How to choose your Italian shower or shower cubicle?

For many of us, comfort in the shower is fundamentally a question of space. To be able to relax in there, you'll want to think big and avoid the risk of banging your elbows. So you can rule out a cramped 90 x 90cm shower cubicle.

Busy people may prefer an Italian shower, without a door. This way you'll be free of the hassle of door jams when time is tight on a morning. If you do go for a door, it's a good idea to include a backstop to avoid breaking the door glass when you throw open your shower in a hurry.

Some showers feature massage jets fixed to the walls, and it's even possible to install a massage column in a regular or Italian shower. Since this feature is made to measure, you can let your imagination run wild.

As regards the floor of an Italian-style shower, the tiles are generally laid on a slight slope to allow easier water drainage.Instead of tiles, you could opt for a super-size rectangular shower tray just like you'd have in a regular shower. These are either plastic (with a slight give) or ceramic.

As a rule, pre-assembled shower cubicles are made of very functional white plastic. More recently, manufacturers have worked to change the image of the shower cubicle by adding more attractive materials such as glass and stainless steel.

Italian showers are 100% open to personalization in terms of size, style, type of glazed partition (if you choose to include one) and floor type.

A conventional shower cubicle can also be a stylish bathroom feature, depending on whether it:

• is square or rounded (an enticing half-moon shape, for instance)

• has one or two doors

• has basic or more tastefully considered handles;

• is made of bog-standard materials, or something a little more up-market

In a similar vein, you can always decorate the edges of your shower tray with tiling of your choice and even embed spotlights or LEDs in the floor.

Whether you end up plumping for a cubicle or an Italian shower in your new bathroom, you can always any of the following decorative features:

• Attractive towels and bath mats

• Artificial, or real, flowers and / or house plants

• Lighting

• Ornaments and candles

These extra features will allow you to create a consistent decorative theme in your bathroom, adding to aesthetic value of your shower.

If you're in the process of bathroom renovation or redesign, note that the two types of shower we've been discussing differ greatly in terms of installation.A real Italian shower requires substantial work since it's built into the floor - either tiling laid directly on the floor of the bathroom. Happily, it's now possible to get extra-flat shower trays which will save you some work, you'll just have to rethink the wastewater evacuation since it'll need to be 'under-floor' (via a 32mm PVC pipe running in a channel deep enough to permit a minimum drainage slope).

Installing a conventional shower cubical can be much simpler. Even though it may be larger, the cubicle rests above floor level and generally won't require a change of outflow pipe. Standing on feet and usually set into a corner of the room, a shower cubicle can often be installed without masonry work (ignoring any flaking paintwork or unattractive water supply pipes that you might want to replace).

In most installations, an Italian shower will have 3 walls. Conversely, shower cubicles are completely closed, with a single door and / or fixed or mobile partitions attached to the walls. Thepartitions are smooth, allowing them to be cleaned in a flash, but tiled areas will require more attention. At the same time, cubicle showers actually have more joints and awkward corners than Italian models, spaces particularly susceptible to the development of damp if they're not regularly wiped down.You'll also have to climb right into an enclosed shower cubicle to be able to clean round it properly.

During renovation, you might benefit from installing a handrail in your Italian shower if you're able to drill into your bathroom walls. An integrated shower cubicle can't be upgraded in this way so would have to be replaced entirely.

The same applies to the folding seat. Since it has to be fixed directly to the wall, it's useful to have access to at least one wall.

Quick tip: To set yourself up well for the future, without any nasty surprises next time you think about redecorating, go for a shower made up of a cubicle with a wide door and accessible walls.

In terms of the shower floor, it's a good idea to use a non-slip material for Italian showers or put down an anti-slip mat inside the cubicle. Caution: most shower trays have a textured surface, but that isn't enough to prevent slipping in wet conditions.

Italian versus cubicle showers: advantages and disadvantages

At the end of the day, it's a toss-up on both practical and aesthetic criteria, and your choice is ultimately a matter of taste! Considering all you've just read, which way are you leaning?

To find out more about bathroom design, follow our editors' advice and check out their other guides:

How to choose your interior floor tiles?How to choose your shower drainage kit?How to choose your shower hose?How to choose your bathroom accessories?How to connect your washing machine?How to choose your bathroom units?How to choose your kitchen sink accessories?How to choose your toilet?How to drill into a wall?How to choose your wall tiles?How to choose your freestanding toilet?How to furnish your bathroom?How to choose your kitchen and bathroom paint?How to choose your shower door and walls?How to choose your shower handrail?