Four Things to Consider About Doorless Showers | Rules of Renovation
When I moved into my home, I thought that the doorless shower downstairs was odd, to say the least. What if I got the bathroom wet? How was I going to stay warm in there? And why was it built that way in the first place?
As it turns out, doorless showers are pretty trendy at the moment. They can be really beautiful and fun, and they somehow manage to make the whole bathroom feel very modern and cool. However, before you remodel the bathroom to include a doorless shower, it’s wise to consider a few things about them, so you don’t break the rules of renovation!
- Don’t Leave the Shower Completely Open
What you don’t want is a giant gaping shower staring at the rest of the bathroom. Why not? Well, for one thing, A standard shower that doesn’t have a cover will spray water across the floor, toilet, counter, and mirror–which you don’t want.
A better choice is to build a splash wall or even a full wall, with the entrance to the shower at the far (and less spray-heavy) end. In that case, you still want to take care that your vanity and toilet are out of any overspray zone. Nobody wants a wet toilet or spots on the mirror every time you shower! This wall can also help keep the bathroom from feeling unfinished with a doorless shower.
2. Be Warned–Drafts Will Happen
The nice thing about traditional showers is that with the curtain closed, most of the steam and heat stays in with you, keeping you nice and warm. With a doorless shower, while it can give you a spa-like experience, you may also have to deal with drafts of colder air coming in while you shower. This can be better or worse depending on the placement of the door and the spout. You should be prepared for an occasional cold spell in the shower if you have a doorless shower.
3. Consider Building a Separate Shower Zone
Not only is splashing the rest of the bathroom a concern, but separating the shower a bit from the rest of the bathroom can help provide you a sense of privacy after remodeling your bathroom. Something as simple as a wall or corner that divides the shower from the toilet is a good way to accomplish this.
This is one big reason to think hard about whether you want to build a doorless shower. If it’s your home, will you feel you have enough privacy with a doorless shower? And if you’re selling a home, is the design of the shower such that buyers will feel protected enough?
4. Does Your Shower Fit the Rest of the Bathroom’s Design?
The last thing you want for yourself or a potential buyer is to have a shower that doesn’t seem to fit in the bathroom. Before you install a doorless shower, consider carefully what the shower will look like in the bathroom. You don’t want it to seem like you simply forgot to add a door or curtain!
What do you think about doorless showers? Do you want one in your home?
