A well-designed glass shower screen is a sleek, clean, and contemporary addition to any bathroom. Whilst being principally a functional element, by utilising a variety of fittings, ironmongery and a variety of glass colours and patterns, the maker can ‘style up’ any, what may be considered a boring utilitarian water sealing barrier, to become an interesting and even stunning feature.
Forget the chunky bright aluminium framed showers screens churned out in the 1980’s with the wobbly glass sliding doors and so much chunk they were difficult to keep clean. Whilst derivatives of these are available to this day, I am discussing the bespoke glass screen which is undeniably trendy and a sought-after inclusion to any modern bathroom.
Glass can be made in a variety of shapes and sizes enabling it to fit with precision into any pitched roof or small space. It is cut to size prior to the manufacturing process called toughening which makes it a safe product to use in a bathroom. These bespoke glass panels need to have beautiful fittings to hold the screen in place which can be standard or bespoke to enhance your scheme and can be chosen from a range of glass fitting companies who will work with you to achieve the desired effect.
The obvious beauty in a glass panel is the inherent reflective material itself; however dark, or small your bathroom is; it will be enhanced by the brilliance of a sheer pane of glass. Simple glass fixed panels offer fuss free simplicity and in a small bathroom can unclutter the space, especially in a white compact scheme.
If looking to incorporate a walk-in glass shower enclosure in a large bathroom then glass offers an exclusively expensive looking product because basically in this instance, it is. The expense is dictated by material alone, as it needs to be structurally safe and stand up. Frameless glass and shower doors require thicker glass with strong special hardware and hinges. Frameless glass enclosures which eliminate the borders around each panel, gives your shower a seamless, cohesive aesthetic. Once installed the shower enclosure looks as fabulous as one you see in interior design magazines or in 5 Star luxury hotels.
Showers from the 90s and earlier tend to have opaque glass. This is good for privacy, but it can look dull if applied over the whole surface. Modern shower screen trends lean toward transparent glass, which provides a sleeker, brighter, more spacious appearance and allows you to show off the custom shower tile. But if this feel too exposed, custom decorative etched glass could be the answer creating any design you want. The trend is to be as simple as possible for a long-lasting style. These graphics can be artwork in the bathroom and enhances the simplest of schemes. Often the etching is applied inside the enclosure which allows for the reflective nature of glass to be retained on the outside. It is also easier to clean.
To soften the echo in a bathroom where there are hard finishes such as the tiles and ceramics, consider adding a curtain on the outer edge of the glass screen for softness and in doing so, adding a touch of luxury. There are so many choices of material finishes which can match your ironmongery and style. The juxta positioning of the soft material compared to the hard reflective surface of glass, works so well, adding an extra layer of comfort.
Regardless of your budget, make sure the products are suitable for wet or steam environments, otherwise you will be wasting your money and throwing away the products after a couple of years because they have rusted up and that is not going to enhance any new bathroom experience.
We’ve worked with a whole host of residential and commercial customers to achieve the bathroom look they were after. We helped source the appropriate glass, the accompanying ironmongery and install the finished product.
Get in touch if you’d like a free no obligation quote. We’d love to help you.