The shower is one of the most prominent features in a bathroom; thus, your choices regarding framing and decorative glass will influence how the room looks and feels. Here are some options to consider when styling your enclosure.
Framed Screens
Metal trim runs along each of the four edges of a framed shower screen, typically in elements such as steel or aluminium. You'll need to match this framing with other hardware in the bathroom, including the shower door's handle, showerhead, and items such as basin tapware. For instance, if the bathroom has a softly contoured basin with rounded taps, then curved shower door handles would harmonise better than a sharp square design.
Frameless Panels
Frameless shower screens have minimal hardware so that you're mainly aware of clear, smooth glass panels. Without the definite structure of a metal frame, your bathroom will feel more expansive and open, as the shower space won't be visually cut off from the general bathroom area. However, the hardware, such as handles and supporting brackets, still needs to coordinate with other elements. What finish does the basin tap have? Is it chrome or matte black? Being consistent in finish as well as style will give your bathroom a more polished look.
Semi-Framed Designs
Semi-framed models lie between these two alternatives—having some metal edging in a more obvious way than a frameless shower but not to the degree of fully framed models. The particular setup, whether the shower has metal channels at the bottom or top or along the wall, varies between designs.
Safety Glass
Being without extensive metal edging, frameless showers use a particularly robust glass for extra security. As per building regulations, they use toughened safety glass, which is many times stronger than the standard float panes within windows. Fully framed showers, on the other hand, with supportive metal edging, don't rely on the glass to perform this role. They can thus use laminated safety glass which isn't quite so strong. This consists of two glass panes bonded in the middle with a resin plastic that holds the panel together should it crack.
Decorative Glass Options
While building codes mandate safety glass options, you'll have the freedom to select between decorative glass types for your shower screens. One possibility is to install standard clear screens that allow for free-flowing light. Regular 'clear' panels, though, are not fully transparent; they typically display a bluish-green tinge, especially along the edges. Counteracting this, low-iron glass is absolutely crystal.
Frosted, patterned and toned glass provide other decorative choices—all these screens obscure the view into the shower. Thus, everyone can enjoy a more private and relaxing showering experience. Frosted glass clouds the glazing so that only blurred images are visible, while patterned glass is moulded to create specific effects, such as running water. Toned glass in bronze, green-blue or black darkens the space without the blocked-in feeling given by opaque materials, such as shower curtains.
To learn more, contact a shower screen supplier.
