Shower Enclosures

One of the hot trends in modern baths is to eliminate the tub, using only the shower to accommodate a less leisurely lifestyle. And speaking of hot trends, another is to make them large enough to bring a guest with you — he or she can even have a separate showerhead. Here are other ideas for designing a hot shower:

• Eliminate the shower door by having a wet space large enough to contain the water.
  
• If you have a large shower, allow lots of natural light in.
  
• Glass is the hottest material in baths today.
  
• The most common material for the shower surround is tile, which is also the most economical, but other options include natural stone, manufactured stone, glass block, glass tile, and acrylic.
  
• Traditional spaces use tile and ornamental borders but keep to a neutral, monochromatic color scheme. Contemporary baths use stone or an artful combination of stone and tile, especially mosaic tiles.
  
• Shower doors made of glass can be framed or seamless. The popular seamless doors require thicker glass and have a higher price tag.
  
• Preformed acrylic tubs are high performance, low maintenance and low cost.