When decorating or kitting out a renovated bathroom, one of the decisions you’ll generally have to make is whether to use a shower curtain or have proper shower screens fitted. Shower screens avoid water getting out and drenching the rest of your room when you use a shower that is over your tub, or sometimes a standalone shower that isn’t fully enclosed, such as a “wet room” style shower that doesn’t take up a room all to itself.
Shower screens are a much better idea than curtains in almost every respect. They look much better, and last a lot longer, without ever going kind of damp, discoloured and horrible like shower curtains can do very quickly. They also do a much better job of keeping water in. From a design perspective, you can do a lot with your shower screens to create a stylish look in your bathroom, too.
A popular trend at the moment is to opt for robust, frameless shower screens. These are usually made of tempered glass, giving them the structural strength not to require a frame, making them look very simple and elegant, and also, from a practical perspective, making them extremely easy to clean. Some people opt for a simple, clear glass design which can make your bathroom look larger and works really well if you are going for bright, minimalist effect in the room. If you prefer something that gives more of a private feel when you shower, frosted or tinted glass options can achieve this while still looking modern and stylish.
Other popular options are shower screens that fold, hinge or slide out of the way, meaning that if you tend to use the tub a lot, as well as the shower, you don’t have to have the screen in place while you relax in the bath. These options also give you an opportunity to show off any nice details that might lie behind the shower screen, such as attractive tiling around the tub or any special, fancy bathtub fittings.
If your shower screens do have a frame, consider a frame and any hinge arrangements that are easy to clean, look good, and operate smoothly without jarring, bumping or leaving gaps where water can get through. Bad frames on shower screens can lead to the shower screens clanging or getting stiff, so in the worst case they can crack or won’t go properly into place, meaning you can get leaks.
