Why One Knob Shower Fixtures have become so Popular

Yesterday I visited a job site where we are remodeling two full bathrooms. The crew had just finished demolishing the entire master bathroom and running all the new wiring for outlets, switches, and light fixtures. Once that is done, the plumber will come in and start installing the pipes for the new shower fixtures.

The selection of the shower fixtures takes place long before the plumber arrives because there is more to think about than brushed or polished. Especially when it comes to the shower. Plumbing codes currently state that showers can no longer have separate hot and cold faucets; all water must go through one mixing valve. This change led us to the current style of shower fixtures we commonly see now that have one knob that both turns the water on and off and determines the temperature of the water. This attractive shower fixture from Delta Faucet is an example of this design.

If you’ve ever experienced being in an unfamiliar shower and standing in cold water, hoping to eventually find the right temperature, you’re not alone. While this single-control method has prevented scalding, which is of course a good thing, it has also created problems in other ways. The most obvious one is finding the right temperature. When I work with my clients, I introduce them to the plumbing brands that have managed to maintain the mixing valve but separated the on/off and hot/cold functions. With these newer designs, the user can set their preferred temperature and never change it. Simply turn the water on and off, and it will return to the last temperature used automatically. Delta also has this style available now; here is an example.

Everyone can benefit from this design and most of the better brands offer this type of control. As a designer who focuses on universal design and aging in place, I make it a priority to explain the benefits of this type of shower control to my clients. People with vision problems or dexterity issues will find it comforting to know that they will not make a mistake getting the water temperature correct. Hot water on someone who can’t move quickly screams disaster.

Moving to the other quality fixtures, the shower experience has gotten even more convenient by using buttons instead of levers or knobs. This shower control from Hansgrohe is one of my favorites.

Buttons are not for everyone, but my clients who have selected them have been quite happy.

The last feature in designing the shower is the placement of the controls, no matter the style. I’m not a plumber, and plumbers are not designers. Sometimes that is a problem when using trending fixtures or placing faucets and drains out of their typical location. Example: Why do the shower controls have to be right under the shower head? Because it’s the easiest and least costly way to run the pipes. But that puts the user right under the showerhead when turning it on if the layout of the bathroom does not allow the shower controls to be accessed from outside the shower.

So when that is the case, or the client is fortunate enough to have a large shower, I like to put the controls on the entry side of the shower, opposite the shower head. Here is a perfect example of a small shower that didn’t allow for access to the controls from the outside. Notice the controls are right as you step in, and you can adjust the water temperature or wait until the warm water arrives before getting wet.

Drawings are very important in remodeling; it’s never good to start without a plan. But unlike building new, when you open up the walls of an existing bathroom, there are always surprises. This brings me to my walkthrough yesterday with my client. Although we planned every detail, pipes showed up where we didn’t expect them so determining the final placement of all the shower fixtures and features is finalized while standing in the shower space. In this case, the shampoo niche had to move because of the vent pipe, but we were able to install the controls where we wanted them.

This is just one of many services we offer our clients, and find that our clients value this service very much.