The manufacturing company Grohe is the undisputed largest European maker of sanitary fittings and this German company is a leader in technology concerning showers and shower fittings. Displayed at UK Bathrooms web pages you will find around 220 products, not all showers of course, but a variety of items to enhance the modern bathroom.

The Grohe Euphoria Shower System Grohtherm 1000 Cosmopolitan is one example and it incorporates a number of features such as a hand held as well as a fixed showers heads, thermostatic shower valve, as well as the unique DreamSpray technology, which distributes the same amount of water to each and every nozzle, this lets you choose a normal spray or a champagne spray, simple spray, rain style spray, exhilarating jet spray or massage spray.

Finished in high chrome the Grohe Euphoria shower system looks great in a modern or contemporary bathroom, it incorporates an anti-limescale system to make it last longer and be easier to clean. This shower system can be installed to an existing bathroom to update it, or it can be fitted to a new bathroom or en-suite.

Transforming your bathroom is relatively easy and can be made to look elegant, serviceable as well as luxurious by adding the right furniture such as illuminated cabinets and freestanding furniture.

Looking through the Roper Rhodes pages on our website you will find a wide range of items including 60 types of toilet seat alone! Adding bathroom cabinets will not only enhance the beauty of the bathroom but add storage, something often overlooked when considering replacing or renovating your bathroom. Cube stainless steel, Folio traditional wood and Images high gloss add elegance to your bathroom, on suite or cloakroom, the range from Roper Rhodes will fit most needs.

If you are looking to add some freestanding units to the bathroom or en-suite then at Roper Rhodes you will find has a selection of items covering mirrors, soap dispensers, toilet brush holders, shelf units and towel rails.

Where to begin at the illuminated and mirrored bathroom cabinets will depend on your personal choice in styling and bathroom size, but amongst the Ascension range you will see 17 elegant illuminated and non illuminated variations.  The Equinox Single Door Cabinet offers a choice in the single door range and is available with or without 28 LED lights and shaver socket electrics, just one of the top rated products from Roper Rhodes.

Although Hansgrohe make a superb range of taps, other brassware and bathroom accessories, it is their approach to showering that has changed the way that most of us and their competitors look at today’s shower. They first came up with a hand shower as far back as 1928, but it is the new era of showering that we saw in 2005 when they introduced the air shower, which saw a revolution in the delivery of the water from the spray head. With this air, the jets are completely transformed into soft rain or a powerful water massage and it completely changes the way in which the water falls from this, which can be anything from gentle rain to a vigorous massage.

For example, the Hansgrohe Raindance AIR Shower Head and Arm allows you to stand under this shower head with warm water flowing over you and just feel relaxed as each water droplet is imbued with air to make for a voluminous spray. The shower head is stylish in high polished chrome, and is very easily cleaned by the Hansgrohe QuickClean system the helps remove lime scale deposits quickly and easily. The shower arm extends 389mm making the arm quite long so you can easily stand under the shower head and be completely engulfed.

Some movies have memorable bathrooms scenes, I fact there are probably more movies than you realise which have memorable bathroom scenes. For those interested, UK Bathrooms online polled showed that the most memorable bathroom scene in a movie of all time is the shower scene from the Alfred Hitchcock classic ‘Psycho’.

The classic scene in the movie will probably sit strongly in many people’s minds, with the suspense built up perfectly by movie master Alfred Hitchcock ready for the demise of leading lady Janet Leigh in superb gory style. It has been said that this scene is one of the most influential in Hollywood history and is defiantly etched into the minds of those polled.

Online bathroom retailer www.UKBathrooms.com polled 1,243 UK adults to find out which movies contained their favourite bathroom scene from a list of options. The reached showed that ‘Psycho’ was favourite, then in second place was British classic film ‘Trainspotting’ and in third was hit comedy ‘There’s Something About Mary’.

As voted for is the top ten best bathroom move scenes of all time:

1. Psycho – The shower scene – 72%
2. Trainspotting – Diving in a pub toilet – 64%
3. There’s Something about Mary – Zipper scene – 59%
4. The Shining – Woman in the bath – 53%
5. Pretty woman – Julia Roberts in the bath – 49%
6. Pulp Fiction – The demise of Vincent Vega – 47%
7. Porky’s – Girls in the shower – 39%
8. What Lies Beneath – Michelle Pfeiffer ‘drowning’ – 35%
9. Dumb and Dumber – the broken loo scene – 32%
10. Along Came Polly – the broken loo scene – 28%

As well as being asked what their favourite movie bathroom scene was respondents were also asked what it was that stood out for them relating to their choice of movie scene. For those asked, 61% of those who had picked ‘Psycho’ as their favourite bathroom scene said that it was the sheer terror’ that they remembered from the classic film. Unsurprisingly when it came to Trainspotting’s bathroom scene, many respondents who had chosen this said they felt repulsion when viewing the toilet diving scene. And of course in the comedy There’s Something About Mary, respondents said the bathroom zipper scene was hilarious which is why it was so memorable for them.

When looking for a good scene in a movie those polled stated that they were looking for:

1. Humour – 57%
2. Nudity – 49%
3. Fear – 48%
4. Gore – 39%
5. Embarrassment – 32%

Speaking about the movie choices, Peter Gregg, director of UKBathrooms.com, said:

“It seems that there’s no recognised recipe for the perfect bathroom scene in a movie. According to our poll, viewers like a heady mix of fear, humour and gore. Based on that it seems that opinion is divided! You wouldn’t necessarily associate fear with a trip to the bathroom, but horror writers are masters at converting the mundane into the terrifying. The term ‘toilet humour’ on the other hand has been coined for a reason.”

He also stated:

“Some of the scenes in our poll are truly memorable. I remember laughing out loud at the unfortunate incident in ‘There’s something about Mary’ as well as the sense of disgust at Renton’s dive into the loo in ‘Trainspotting’. But the ‘Psycho’ shower scene really is one that sticks in the mind. Despite the film being around for many years, it still has the power to shock. I’m sure there are some people out there who’ve now opted for sponge baths for life!”

A shower head is a shower head isn’t it, one that delivers a spray of water, well not if you choose the absolutely stunning Phoenix Square LED shower head it’s not! Now this really is the ultimate in shower heads and you have a choice of two square heads in different sizes or a more traditional round style. But that is not the clever feature of these shower heads no; the LED lighting in them changes colour according to the temperature of the water!

You set the water temperature according the colour of the LED, at 26’C and below the light appear blue. Between the temperatures of 26’C to 42’C the colour changes from blue to green. When the water temperature reaches 42’C and above the light is red. This is not just a fancy coloured shower it acts as a safety device in addition to the aesthetic value of the product. Just in case you were thinking that you might have to call in an electrician, you don’t; simply screw the new head in place of the old one and the shower generates electricity by water pressure without any other additional energy sources. The head will work on water pressure from 0.2 bar up to 3.0 bar, is finished in sparkling chrome and is offered with a ten year manufacturer’s warranty. This is just one of the exciting Phoenix products that can be found at our web pages.

There are many reasons to choose an electric shower, even if you have a central heating and the boiler also heats your water. Most electric showers draw water direct from a cold mains supply and only heat the water as it is used. They are very economical and you get instantaneous showering, even in the summer when you may not have stored hot water.

Electric showers come in a range of power ratings and dependent upon your preferences if you prefer a powerful shower, a higher rating is the best option. They are available in 7.5kw, 8.5kw, 9.5kw, 10.5kw ratings and a variety of finishes including chrome matt finish and can be coloured. One example is the Bristan Joy Electric Shower; this is an ultra modern electric shower with a power rating of 8.5kw which is generally considered to provide a reasonably powerful shower at a comfortable heat. The Bristan has the benefit of a riser kit. Constructed in white plastic and requires a water pressure of just 0.7 bar which most domestic water supplies in this country will far exceed and the maximum would be 10.0 bar which is very unlikely to be found domestically. The Bristan is also available in 9.5 and 10.5kw ratings.

Water is becoming more expensive, particularly if you are on a water meter and most new properties have these fitted as standard today, saving this precious commodity is important even if you are not metered. There are many ways in water can be conserved and taking showers is one prime example, but even so they can still use a lot of water, not as much as a bath though.

An eco friendly shower that does not skimp on performance is the Hansgrohe Raindance Eco shower which features a precision ceramic disc control with accurate temperature control. This luxurious drencher shower includes air power which has the effect of producing more voluminous droplets which give a softer feel and even reduces water consumption, a great money saving idea as well. The shower head has a 1030mm pipe and the shower head projects 460-465mm from the wall. There is also a useful hand shower attachment too so you can choose between over head and hand showering at the touch of a lever. Prevention of limescale is achieved with Hansgrohe QuickClean technology.

A great British company that is still at the forefront of shower technology, Aqualisa can never be accused of standing still or resting on the success of their products which have been market leaders since 1997. The Aqualisa Rise digital concealed shower valve with adjustable head is one of two available in this series and at the simple touch of a button you and your family will enjoy a sensational showering experience, at perfect temperatures.

The outlet control indicates shower ready and you simply step in enjoy the shower and you can control the spray for the shower head, including the height, pattern and spray angles. The maximum temperature is adjustable to suit your particular site conditions, but it is recommended that this is not set above 46ºC. Again dependent upon your particular hot water system, you can choose between HP/Combi and Gravity Pumped versions. In common with all Aqualisa products the Aqualisa Digital Rise carries a full manufacturer’s guarantee includes 5 years against manufacturing defects.

If you have recently returned from a relaxing holiday abroad in the sun and have had the wonderful experience of a powerful shower and wish yours at home was the same, well you can have on that is equal or maybe even better.

A Bristan power shower is easily fitted and will give you a wonderful experience from this elegant white or matt chrome finished unit. The shower is thermostatically controlled to work at the temperature of your choice, which means that it is safe for children and the elderly too. In this regard, there is also an eco button which means that the power can be deactivated. The shower unit is designed for low pressure systems and should not be connected directly to the mains water supply. The riser rail has a built in soap tray, hose retainer, and when the unit is set at the Eco setting the unit uses only 10 liters of water per minute. You can quickly experience a powerful shower or a gentle spray at the easy touch of a button.

The Trevi Shower range from global manufacturer Ideal Standard offer the user total reliability and quality every time and the range is far reaching and there will be a Trevi product that is just right for your home or commercial premises. Being at the forefront of ceramic disc technology Trevi showers are guaranteed to give you accurate hot and cold mixing and you will not be plagued by limescale build up and drips.

The Trevi Therm uses this disc technology and has the added advantage of being thermostatically controlled ensuring that you get the right temperature for your shower, which is accurately delivered and the temperature is always maintained. Trevi and parent company Ideal Standard, were at the forefront of design with ceramic disc technology for accurate mixing of hot and cold water for showers and the Trevi range of showers continue in that vein.