When you have a large master suite with its attendant bathroom, you have a lot of real estate to work with. Your designer can create the most well-appointed shower with all the bells and whistles.
The reality is that many people live in condos, townhomes, and small or historical houses. If you're one of these homeowners, are you relegated to a simple bathroom? Of course not. Your bathroom can still be welloutfitted - and it starts with your shower. Read on for some tips for upgrading your shower for a luxurious ambience in your petite bathroom.
In small bathrooms, space is at a premium, and this includes visual space. Framed glass enclosures can be an artistic addition to a large bathroom, but the frame takes up visual space that you can't spare in a small bathroom. Therefore, you should choose a frameless glass enclosure.
Contractors use semi-hidden fasteners that they attach to the wall and that hold the large sheets of heavy-duty glass in place. The doors operate on similarly-discreet hinges. If you want to make your shower enclosure disappear, consider having a transparent acrylic handle installed for opening the door.
A frameless glass enclosure offers the following benefits for a petite bathroom:
- Doesn't impede the sightline
- Reflects light, making the bathroom feel larger
- Lets the tile work show through
Since a frameless glass shower enclosure is a custom construction, the contractors can locate it anywhere you have the spare space.
When you have a tiny bathroom, you may think you either have to have a shower and tub combo installed - which weighs down your visual space - or eschew the tub altogether. However, if you can make the bathtub do double duty, you can transform your walk-in shower into a miniature wet room.
The key to this layout is choosing the right tub. In this case, consider a Japanese soaking tub, which is narrow and tall, usually
27 inches deep. Therefore, you're taking up vertical instead of horizontal space, though you still get the full soaking experience.
Nonetheless, to make the soaking tub worth the space, it has to serve a second purpose - as a shower bench. Many Japanese soaking tubs are constructed of wood, so you could have a cover custom-made also of wood.
Conversely, you can have a Japanese soaking tub fitted with a small surround that also serves as a ledge for shower supplies. A customized cover also converts this setup into a shower bench.
Another way to open up the look of your shower is to open it up even further. If possible, consider having a clerestory window installed. These windows are located high up the wall, so privacy while you're in the shower won't be an issue. If you want extra privacy, though, consider choosing frosted or stained glass, both of which are less transparent.
A full window may not be possible, especially if your shower isn't located against an exterior wall. In that case, consider a clerestory-style opening filled in with glass blocks. These glass blocks, which are essentially bricks made of glass, are even more opaque than frosted or stained glass. They're also stationary, so you can have them installed even in a wall leading to another room or hallway.
If your shower's ceiling is just below the roof, you can have a skylight installed. A skylight is a great boon in a shower stall, especially a small one. The natural sunlight will infuse the whole area with light. What's more, you can choose a casement-style window, which you can open for ventilation. Yet because of the location, you don't have to worry about privacy.
Upgrade your whole tiny bathroom, starting with the walk-in shower, to create a spa-like ambience. Contact
Kenny Glass for all your glass and window needs.
