Platform about design and technology in the kitchen, home, and bathroom industry
A new bathroom involves a lot of choices for the customer. Will they opt for a walk-in shower? And if so, will it be a shower pan—though these days we’d be better off referring to ‘shower surfaces and panels’—or a floor with a discreet or, conversely, prominent shower drain? There’s no shortage of options.
Today, the walk-in shower is a standard feature of the modern bathroom. The shower floor plays not only a functional role but also an important visual one. Manufacturers are responding to this trend with innovative materials, subtle colors, and increasingly refined finishes.
In bathroom renovations, bathtubs are increasingly being replaced by spacious walk-in showers. Factors such as time constraints, changing living needs, and accessibility play a role in this trend. Manufacturers are therefore focusing heavily on solutions that simplify the bath-to-shower conversion. For example, Geberit recently expanded its Sestra shower floor series with three extra-long XL sizes, specially designed to replace a bathtub on a nearly one-to-one basis. Thanks to these dimensions, the existing floor and wall finishes often remain largely intact. The shower floors are made of stone resin with a durable gel coat and are available in white, stone gray, and graphite. Hüppe is also focusing on ultra-flat shower floors with its EasyFlat concept in cast marble. The series is available in a variety of sizes and colors: glossy white, matte white, matte anthracite, matte gray, and matte beige.
Bette is also continuing to expand its product range. The BetteUltra Space shower pan series, introduced at ISH 2025, has been expanded to include twenty additional sizes. This allows for even more flexible design options for both compact bathrooms and spacious walk-in showers. In combination with the BetteCompact+ drain set, this shower pan can be installed with a minimum installation height of just 90 millimeters. The shower pans are made of glazed titanium steel and are available in more than thirty colors. The material stands out for its hygienic and low-maintenance surface. Kaldewei also remains committed to enameled steel. The brand focuses on a sleek design combined with innovative anti-slip technologies such as Invisible Grip and Secure Plus. A new feature is that Invisible Grip is now available in all shades of the Coordinated Colours Collection, ranging from warm beige and gray tones to matte black. Safety is thus integrated into the design in a way that is almost invisible.
Interesting innovations are also emerging in the field of ceramic shower floors. With Aquanit, The.Artceram presents an ultra-thin ceramic shower tray that’s barely fifteen millimeters thick. The integrated slope ensures optimal water drainage, while the subtle anti-slip texture enhances comfort and safety. The Dome Shower Tray from the Italian company Pulkra offers a completely different look. This shower tray is made of fiber-reinforced cement composite, combining the robust look of concrete with a relatively low weight. The sculptural design, featuring a rounded or oval raised edge, gives the whole unit an architectural look that is meant to stand out.
The shower floor is increasingly becoming part of an overall design concept in which the floor, wall coverings, and sinks blend seamlessly together visually. Cosentino is responding strongly to this trend with shower pans made of Silestone quartz composite and Dekton sintered stone. The shower pans are available in a variety of sizes and finishes, ranging from solid colors to natural stone looks. This creates a unified bathroom in which the floor, walls, and shower blend seamlessly together.
Innovation remains important even for tiled shower floors. Geberit recently launched the CleanLine30 shower channel in brushed stainless steel or black: a sleek solution for those who love minimalist design. The Belgian company Carrodrain, on the other hand, is fully committed to customization. Its product range includes both channels and round and square drain solutions, available in a tileable ‘Invisible’ version or not. Noteworthy is the shift toward softer PVD colors such as Champagne, Copper, Smoke, and Tuscan. In addition, demand is growing for solutions for poured floors and microcement. Carrodrain is responding to this trend with its Liquid series. A standout newcomer is the Liquid Snake: a sculptural shower channel made of solid stainless steel that combines design and functionality. Thus, the shower drain is also evolving from a purely functional element to a subtle—or at times striking—design feature. No two showers are alike—the pinnacle of individual design.
