Julian Pearson, commercial director of Roman takes a look at the up and coming design trends for shower enclosures...

Within the UK the bathroom is becoming a key area of the home and with it the shower has become increasingly important - it is the fast and modern way to clean.

Consumers want their shower enclosure to be the ultimate style statement piece while remaining both practical and affordable. For them the product needs to be efficient, durable and easy to maintain, but it must tick all of the style boxes as well.

We always consider the nature of the market and market conditions before even considering designing a new product. We also need to ensure that there is a market demand for the product before it hits the design stage. Market trends and financial issues are two important factors to consider when designing a new product concept.
So what trends and styles are coming through now?

Colour and pattern played a prominent role in glass design back in the 1980s and 90s, and, although it's still a very niche market, it is slowly being incorporated back into modern design concepts. Modern designs are much more subtle and stylish, bringing the concept in line with today's minimal styles.

These options give consumers fresh ideas on how to inject personal style and expression into personalising their bathing space. This injection of colour and pattern into showering products is a trend that is set to continue throughout 2010, especially as manufacturers and designers begin to experiment with fresh and innovative techniques of adding colour.

There is a strong focus on frameless enclosures with clear thicker glass and a bright silver finish. These enclosures give a 'made to measure' appearance, helping to create a more individual look than a standard enclosure. The thicker glass brings a feeling of weight and quality too. With the latest products featuring glass thicknesses of up to 10mm, the shower enclosure truly is becoming the key fashion statement of the bathroom.

In terms of the shower tray, low level is the key trend as this meets the minimal style popular in today's modern  bathrooms and simulates the wetroom look without the fuss.

Wetrooms will also continue to become more popular with many more shapes and styles available - allowing customers to create their own unique space. Wetrooms are the ultimate modern style statement and they have so many advantages: they are ideal for any space no matter what size or shape, while also allowing easy access to all users.

What do you think? Email the editor direct: andrew@kbbreview.com