Recently, the bathroom has become a strategic point in the home, no longer a private room to keep away from prying eyes, but a lived-in area where we spend more and more time every day. This change in trend is due not only to the effort of designers who have created increasingly modern and functional sanitary fittings and furnishings, but the change is also due to a different approach regarding this area of the house designated to relaxation and well-being. That’s why today, bathroom design has become particularly stimulating and complex at the same time, thanks to the great number of choices offered on the market. Certainly, the biggest dilemma occurs when we are torn between shower enclosure or bathtub: what’s the answer? Choosing between the convenience of having a shower and the elegance of having a bath is never as simple as we might think, because the final decision depends on various factors.
Here is some advice that can help customers make up their minds, and maybe facilitate the final choice.
The convenience of having a shower cubicle in the bathroom
The strength of a shower stall can be found in its convenience and easy installation.
As soon as we talk about this topic, the first thing that comes to mind is a corner or one side of the bathroom surrounded by two glass screens and one door as well as a shower tray placed upon the floor. However, this is only one of many possible, practical ways to build a comfortable shower area.
Hence, going in order, it should be remembered that tempered glass is not the only material that can be used for this kind of product; shower enclosures in PVC, acrylic and tempered crystal screens can also be found on the market. Crystal, like glass, can also be frosted and decorated, customised according to one’s taste. If you opt for these two materials, make sure that they are sufficiently thick and that all parts have been chemically treated to prevent lime scale.
As for inset shower trays, they are suitable for installation either flush – at the same level of the floor - or on floor level leaving a step. Shower trays are particularly trendy nowadays and are available in a wide range of sizes to satisfy all individual needs. There is also the possibility of making a wet room tray with only floor tiles, especially when it is impossible to find a tray that meets all requirements. In this case, it will be enough to tile the standing area with the necessary inclination before installing the remaining components. Finally, a recessed shower tray is another viable bathroom solution: it is a shower area obtained by surrounding the tray with three walls of masonry and a front walk-in area that can be closed by a hinged door or even by a simple curtain.
After talking about different shower solutions, we cannot forget that the greatest benefit is the versatility and easy installation: in fact, as mentioned above, it is possible to install a shower stall almost anywhere, in large and small bathrooms, since standard shower trays are produced in a wide range of sizes.
In conclusion, the shower enclosure is a good compromise between beauty and convenience; it is the ideal bathroom fixture in modern settings.
The comfort of having a bathtub
If we conceive the bathroom as a personal and private shrine dedicated to relaxation and well-being, then we must talk about bathtubs.
For a long time, in our homes, the bathtub was an item not for bathing only, but it also represented a symbol of luxury and prestige, especially if we look back to the past. Luckily for us, it is not like that anymore: today, a bathtub is more affordable, not only because designers have revolutionised the shapes and dimensions, but also because heavy and expensive materials such as brass, copper and cast iron have been replaced by other materials such as acrylic, resin or even ceramic, that are cheaper and more versatile. Modern style bathtubs, although they have lost much of their exclusiveness, have a long story behind them and, in some cases, they reinterpret old style bathtubs by perfectly mixing the elegance of tradition and the quality of modern materials. Among these modern bathtubs, the free-standing tub stands out for its beauty.
A particularly interesting example is the claw-foot bathtub: it has a wavy, simple shape and four more or less fanciful feet that recall a sophisticated vintage but trendy style. The term bathtub does not imply only beauty, but also convenience. Undoubtedly, the installation of a bathtub requires a larger floor area than a shower enclosure, but today these beautiful pieces of furniture are also available in different sizes and shapes and thus fit into small bathrooms.
Therefore, we must forget the traditional rectangular bathtubs of the past, as the wide range offered on the market today includes oval, round, square and angular bathtubs suitable for any square footage. In conclusion, having a bathtub, thanks to the vast availability on the market, is definitely an option to consider.
Which one to choose?
At this point, it is very difficult to say which of the two solutions is the best, also because it is a very subjective matter that falls within the personal sphere in terms of aesthetics and specific needs. Certainly, both a shower and a bath are two very interesting furnishing options. Maybe the best solution is the installation of a bathtub in the master bathroom and a shower stall in the half bathroom. For those who do not have two bathrooms, a shower combo, namely a combination of bathtub and a shower, would be the viable alternative, an original furnishing solution that can turn this area of the house into a real wellness centre.