Steel is synonymous with modern life and commerce. Bedroom Furniture Packages Apart from the plate glass windows that dominated The Crystal Palace and early department stores, you will struggle to find a substance more married to modernity than stainless steel. Yet whereas glass has often been deployed in an ostentatious and most un-Victorian fashion, steel has quietly forged itself a reputation for practicality and reliability. Much like the theory of evolution, stainless steel was first conceptualised during Queen Victoria's reign before gaining widespread acceptance in the early twentieth century. Science is an apt analogy here, because stainless steel is the go-to medium for many aspects of modern living.
One of the more prosaic manifestations of stainless steel in contemporary life is the humble shower unit. While the Victorians were happy to wallow in a tepid pool of dirty water lugged upstairs by the maid, we would rather blast the filth away with the aid of a power shower. When we think of the shower unit, we think modernity, hygiene, sanctuary... and of Janet Leigh's untimely demise in Psycho. That iconic scene must surely rank as the shower tray's zenith in cinematic history.
Casting such morbid associations aside, the steel shower tray possesses all the attributes that a modern bathroom demands. Firstly, it's tough and sanitary. Stainless steel is the material of choice in surgical instrumentation, the catering industry and domestic households. The chromium component of this wonder alloy forms an inert and non-permeable surface, meaning that it is resistant to scratches, will not corrode and leaves bacteria with nowhere to gain a foothold. This means your shower tray is near clinically clean provided you pay it the most basic of attention. Even Psycho's Norman Bates - a man with unique purification needs - would have to concur that the steel shower tray is the epitome of cleanliness. The benefits of this attractive material go beyond mere hygiene however.
Stainless steel has also found its way into modern construction disciplines such as art deco architecture, and is used heavily in industrial and agricultural hardware manufacture. These facts nod to three other features of stainless steel: amazing strength, durability and a pleasing aesthetic. As shower tray materials go, stainless steel has outstanding longevity. If it were a footballer, it would be a Paolo Maldini or a Ryan Giggs. Like these two greats, steel still looks remarkably untouched by Father Time, and continues to shine long after lesser materials have lost their lustre.
