Six essential questions when choosing the right shower enclosure
With a number of complementary components to combine, the shower enclosure is almost a room in itself. By asking these questions, shower designers can make sure everything fits together cleanly.
By James Wormald
February 7, 2023 | 11:00 pm CUT
PCA’s B05 Hinged Shower Cabin turns an alcove into a cosy shower space (top), Samo’s Open Screen has dual entry points (middle) and Kos’ Wazebo shower can go inside or out (bottom)
Placement: where should a shower go?
Let’s start with the simplest question. Due to their enclosed nature, showers are slaves to the floor plan, often just positioned in whichever corner is furthest from the door. But sometimes a more complicated architectural layout works in their favour. With three walls already formed, alcoves are naturally suited to shower placement. If the room is blessed with enough space, meanwhile, single walls can create luxurious walk-in and walk-out showers with dual entry/exit points. And the Wazebo outdoor shower pavilion from Kos proves no walls are really required at all.
Agape’s Chiocciola spiral shower without door (top), Inda’s Rapid Quadrant curved corner shower with sliding doors (middle) and Duravit’s bespoke-shaped Starck shower enclosure (bottom)
Shape: what shape should the shower be?
Now we come, neatly and squarely, to the question of geometry. Due to their suitability in relation to straight-edge corners and walls, square and rectangular shower enclosures make up the majority. Think a little outside the glass box, however, and doorless spiral showers take up only slightly more space, but allow users to walk in without worrying about spray getting out.Showers are slaves to the floor plan. But sometimes a more complicated layout works in their favour
Ingress and egress: how to get in and out of the shower?
With a far wider single edge than square-shaped corner showers, those in the curved category are able to include sliding doors, thus freeing up nearby floor space. Alternatively, those with a preference for pivot doors are gifted with a wider entrance point. Concertina or saloon doors are suitable for smaller bathrooms too, bending inwards to the showering space, but can force users to shift awkwardly to one side in order to close them. And the Alter shower from Samo features a split stable or dutch door.
Bette’s seamlessly integrated Bettefloor tray (top), Villeroy & Boch’s heritage-inspired ceramic flush-floor tray (middle) and Monitillo 1980’s Massapia raised tray, carved from natural stone (bottom)
The shower tray: where does the water go?
With plenty of space underneath, a raised shower tray is the simplest way to connect shower drainage with the home’s wastewater system, and the raised lip makes it easy to keep surface water inside the tray. While trickier to plumb in, however – taking up space in between beams – flush-floor shower trays are a far more luxurious option, with users able to simply saunter in without the worry of a stubbed toe or two. Additionally, colour and materiality are further considerations when selecting a shower tray, with designers able to match or contrast the shower’s tray with the colour, pattern or texture of surrounding bathroom surfaces.
Duscholux’s partially frosted Allegra shower doors (top) and Glas Marte’s ICE-H screen with ice crystal patterning (bottom) keep privacy functional and aesthetic
Introvert or extrovert: how much privacy is required?
Even with a lock on the bathroom door, the sanitary space’s multifunctionality and schedule of peak and off-peak use mean privacy within the shower enclosure is essential. For those who need to share the bathroom, enclosures with frosted glass keep the view decent, and partially opaque screens like Allegra from manufacturer Duscholux put privacy precisely where it’s needed, while letting users see out.The sanitary space’s multifunctionality and schedule of peak and off-peak use mean privacy within the shower enclosure is essential
