How personalisation and space optimisation will offer showering sales opportunities for retailers who can create bespoke environments

The Acrylic Collection of wall panels from Showerwall feature a wide variety of decors from botanical and wall paper decors, through to tiling effects.

With consumers seeking personalisation of the bathroom space. It has seen demand for a wider choice of colour to create individual aesthetics and water delivery to provide a personal bathing experience.

Together, with the movement towards optimising space and living more sustainably to reduce water and energy bills, as reported in Rated People’s Home Improvement Report 2023, opportunities abound in the showering space sector for bathroom retailers.

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Lauren Goodbrand of Kitchens International on winning the Kbsa Concept Designer Award 2024

Optimising space

Rather than a ‘race to space’, extending floorspace, home improvements will be focused on optimising existing areas, states the report by Rated People.

The Signature collection of enclosures from Kudos comes with a made-to-measure and installation service. It allows designers to create showering spaces, in areas that were previous unsuitable

Here is where the ultimate personalisation of a showering space can come into play, with bespoke enclosures enabling installations in areas which won’t fit a traditional enclosure.

Kudos provides its top-end Signature Collection with a made-to-measure and fit services.

Sales and marketing director at Kudos Nick Graville comments: “Bespoke sizing is definitely a growing area of the Kudos business, with designers installing shower space in lower height areas, coombed ceilings or glass finishes.”

And national account manager of premium brand Sealskin Duka Caroline Borowski points out: “We are seeing increasingly ambitious layouts, designs, styles, colours and detailed specifications for showering spaces.”

Personalisation price

So does that mean bespoke showering spaces are only available for the premium market?

Creating a shower in an alcove space, Como from Majestic Showers allows designers to play with proportions and door positioning. It comes with a choice of three glass options, eight handles and nine finishes

Managing director of Majestic Showers Tom King states: “It is harder to deliver bespoke showering space at a low price point as they must be manufactured by a reputable manufacturer who will support the product over its lifetime, but many of our customers do install a bespoke Majestic in a bathroom costing less than £10k at retail.

“This is because the designers prioritise the showering space, as they recognise there is far more value in a floor to ceiling bespoke shower at £2,500 than can be found in commodity items like brassware and sanitaryware.”

However, with a wide choice of matching shower and enclosure finishes, as well as decorative panels, Nick Graville counters: “Personalisation doesn’t need to be a trend for ‘top end’ only, ultimately it will depend on the level of personalisation that the consumer is looking for – personalisation could be a bold shower wall or a unique paint shade/feature wall which doesn’t have to be expensive.

Reducing complexity

Interestingly, offering individually tailored showering spaces needn’t add complexity to a retailer’s portfolio.

CRL has introduced Bespoke Shower Screens, which combine shower hardware with Ceralsio or Inalco MDi for a made-to-measure, high-end look at a competitive price point.

As part of its offer, CRL now provides Bespoke Screens which combine glazing with hardware and stone surfacing for a bespoke shower space at a more competitive price.

Managing director of CRL Europe Simon Boocock adds: “Bespoke doesn’t need to be complex or time consuming, with CRL bespoke showers, retailers can provide quality at an ‘off-the-shelf’ price, helping to improve design possibilities with better margins.”

And product manager for Showerwall Steph Harris is even more emphatic stating it’s a misconception a bespoke service will breed complexity: “For example our acrylic panels offer a high-end look with a plethora of unusual design choices, which easily allows consumers to really put their own stamp on their bathrooms.

“Included within this, for those customers who want something really bespoke, there is also the option for consumer to submit an image/artwork/illustration of their choice which can then be printed onto an acrylic panel.”

Spraying patterns

However, it’s not simply the looks that determine a personalised showering space, the functionality of the area can also be tailored to suit the needs of individual users who are demanding a spa-like experience.

The Abode Serenitie shower reflects the variety of coloured shower finishes and paradigm shift away from Antique Brass only being considered for traditional brassware

It has meant a greater variety of water delivery, which for some has meant a greater focus on reducing water usage, as head of product marketing for Hansgrohe UK Sarah Evans points out: “For some customers, personalisation and functionality can taken on the form of being more sustainable.

“Our most popular ranges are also available with EcoSmart technology, saying at least 43% of water compared to a conventional product.”

And leader of product management at Lixil and Grohe UK Paul Bailey adds: “Designs now have a great opportunity to specify and incorporate resource-saving technology into a wider range of bathroom designs…reducing homeowners carbon footprints and saving money on their utility bills.”

It is this ability to personalise a showering space, from aesthetics through to functionality, which offers a point of difference in bathroom specialist sales.

Design manager of Abode Paul Illingworth concludes: “Every bathroom user is different so by virtue every customer is already in the market for a more personalised experience.

“So, offering personalised solution really is a great way of increasing your customer service and enhancing your reputation as a retailer of excellence.”