Shower enclosure dilemma

last year

last modified: last year

Hi there

I'm just wondering if I can get some advice for for my bathroom. Redesigning your home on your own is great for mental circles! My shower enclosure can either be a normal hinged entry 900 x 800, or a quadrant 900 x 800. None of the other elements can move as going left the ceiling slopes sharpish and the toilet is connected to the only place the soil pipe can go. The vanity can only sit in in its current location due to pipes. The entry door also cannot become a sliding door and can't open into the other way into the bedroom.

The main issue is with door opening. Quadrant makes this a little more natural given where the entrance to the bathroom door is. Spatially and ergonomically it fits better. On the other hand the shower is spatially quite smaller, and the product I've found is not massively in-keeping the rest of my decor which is modern victorian vibe. (Option A). The hinged door product is better looking and more spacious, but is ergonomically a bit weird and maybe dominates the space. (Option B). Any thoughts? Pics below

Option A - product dimensions different

Option b - product dimensions different

Featured Answer

Jonathan

last year

Personally I think the quadrant enclosure now looks dated, I would choose the square enclosure and put a lock on the bathroom door to ensure it remains closed when you are showering in order to avoid any door clashes

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Comments (19)

julianne london
last year
Could you change the door to a sliding pocket door? Then you could have the bigger square enclosure.
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Paul
Original Author
last year
thanks julianne, no i can’t unfortunately
Katie Duke
last year
I agree with Jonathan - of the two I prefer the square enclosure.

A totally different option (which will def divide opinion) is to have no enclosure and use shower curtains. A bent rail suspended from the ceiling could work with a deep lipped shower tray set into something with slightly built up sides to keep the curtains on the inside. Or a stud wall next to basin and a rail across and to the side wall. I think shower curtains are actually a lot less bother than an enclosure, no hinges or lips to get claggy and manky and you just chuck the curtain in the washing machine to keep it looking fresh. No door clashes either!
julianne london
last year
You get an enclosure that is called a pentangle I think - its like the quadrant but not curved, it has three angled sides instead of one curve (if you see what I mean?) I think it might be by Matki. That would give you a more modern look and would relate better to the basin too. Good Luck!
PRO
Caldicot Kitchen & Bathroom Centre
last year
I'm afraid I have to disagree with the other posters, and my recommendation would be for a quadrant. The amount of space lost is negligible - and the space you lose is from a "dead" corner anyway. What it does do, however, is give much better space in the rest of your bathroom with no harsh corners. A double door slider will avoid any door clashes and (to contradict @julianne london - sorry!), I (and my clients) feel it is the pentangle which looks dated, not the quadrants! I sell a great many quads and offset quads and practically no pentangles.

Will be interested to hear what you decide on!

Caldicot Kitchens
Sonia
last year
I have a 900 x 900 quadrant with double sliding doors, so best option for non clashing doors! My bathroom is tiny so it was either a bath or a shower cubicle and the shower won as it is easier to walk into with my arthritic joints. It may not be trendy but it does the job perfectly. Mine is silver framed, but I like this black framed one which has sliding doors.
User
last year
Don't assume the layout can't be changed. Pipes can be rerouted by a competent plumber.
Paul
Original Author
last year
thanks guys. lots of good ideas - sometimes it’s good to know that there’s a divergence of opinion and not one single answer. i definitely have a tendency to get stuck in loops trying to find the ‘perfect’ answer

i did briefly look at quadrangles and to me they seemed pretty similar to quads - personally i don’t think there’s a huge amount in it.

the shower curtain idea is interesting as well. unfortunately my projects progressing very quickly so there’s no time to introduce a stud there now but that’s definitely a prospect i hadn’t thought of.

thanks sarah that wasn’t an assumption but after a detailed sit down with both my main contractor and heating engineer and plumber.
Katie Duke
last year
I suspect that the first picture is a rather pricey solution but it would maybe fit with the Victorian theme. Second pic is a suspended rail. Issue with both is how you deal with draining the water. If you're already on the go with the project maybe it's too late to have drain in floor as per first picture and you will have to have a tray and a very low wall to create a lip. Good luck with whatever you decide!
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Anna G
last year
Can you match your shower tray and the flooring? My 900x900 shower is right in front of the door like yours and I think it's the dark grey low profile tray with dark flooring that stops it dominating.. Not sure I'm advocating the grey though - tiniest amount of limescale shows. Wondering if white tray pale floor would work. 100% agree with your quandary, think I'd favour square as I like a big shower.
Paul
Original Author
8 months ago
hi all - went for a quadrant in the end. looks pretty good! thanks for all the opinions and help
Sonia
8 months ago
Well done. That looks fab!
Sonia
8 months ago
One question Paul (well two). Do you have hard water? If so, does it make the black trim a little harder to clean?
Paul
Original Author
8 months ago
hi Sonia. i do have hard water but have a water softener installed. time will tell if it works as i only moved in 1.5 months ago. my builder and plumber both told me that ultimately it will still get limescale and start to look bad in about 2 years . (but we will see. also they told me this after we’d finished 😂)
Vanessa Barriball
8 months ago
While it is expensive to move a soil pipe it isn’t very expensive to move water pipes - we have done it twice. Moving the vanity will enable you to rethink your layout.
Sonia
8 months ago
Paul, my plumber said it’s quite easy to replace the shower quadrant glass screen, which I am thinking of doing as no amount of Viakal does the job anymore! Cost is about £300 but I can’t look at that rock hard limescale anymore.
Paul
Original Author
8 months ago
how long have you had it if you don’t mind me asking?
Sonia
8 months ago
About 7 years. Our water is very hard.

Shower enclosure dilemma

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