Shower Enclosures

Showers no longer play second fiddle to the bathtub.

All About

Product Ideas

New designs and materials are making shower areas the star of the bath. Host Joan Kohn explores the design possibilities with designers Joe Passero and Marcos Torres.

One of the trends for shower enclosures is to eliminate the door using a wet space large enough to contain the water.
One trend in modern baths is to completely eliminate the tub, using only the shower to accommodate a less leisurely lifestyle.

Another trend for today’s showers is to make them large enough to accommodate two people at the same time and include multiple shower heads.

Another trend is to make the shower space quite large, often big enough to accommodate two at once or to completely eliminate the need for a water barrier like a door or curtain.

Natural light is a highly desired feature in these new, larger showers.

Glass is the hottest material in baths today. The swirled door is typical of innovative designs being used.

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.