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Original poster

Shower enclosure or walk in behind a wall?

35 replies

boringlyboring · 04/01/2019 17:16

Currently looking at ideas for bathroom, and just trying to make my mind up on this..

I love the wall idea, however we may or may not end up selling in the future (it’s not a definite forever home but it’s an ‘it’ll do’ if we’re not in the position to buy again in the future)

I’m looking at various enclosures and nothing is really doing it for me, I feel this would ‘flow’ better.

I’d either have the half wall like in the photo, or potentially a full height wall so that I could put the mirror and vanity against it too.

But my only worry is that it could put people off as it’s obviously difficult to to change, compared to a normal cubicle.

Would this put you off?

The bit infront of the entry to the shower would be the ‘drying’ area,will have towel rails/rad and hooks and the wall opposite will have lots of storage, so it will be a very functional area.

Shower enclosure or walk in behind a wall?
OP posts:
Thread gallery
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autumnleaf1 · 04/01/2019 17:20

I love the wall idea, although having the same tiles on the wall and floor looks a little odd.

NigelMolesworth · 04/01/2019 17:26

I really like the wall idea mainly from a cleaning perspective ie I wouldn't have to keep cleaning the glass enclosure. No matter how diligent you are, it's the glass bit that starts to look manky first. I'd have to have a full height wall though as I think you'd get splashing over the top of a half height one which would annoy me.

bobkate · 04/01/2019 17:32

Ours is similar-ish. We were planning just using the wall as a screen but it didn't come out far enough and the splashing out would be awful so we got this door as well. That would be the only thing I would say to consider....the water splashing out factor.

Shower enclosure or walk in behind a wall?
Beckyt80 · 04/01/2019 17:38

Bobkate.... I really like your bathroom.... can you tell me the dimensions please? Is the entrance door at the end where you have taken the photo from? Also the wall colour is great too... what’s that?

Original poster
boringlyboring · 04/01/2019 17:46

With you on the tiles autumnleaf1 this is just a photo I knicked from ikeaGrin

I’m leaning towards the full height wall slightly, though I did think about having the top half glass so it looks/feels more spacious ( but with you on the cleaning!)

bobkate that looks great! I love the colour of your walls too. I would prefer no door, but I’ll have to think about the splashing. My shower would be along the backwall but sideways (basically the lay out of the photo, if you’re looking in from the doorway) so any splashing wouldn’t get on the main part if that makes sense. It would just go onto where the drying off area will be.

OP posts:
Original poster
boringlyboring · 04/01/2019 17:49

I really like the counter/tiled bit behind the toilet aswell bobkateI think I’ll knick that idea!

OP posts:
scottishdaisy · 04/01/2019 19:09

I think the placement of the window is really important....The shower in our last house was at the far end of the bathroom and was tucked behind a full height so it blocked the natural light and felt a bit claustrophobic. We took it down and put in an enclosure. I think Bobkate's room looks fab because the layout looks less hidden away than ours - it looks like you will be able to stand in the shower and see into the room and maybe the window too? . With our shower, you were tucked in behind and surrounded by three full walls... we knocked the wall down and the room seemed larger and the natural light reached the shower...

TRCM · 04/01/2019 19:16

We were thinking along the same lines as you OP and decided on a shower screen that went the whole width of the room. This took away the splash factor, its warmer in winter and it gave us a larger more luxuriously feeling shower enclosure rather than having wasted space for drying. I'll post the picture of the screen we ended up with (1400mm wide)...

bobkate · 04/01/2019 19:18

Thanks and I'm glad someone wants to nick an idea!! I have added another couple of pics showing the sink and door, after hastily clearing the top ledge of crap!!! The dimensions beckyt80 are about 3.1m long by 1.4m wide. Oh and the walls are a johnstones mix of f & b stiffkey blue.

Shower enclosure or walk in behind a wall?
Shower enclosure or walk in behind a wall?
TRCM · 04/01/2019 19:18

From soak.com
Can you give us a picture of your layout?

Shower enclosure or walk in behind a wall?
TRCM · 04/01/2019 19:19

Gorgeous classy bathroom @bobkate !

bobkate · 04/01/2019 19:37

TRCM thanks so much. That has made my day Blush

bobkate · 04/01/2019 19:39

Plus I agree with you about the warmth factor by having the door. I think not having a door might be a bit draughty possibly.

Original poster
boringlyboring · 04/01/2019 20:14

scottishdaisy thats a good point if I went for a full height wall. In the ikea picture, the half height wall and the glass on top gives it an ‘open’ feel.

I probably should have lead with the floor plan TRCM..

The red mark is where I’d want the wall to be. It’s kind of in the middle of the room, and if it was only short with the glass on top, it might not feel as separate? The yellow mark is where the window is (that’s the only wall free for a window)

The green bit is all a storage cupboard, which I’ve gone back and forth on knocking through and having the shower on that side. But then I’d only end up paying to replace it with less storage (it’s very handy, can fit towels toiletries, mop, laundry basket, ironing board etc)

The bathroom is quite bright in general.

I thought about having it go wall to wall too, but atleast at the minute, I feel I don’t need 2m of space to shower but having that small space to dry off without traipsing water on the rest of the floor feels more handy. I’ll be taking my next shower very seriously to think about these thingsgrin

I don’t suppose if anyone knows if a door can be easily fitted afterward? I was set on a walk in, but I didn’t think about the warmth aspect! I’m now wondering if I could try the walk in first and fit the door later if I don’t like it

OP posts:
Original poster
boringlyboring · 04/01/2019 20:15

Try again!

Shower enclosure or walk in behind a wall?
OP posts:
pileoflaundry · 04/01/2019 20:16

I recently stayed in a hotel with a shower like the one in OP's photo, with a full-height wall, and the 'splashing' area being the drying area. It was fantastic and I took photos in case I had the opportunity to use a similar design.

I can't remember how wide/deep it was; but it seemed wider than a normal shower enclosure, and it would probably need to be so that it could air properly and wouldn't feel damp and dark.

pileoflaundry · 04/01/2019 20:21

On the warmth: the hotel bathroom was chilly because the radiator hadn't been switched on, but I was fine as soon as I got in the shower and didn't think about it again. As a bonus I didn't have to suffer the standard cold blast of air when leaving a shower enclosure. It all felt much cleaner too.

bobkate · 04/01/2019 20:21

I like the look of that layout boringly. I suppose if you could get a 3d mock up somehow, that might help see it from the door angle. It looks a lovely big, airy space Smile

MarmiteTermite · 04/01/2019 23:34

Ours is currently a work in progress but we have gone for a 1,400mm x 800mm glass shower enclose (full width of en-suite).

Shower enclosure or walk in behind a wall?
iknowimcoming · 04/01/2019 23:44

I'd have the sink on a vanity unit on the red wall with a mirror and light above to give more space to the loo area, and if you've got the cash a heated towel rail on the wall in the drying area

minipie · 05/01/2019 00:34

assuming the yellow is the only window, a full height wall where the red is will make the shower area pretty dark. You’d need the lights on all the time really - this is usual in hotel bathrooms where there often isn’t a bathroom window but since you have natural light I’d want it to get to the shower.

So a vote for half height wall from me.

Original poster
boringlyboring · 05/01/2019 18:23

Glad you enjoyed it pileoflaundry. It’s the blast of cold air that grates on me too. With my normal cubicle, I always end up rushing to get dressed and warm, and have no time to dry off properly!

minipie I didn’t think of doing that but it would be ideal.

That’s great TRCM thank you! There are so many different products and options, I get lost looking through all the sites. But yes I think that’s probably what I will end up going for, so it’s still a walk in.

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hollyhaphazard · 05/01/2019 18:29

The wall ones without a proper door are bloody cold!

BubblesBuddy · 05/01/2019 20:32

We have underfloor heating and a walk in shower and it’s not cold! Heated towel rail as you step out so lovely warm towel too!

I wouldn’t have a wall in your bathroom
OP. The cost of building, tiles and fitting will be fairy big. Have a wide shower 900 mm and a thick glass screen around 1600 mm long. That will keep the water in and if it splashes out, under floor heating dries it. The wall idea makes it dark. We don’t like small showering areas and a tiny cubicle feels very restricting! Half a wall just won’t work. It just won’t keep the water in the shower area.

The shelf behind the loo in bobkates pix is because the pipes and cistern are boxed in. It’s a wall hung loo. You can do the same with the sink or have floor to ceiling tiling for both without a shelf.

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