Shower Cubicles: Designer’s Friend or Foe?
Shower cubicles are space-saving units that can benefit a small bathroom tremendously. But do they limit the creativity of the designers? Shweta Ramsay finds out more.
Bathrooms in India today come in all shapes and sizes, and people’s tastes and needs vary considerably. Choosing an ideal shower cubicle is a cumbersome task. Shower cabins are perfect cubicles for the modern bathroom and offer the complete shower experience. Comfortable, functional and featuring truly appealing style, shower cubicles can be equipped with sophisticated technology to ensure a practical and immediate use of steam, an ancient, natural source of well-being.
Manish Motilal Banker, Principal Architect, TAO Architecture Pvt. Ltd said, “The shower cubicle allows the designer to be creative as the shower cubicle helps retain the space, unifying it visually, while segregating the wet and dry areas simultaneously. In turn, the shower area flaunts the elegant faucets and aesthetic surfaces, enriching the ambience.”
He further added, “The latest trend in shower cubicles is to have a shower cubicle, with an enhanced sound system and integrated lighting, resonating the aura, should preferably open into a view of lush green leeway.”
Shower cubicles have been in use for a long time and they have survived due to the many advantages they offer. Once installed, they can last for years while serving their function. They are a common find in many households.
Ekta Sanghvi
Director, Lighting Concepts Pvt. Ltd.
“Creativity is not dependent on the size of the washroom or a shower cubicle. Even in a shower cubicle, just adding a light in the hinges or concealed lighting in the ceiling or in the shower enhances the whole feel of the bathroom.”
There are three types of glass shower enclosures: framed, frameless, and semi-frameless. They differ by price and appearance. Framed glass shower enclosures are the least expensive, frameless ones are the most expensive and semi-frameless enclosures fall somewhere in between.
The most common type of glass shower enclosure is the framed enclosure. It is identified by the metal frame that wraps around the top, bottom and both sides of each glass panel. A framed glass shower enclosure also has a frame around its door. For decorative purposes, the clamps for the frameless enclosure are also available in a variety of finishes, including brushed nickel, chrome, brass and gold.
Banker stated, “A good shower cubicle should have slippery surfaces, silent exhaust system, comfortable access to activities like reaching out to bathing accessories along with an easy operation of the shower cubicle allowing a smooth circulation and water drainage.”
Benefits of shower cubicle
They are easy to maintain. Once the cubicle is well installed, only basic cleaning is required. This is made easier by the fact that there are areas of the cubicle that are known to attract dirt and more concentration is given to them. The intensity of the cleaning is mild, as one has to do is wipe the cubicle walls after a shower to keep them dry.
Shower cubicles also come in many shapes and designs making them ideal for use with bathroom decor. In addition, the transparent cubicles provide an opportunity to use shower curtains that also play a role in the decor.
They are easy to install as well. Cubicles leave the shop with features that make them very easy to install. For instance, designers may find a cubicle that has its own tray to complete it. The edges of the tray are designed to accommodate the cubicle while the cubicle edges are made in such a way that they fit well to the tray. In addition, they may have one side open and this is the one that is replaced by the bathroom wall where the showers, sinks and other bathroom fixtures are installed and this reduces the task of installation.
Shower cubicles are also available at many prices thanks to the shape and design variability. This gives one the ability to select cubicles that will suit their budget.
Manish Motilal Banker
Principal Architect,
TAO Architecture Pvt. Ltd
“The latest trend in shower cubicles is to have a shower cubicle, with an enhanced sound system and integrated lighting, resonating the aura, and should preferably open into a view of lush green leeway.”
Top trends in a shower cubicle
Tinted Glass – Gray, bronze, and even blue tints are a nice look on transparent glass. They add just a hint of colour to accent interior colour schemes and give the washroom an unexpected touch. This is not a film added to the glass, the tint is created in the actual float glass manufacturing process, so the colour will stay true forever.
Steam Showers – with glass that goes all the way up to the ceiling, these showers can trap in all the heat and steam from the shower to create a sauna-like effect. Moveable specially-cut upper transoms can be opened to help control the moisture levels to prevent your shower from becoming a constant rainforest and aid ventilation.
Header-less Design – With no hardware at the top, these doors look like beautiful jewelcases in a bath. Advances in hardware engineering and talented glaziers make these enclosures works of art that make them seem to defy the laws of physics.
Exposed Industrial Hardware- This European hardware style is popping up from several great manufacturers. It features rollers and bars like barn door hardware but is designed to stand up to the unique bathroom environment.
Acid Etched Glass – This translucent glass is available in low-iron versions that have a milky-white appearance that is soothing and ethereal for the bath. It also allows for privacy while still offering all the easy-to-clean advantages of other glass showers. And because it is permanently etched on one surface (usually placed facing the outside of the shower), the effect will never fade, clean off, or scratch off.