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rjr220

Are shower curtains "out"?

rjr220
11 years ago

We are beginning the brainstorming to redo the 2 1/2 baths in our late 70's ranch. Yes, the metallic silver and brown wallpaper is going away.

My husband travels a great deal and sees a great deal more bathrooms than I (albeit hotel bathrooms). I would prefer to stay with shower curtains, but he tells me shower curtains are "out" and wants a frameless glass shower door for both the guest bath (tub with shower) and our master bath (step in shower).

Is he right? Are shower curtains out?

Comments (32)

  • TSG1104
    11 years ago

    I don't know if they are "out." I think for stand alone showers I almost always see frameless glass doors. In fact, we just replaced a cheap framed builder glass door with a frameless door in our remodel.

    My personal preference though is for a shower curtain for a tub/shower. I like being able to pull the shower curtain completely out of the way when taking a bath and for me, it is easier to clean the tub without the doors in the way. I don't have young children and I don't know if you do, but I know my friends with young children seem to prefer shower curtains over doors.

    In the end, I think you have to go with what you want not what is in or out. If cost is a consideration, shower curtains are certainly less. Would he compromise with you on a door for the shower and a curtain for the tub/shower?

  • palimpsest
    11 years ago

    I prefer a shower curtain on the tub for both of the reasons listed above.

  • carolt924
    11 years ago

    I don't know that they are in or out, I think it all depends on the look you want in your room. I removed the shower doors in both my of bathrooms. One being a bathtub and other being a shower only. I did replace the tubs shower door with a curved rod and an extra long (96 inch) shower curtain. I also hung an extra long curtain on the shower only. I love the look and the fabric softens a room with mostly hard surfaces besides towels and rugs. A shower curtain also allows you to bring a pattern into the room.

  • Olychick
    11 years ago

    I intended a frameless glass door on my new shower, but have been seduced by the ease of the temporary shower curtain I put up. If your husband is willing to clean the glass, go for it. I love being able to put the shower curtain in the washer and dryer once in a while. It also is the only place I can use fabric besides towels and rugs, so I like the softness it provides.

  • islanddevil
    11 years ago

    I prefer a shower curtain with a shower bath combo. Easier to clean, easier with kids and older people. Also easy way to add color or change it up especialy in a small bathroom. I've been eying this on at Anthropologie for my guest bath since I splashed soft scrub with bleach on my favorite but no longer availiable Restoration Hardware yellow stripe one, but hoping for a sale instead of parting with $118. http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/product/home-bath/21217948.jsp

    Anyone know of sites that have a good selection instead of standard fare from Bed Bath and Beyond, etc?

  • cat_mom
    11 years ago

    We used shower curtains with curved rods with both of our tub/shower combos, and frameless glass with the shower "stall" in our guest bathroom.

  • MongoCT
    11 years ago

    Pretty much agree wit the others. A shower curtain for a tub.

    A rigid shower door on a shower only if the shower is deep enough. Elbow room, etc. If it's a small shower, then a shower curtain.

    Hotels have maids. If the hotel manager cleaned the rooms, more hotel tub surrounds would have shower curtains instead of glass doors.

  • abfabamy
    11 years ago

    Well I hope they are not out! The shower stall in our newly remodeled bath will have a shower curtain because experience has taught me that we will not be diligent about squeegeeing off glass (to say the least).

    Even though I admit frameless glass doors look much sexier, glass quickly becomes clouded with our well water and looks terrible! Shower liners can be laundered or changed out to always look clean. To preserve my sanity, when we redo our master bath that shower will also have a curtain!

  • Olychick
    11 years ago

    Island, I found mine at Garnet Hill. I like their selection for something pretty and different.

  • sparklebread
    11 years ago

    Another vote for the shower curtain over the tub. We made the change from glass doors on a track to an extra long curtain and we couldn't be happier! The fabric curtain adds an element of softness to the room, IMO.

    Restoration Hardware makes a nice weight matelasse in the 84" length and Bed Bath and Beyond carries the 84" fabric liner.

  • rjr220
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Oh, I love y'all. The cleaning aspect will impact the man!

  • pharaoh
    11 years ago

    Here are your choices. Not a question of in or out.

    1) Inexpensive, easy to replace - shower curtain. $10 - common look for apartments, cookie cutter home.

    2) Expensive, hard to replace - maintenance, $2000 - elegant look for high end, designed home.

  • crl_
    11 years ago

    Well, looking at Houzz and the like, I think they are out. I don't care. I'm not cleaning glass shower doors. Dh tried to persuade me otherwise, but failed.

  • outsideplaying_gw
    11 years ago

    I don't think they are 'out' either. I too much prefer them in tub/shower combos. I guess it goes back to those days when glass doors were mounted on tubs and you had to deal with that moldy problem. Ewwww! I don't want that ever. My mother never went with those doors and I guess I won't either. Give me a good shower curtain on a tub any day. Now for our big master bath shower, I much prefer the glass door. Easy-peasy.

    Island, for our lake condo, I found a nice shower curtain at Crate and Barrell. And it was on sale. Had the perfect combo of yellow and green I was looking for at the time.

  • Tmnca
    11 years ago

    I prefer a curtain for tub combo showers, which is what we have in both baths. given the choice, I would prefer a walk-in shower with glass door and separate tub.

  • southboundtrain
    11 years ago

    If you ever need to assist someone in the shower or bath, it is really difficult with a door so it would make sense to have a least one accessible shower curtained bath in the house. Of course, also depends on how big your bathroom and shower are. Personally I love the look of glass doors but went with one curtain, one door recently.

  • lazy_gardens
    11 years ago

    Tell him that he gets the glass doors when you get a maid come in to clean the glass DAILY. Because the reason it looks so great in the hotels is that they have maids.

    It's actually more economical for a hotel to have glass because they can spend a more in replacing shower curtains than in the glass.

  • sas95
    11 years ago

    We have a glass door in the master and a curtain in the hall bath shower. The shower in the hall bath is rarely used, and I am so glad I don't have to expend effort keeping a glass door clean there. Our contractor looked at me like I was nuts when I told him I didn't want glass in my shiny new shower, but I would make the same choice again.

  • meek95
    11 years ago

    I guess I'm the lone dissenter, I prefer shower doors. I just laundered the shower curtain liner from my kids bath (bottom was pink with mildew, yuk). We are going for shower door when remodeling that bath, using a squeegee is easy IMO. Having a door will also let in more light than a curtain.

  • motherof3sons
    11 years ago

    We have two bathrooms with shower curtains and another bath that has glass walls and door. Sticker shock! Oh my goodness. The master has a simple plastic liner ($9) that we push off to the side after showering. No way am I investing that kind of money into a glass door.

  • Newyorking
    11 years ago

    I had planned to have glass doors on all bathrooms, its very European and makes a bathroom look bigger since the space looks open. However, I ended up doing glass doors in just the master bath and shower curtains in the rest. The glass door in master bath has hinges, water leaks through the hinges. There is a lot of mold in the area between the glass door and tiles. It looks dirty and terrible. Shower curtains however have held up. Granted those bathrooms are not used much, but its easier to replace shower curtains than glass doors. I would do glass door in say master bath if you like, and shower curtains in the rest.

  • belasea
    11 years ago

    We have a half glass door in my bath/shower combo and have no problem with using the squeegee everyday.. It's easy, fast and cleaning is easy. I dislike curtains myself. We do not have any hinges, it's a fixed door and doesn't get mold.

  • pirula
    11 years ago

    I agree with mongo. While we have frameless glass in our spacious master bath shower (and we squeegee), for the other two showers we went with curtains. They're small, and people could potentially be whacking their elbows on the glass otherwise.

  • janesylvia
    11 years ago

    For tub/shower combo, shower curtain is convenient for easy cleaning the tub and saving the hassle of squeegeeing the glass door. I noticed one drawback--not as bright as the glass door when you are taking the shower inside.

  • okpokesfan
    11 years ago

    I think the answer might be that they are out for showcase homes, hotels, magazine spreads and people with maids but for "regular Joe's" they are still used quite a bit. :-)

  • suzanne_sl
    11 years ago

    We had to replace the door on our master bath shower a couple of years ago, and I laughed at the installer when he started on the "squeegee talk." Just not happening. Note: that shower is about 31" x 33", so we're not talking about very much glass.

    In our hall bath we have a tub/shower combo which begins right behind the hall door as you open it. In this bath, the shower curtain turned out to be a major decorative element pretty much by accident. I saw a curtain at Target that was just the color combo I was looking for. That bathroom is definitely a case of a curtain being much better for both form and function.

    My very favorite showers are those that don't need either glass or curtains - a walk in shower. My sister did one of those and I have a raging case of shower envy. I'm pretty sure my 31 x 33 shower can't be converted to a walk-in.

  • janesylvia
    11 years ago

    Would it be better to have a recessed led light installed above the tub if shower curtain is used. I noticed the inside is darker with shower curtain than with glass door.
    Thank you very much.

  • sweetandrew
    11 years ago

    We're planning to use shower curtains with the new combo tub/showers in our shared kids' bath and master bath. We currently have custom shower curtains to coordinate with nearby bedroom decor, and I think they look great. We will do the same with new shower curtains after our summer renovation, possibly even adding a valance at the top. I've seen some really great looking custom shower curtains on Houzz and Pinterest so I know some people are still doing curtains, and doing them well!

  • abfabamy
    11 years ago

    Janesylvia, We have had several showers with curtains and a light above the shower is necessary for adequate lighting if you use an opaque curtain. In the current one we put in with a curtain, we added a recessed light and fan combo to simplify things. I LOVE it! It works great and looks just like a normal recessed light. Keeps the ceiling clutter down!

  • pricklypearcactus
    11 years ago

    I prefer a shower curtain on a bath tub for the same reasons mentioned. I like to be able to pull it all the way back and have the space feel open while I soak. I also imagine if you're helping a child bathe in a tub, a shower curtain would be easier to handle. That said, if you have children/teens showering in the tub, I suspect a glass door would be more likely to keep water from getting all over the floor.

    In a shower only, I prefer a glass door. I absolutely hate it when shower curtains billow into the shower and stick to me while I'm trying to shave my legs. It's one of my biggest bathroom pet peeves.

    There are certainly some nice shower curtains out there. I remodelled my main/guest bathroom and swapped the standard tub for a deep soaker tub (with shower). I picked the Restoration Hardware Italian Stitched Hotel Shower Curtain. Now I see it's offered in extra long! Maybe I'll have to order a new one. We rarely shower in there, so I tie it back with a coordinating ribbon and I think it looks really nice.

  • hobokenkitchen
    11 years ago

    I prefer the look of glass but the function is impossible with a baby, so we did glass doors in both walk in showers and a curtain in the bath/ shower combo which is where we will bathe the baby.
    We just got it today and I think it will work really well in that bathroom and soften everything up a bit.

    I think either is fine depending on the bathroom it's in!

  • nosoccermom
    11 years ago

    Glass with a tub looks great, but it does not contain the splashing water unless you have these sliding doors that you can completely close. And I I think those are "out".