Gold Showers

A rail shower (also called a slider rail shower or shower rail kit) includes a hand shower mounted on an adjustable rail, allowing users to slide the shower head up or down to their preferred height. Rail showers are among the most practical and versatile shower options available, they suit users of different heights, are ideal for bathing children, and are easy to use for rinsing down shower walls. They are widely used in family bathrooms across Australia.

Standard shower rails in Australia are typically 600mm or 900mm in length. A 600mm rail is compact and suited to smaller showers, while a 900mm rail gives greater height adjustment range, ideal for households with users of varying heights. The rail is installed vertically on the shower wall, and the hand shower clips onto a holder that slides along the rail.

In Australia, all shower heads including those sold as part of rail shower kits must carry a WELS (Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards) rating. Most Australian rail showers achieve a 3-star WELS rating with a flow rate of 9L/min or less. Some water-saving models reach 4 stars. A lower flow rate doesn't necessarily mean a weaker shower, modern shower heads use air-injection technology to maintain pressure while reducing water use.

Yes, in most cases a standard hand shower with a hose can be connected to an existing shower arm using a standard 1/2" thread connection. If you currently have a fixed overhead shower, you may want to replace the shower arm with a diverter or combo outlet to enable switching between the fixed position and the hand shower. A plumber can advise on the best approach for your specific setup.

You need a shower mixer with a diverter function, either a built-in diverter on the mixer body, a separate diverter valve, or a combination shower outlet that manages both functions. Consult your plumber during the rough-in stage to ensure the water outlets are positioned correctly for the rail and overhead positions. The Blue Space stocks complete combination rail-and-overhead shower sets from brands including Phoenix, Meir, and Caroma.

A wall shower (or wall-mounted shower head) is a fixed shower head mounted to the shower wall via a shower arm. The shower head position is fixed, though some models have an adjustable arm allowing the angle and extension to be altered. Wall showers are a classic, simple, and practical choice for any bathroom.

A shower mixer (or shower tap) is the control valve that regulates the flow and temperature of water to your shower. A single-lever mixer controls both temperature and flow with one handle. A thermostatic mixer maintains a pre-set water temperature even if pressure changes elsewhere in the system, a safer and more convenient option, particularly for households with children. Shower mixers in Australia must comply with AS 3718 standards.

A gold or brushed gold finish brings a warm tone into a bathroom that chrome or white doesn't, and it pairs naturally with timber vanities, warm-toned tiles and brass or gold tapware and accessories. Brushed gold in particular hides water spots and fingerprints better than a polished or lacquered gold finish, which makes it a practical choice for a family bathroom as well as a design one.

Several Australian and international tapware brands offer gold and brushed gold finishes using PVD (physical vapour deposition) coating, which bonds the finish to the metal and resists fading and tarnishing far better than an older-style lacquered gold finish. Rather than picking by brand name alone, check whether the finish is PVD and what warranty is offered on the finish itself, since that's the detail that determines how the colour holds up over years of use.

A PVD gold finish is bonded into the metal and doesn't tarnish the way an unlacquered or older-style plated gold finish can. If your fixture does have a lacquered or unlacquered finish, avoid abrasive cleaners and acidic bathroom sprays, and wipe it dry after use rather than letting water spots sit and etch the surface over time. Checking whether a finish is PVD-rated before buying is the simplest way to avoid tarnishing issues altogether.

Perceived power comes from spray pattern and pressure at the head, not just the finish or brand, and it's genuinely dependent on your home's water pressure. Many modern shower heads use air-injection technology to maintain a strong-feeling spray while keeping water use down, so a lower-flow, higher-WELS-rated head can still feel powerful in a home with good mains pressure. It's worth checking WELS flow rate figures rather than relying on marketing language like "powerful" or "rainfall."

Yes. WELS star ratings apply to the shower head's internal mechanism and flow rate, not its outer finish, so a gold or brushed gold head must carry the same WELS rating disclosure as a chrome or black equivalent. The finish is a surface treatment and doesn't affect water efficiency compliance.

Yes, gold and brushed gold finishes are available across fixed wall heads, hand showers and rail-mounted sets, so you're not limited to one mounting style if you want the finish throughout the bathroom. For details on how a rail-mounted set works and what rail length suits your shower, see shower on rails.