of shower roses and hand-held showers reduce water consumption without affecting the water pressure and amount of water delivered. These ‘new age’ shower heads achieve this by featuring water flow regulators which maintain a predefined, constant flow rate regardless of the line pressure.
The regulator reacts to water pressure changes and adjusts to decrease the amount of water passing through while the flow-rate remains the same. Pressure variations are compensated for and water consumption can be reduced from 30 to 10 litres per minute. As for what has inspired these shower head trends, Van Niekerk explains that modern bathroom ware is being developed with scarcity of natural resources in mind and that the latest ‘green’ products are designed to make it easier for consumers to conserve the environment.
In closing she adds that contemporary bathrooms have become less of a personal area and are increasingly being viewed as luxurious nodes in which to relax.
