Remodeling Trends

One of the most important elements in a bathroom remodeling project is the shower enclosure. Glass shower doors and enclosures are necessary to retain water but they can also make a design statement in the room. Glass shower enclosures are popular among homeowners for many reasons including ease of maintenance and the visual impact they can make in a small area by creating an illusion of space.

 

If you are planning a bathroom remodeling project the first thing to consider is the size of the space you want to use for a shower. Stand-alone walk-in showers can be as small as 36-by-36 inches. Other common sizes of walk-in showers are 48 and 60 inches in width. If your project involves a tub/shower combination the standard length of a tub is 60 inches. A custom shower can be designed to conform to your bathroom space or it can be integrated with a tub.  

 

Clear glass was used for the custom walk-in shower enclosure and door. The glass reveals the tile pattern and accents.

Types of Glass Shower Doors

There are three basic types of glass shower doors:

• Sliding or by-pass doors use the least amount of space in a bathroom and there is no door swing to account for. They can also be installed with tub/shower units in place of a shower curtain to more efficiently contain water.


• Pivot doors are hinged and easier to clean than a sliding door. The downside is that the bathroom must have enough floor space to allow for a door swing. The photo above features a pivot glass shower door.


• Neo-angle shower doors are designed expressly for corner showers.

There are a number of style options for the tempered safety glass that is used for showers: 

• Clear glass gives a small room a feeling of spaciousness. It also reveals the features inside the shower such as tile design and multi-head showers or body sprays.


• Frosted and textured glass are selected for privacy as well as aesthetics. Frosted glass can include patterns and designs to complement the bathroom.


• Glass block enclosures can be used for privacy and water retention for walk-in showers without doors.

Glass shower doors and enclosures come with frames or can be installed unframed. Framed enclosures can be found in a variety of finishes. Unframed enclosures reduce corrosion and resist residue build up.

The following photos show how these three options were used in bath remodeling projects:

Clear Glass. This custom walk-in shower features an unframed glass shower enclosure with a pivot door. An ideal solution for a small bathroom space where the homeowners also have a soaking tub. The unframed glass makes the stall blend into the room.

Frosted Glass. An Asian influenced design used in this master bathroom brings together elements found in nature. A frosted glass shower enclosure and door with a branch pattern was used for the walk-in shower. Glass blocks were used on the large double window for privacy.

Glass Blocks. Privacy and water retention were important considerations when this master bath, featuring a walk-in shower without doors and whirlpool tub, was designed. Glass blocks were used to create a privacy screen and the contain water from the shower sprays.