Shower Doors 101

Answering the Questions You Have About Shower Doors

 What might seem straightforward at first glance can quickly become confusing when it comes to shower doors. You’ll find there are so many options, styles, and setups that you might need a little guidance. 

You’ve come to the right place for all things shower doors. Whether you’re wondering about which is the right style for you or you’re in the middle of a framed/frameless debate, we’ll help you sort it out. Let’s talk about shower doors. 

Layout Dictates Your Shower Door Style

There are three categories of shower doors: in-line doors, tub doors, and enclosure doors. Which style you choose is more about the architectural set up of your bathroom and shower than it is about a design style.  Take a closer look at each with us. 

In-Line Shower Doors

In-line shower doors have three walls enclosing the shower and a straight front where the glass shower door goes. These are by far the most popular and simple style of shower. But that doesn’t mean they are boring. 

Functionally, the in-line shower door can be a classic sliding door, a hinged swinging door, or a shield style. The shield style door isn’t really a door at all, but a piece of glass that covers a part of the open area and leaves the rest uncovered. It’s a modern style that’s popular with wet room type designs or minimalist styles. 

Best suited for wide openings, the in-line door is an excellent choice for patterned tile showers where you want to show off the shower as a key design element in the space. The wide glass fronted shower allows that tile to be seen from various angles all around the room.

Q&A: Can I get shower doors you can’t see through?

Some bathrooms have opulent tiling in the shower that calls for clear glass on the shower doors. However, you may have some misgivings about all that clear glass. After all, the shower does require some level of privacy. 

Choose a shower door that offers different types of glass so you can find the exact amount of privacy you want. Frosted glass doors are popular, but consider raindrop glass, which adds texture that obscures the view. 

If you have a beautiful tiled shower but still want some privacy, take the middle road and go with a frosted or textured glass shield. It will reveal some of the tile design without leaving you without cover where it counts.

Tub Shower Doors

Tub doors are for bathtub/shower combos. These multitaskers are the functionality champs but still provide plenty of style. These are available in the same three versions that we discussed with in-line doors: sliding, shield, and swinging. 

Keep in mind that tub shower doors have limited space and are often installed in smaller bathrooms. Some styles, like swinging, can be difficult in smaller spaces. Measure and consider carefully before making a decision. 

Q&A: Framed, semi-frameless, or frameless shower doors?

Good question. Framed shower doors (as you might expect) have a metal frame around the entire outside edge of the door. They aid in securing the door and help it functionally as well, depending on style. Thinner, lighter glass is often an option for framed shower door models and can be more affordable because of that. However, framed doors do tend to break up the view. If you’re going for an airy look or want to show off your shower tile, that frame may get in the way.

Semi-frameless has a frame at the top and bottom of the door but not on the sides. It’s a good middle ground with solid functionality and good affordability. It lets in more light than a framed door and has fewer lines that might block the view into your shower.

Frameless shower doors have only sturdy hinges attaching glass to the wall of your shower in leau of the frame. They sometimes look like there’s nothing at the front of your shower and designers love them because they provide an unobstructed view into the shower—a must if you have a gorgeous shower design you want to be able to see. On the flip side, frameless shower doors often need thicker glass and can be more expensive than the other options.

Enclosure Shower Doors

The enclosure style shower has only one or two walls and the rest is glass. These come in all shapes and sizes. They are also popular for corner applications. Especially interesting are designs with rounded glass or multiple angles that make up the shower enclosure. 

Opt for sliding or hinged door functionality. You might even consider double doors if your shower is larger, as many enclosure showers are. 

Enclosure showers offer a plethora of design options that other styles of showers don’t. Shower doors that look like windows with their pane-like look are a nice detail. The shower door and enclosure itself can become the center of the design. 

Q&A: Can shower doors swing in?

Short answer: yes. Longer answer: it depends. Shower doors that swing in need a lot of clearance. Most smaller showers can’t afford that. With a door that swings in, you may find you have to carefully place yourself before opening the door so you don’t get trapped on the wrong side of the door. 

Larger showers with plenty of interior clearance can swing either way easily. Think about which way is easier to use, which way makes the most sense, which will be the least in the way. Make sure you cover all your bathroom functionality considerations. After that, it’s up to your taste and the design of your bathroom. 

Feel a little better about your shower door? When you’re ready to start shopping, head over to our website to find exactly what you need and want. 

Need more bathroom remodeling ideas and advice? Read on. 

Check out 12 Gorgeous Bathtubs that Will Make You Want to Take a Bubble Bath

Shed Some Light on the Subject

Just How Much Light Do I Need for Each Room?

 The amount of light in a space can make or break a room. Too much light and you’ll feel overwhelmed, too little and you won’t be able to function. How much light do you need in each room? That all depends on which room, its size, and your preferences. 

Read on to gain an understanding of what the proper amount of light is and why that changes based on the usage and size of the room.

Know Your Lumens

If you’ve been using watts as a gauge of which light bulbs to buy, you’re not alone. However, watts measure energy usage, which indirectly helps you know how bright the bulb is but isn’t very accurate. For instance, LED bulbs are lower energy consumption but produce a similar amount of light to higher watt incandescent bulbs. 

Designers’ rule of thumb for lighting is about 1000-2000 lumens per 100 square feet. Different rooms in the house may require different levels of lighting. Even specific areas within rooms will require different levels of light. 

Light Requirements

There are three types of lighting: ambient, task, and accent. Ambient lighting is the foundational light that provides for general needs. Task lighting is more specific lighting that focuses on the purposes of the room. For instance, a lamp near the comfy chair where you like to read, a bright light above the stove where you cook, etc. Accent lighting is more for decorative purposes. It creates mood, and sets the tone.

Most rooms of the house need each of these three types of lighting in differing amounts based on their purpose and design. 

Bathroom

The room in the house that needs the most light is the bathroom. It requires 7000-8000 lumens. If you think about it, it’s easy to understand why it needs so much light. The bathroom is a place of some pretty detailed work. Everything from putting on makeup and shaving to removing splinters and cleaning injuries needs a lot of light.

The bathroom can also be a relaxing oasis that calls for some mood lighting to make your own at-home spa. This kind of light is warmer and dimmer, the complete opposite of the light you need for many bathroom tasks. 

Even though the bathroom has smaller square footage, it has a complex lighting situation that needs plenty of planning. Sadly, too many bathrooms make do with some vanity lighting and a few recessed lights over the shower and toilet. 

Give your bathroom lighting an upgrade by starting with plenty of ambient light. Put recessed lights all over the bathroom, flooding it with ambient light. Add vanity task lighting with sconces, strip lights, lighted mirrors, etc. that deliver light right where you need it most at the vanity. 

Add some accent lighting to create mood with a chandelier over the tub with a dimmer switch. Candles are an excellent choice for mood lighting. Or splurge on a chromatherapy bathtub for the ultimate spa experience.

Kitchen

Work areas of the kitchen need just as much light as the bathroom: about 7000-8000 lumens. Just like the bathroom, start with a hefty dose of ambient light. Because you use the whole kitchen as a work space, be generous with the lumens for your ambient lighting so you’ll be able to work just about anywhere. 

Add task lighting in areas where you know you might need a supplement regularly, like over the sink, stove, and prep area. Upper cabinets and range hoods can create shadows in spots where you’re working so task lighting in these areas is especially important. Under cabinet lighting and pendant lights are a great addition to these areas. 

Get creative with your kitchen accent lighting. LED tape lights often can be programmed with different colors or movements so you can change things up. Consider where you put your accent lighting as well. Above the cabinets is an excellent option. Under cabinet lighting can double for task and accent lighting. 

Living Room

The living room generally needs about 1000-2000 lumens. If that seems pretty dim compared to the kitchen or bathroom, consider the vastly different uses of these rooms. The living room’s tasks aren’t as work related, they are more pleasure related. Recreation doesn’t need as much light. 

While ambient light is important in the living room, task and accent lighting play the leading roles here. Use strategically placed lamps for reading, games, and other limited activities. Often what you do in the living room creates its own light, like the TV, laptop, and smart phone decreasing the need for lighting. 

Make lighting part of your design plans for the living room. Lamps and accent lighting are as much a part of the decor in the living room as the throw pillows or the furnishings. Let your lighting add to the design.

Hallways

Foyers, hallways, and stairwells need the least amount of light of any other space in the house, requiring only 500-1000 lumens. You want enough light to ensure you can navigate safely, but that’s all. There are no tasks to plan for in a hallway so make your hallway lighting about style and mood. 

Sconces are a stand-out choice for long hallways where you need to spread a little light down the corridor. They add interest and transition the design from one space to another. Look for ceiling lights that add texture with a different shape or that create a pattern with the light. 

Smaller pendants or chandeliers can make the hallway a feature instead of something you tend to hide. Think about the spaces that the hallway connects to create harmony in the whole house design. 

Light up your home with all the right lighting. Check out DecorPlanet’s broad selection today. 

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Trending Colors: Island Sun

A relaxing vacation on Anna Maria Island took a different turn with Ashley and Dino Petrone (of Instagram @arrowsandbow fame) happened upon an inn in need of some love. 

The Petrones gained popularity on Instagram renovating upscale RVs so an inn was a step in a different direction. But a good direction. Before their vacation was over, they had put in an offer on the run down inn and had it accepted. 

Less than a year later, the inn renovation was complete and welcoming guests into its vibrant and cozy embrace.  They called it Joie Inn. “Joie” is French for joy, and that’s exactly what the Petrones want their guests to experience.

Driven by Color

The key design feature that makes the inn feel so relaxing is the color. Ashley Petrone wanted to tap into the beachy colors of Anna Maria, but give them an update that would speak to a new generation of vacationers. 

She chose warmer, yet just as bold, colors that echoed the natural environment of the island: sage, terracotta, sun, and blush. An inherently warm palette created spaces that instantly felt welcoming. It feels different enough that it’s a vacation, but it’s comfortable enough to feel like home too. 

The colors bring the outdoors in and blur the line between nature and the more tame settings of the indoors. The gray-blue-green of the waves, the sunny beaches, the pink sunsets, and earthy connection to the ground.

Ashley chose to feature one of each of the colors in the four suites of the inn. Placing the color prominently in the bedding, backsplashes, decor, and more. 

The Sun Room

Even the name of this suite brings up images of relaxing afternoons spent soaking up warmth and letting troubles melt away. The suite is on the second floor and is the largest of the suites. With 700 square feet, two bedrooms, and a fully equipped kitchen, this space is ideal for a family. 

The golden sun color makes an appearance in the bedrooms where guests can wrap themselves in sunshine, as it were, with sun-colored comforters. It is also featured liberally in the bathroom and kitchen tile. Decor, throw pillows, etc. all include a little sun to tie the entire color palette together.

Why Sun?

Sun isn’t just any yellow. It’s a rich yellow with a depth that makes it substantial. This particular shade of yellow is trending right now. Its warmth and earthiness oozes coziness that defines interior design of the moment. 

It blends a bit of brown with a vibrant yellow to tone down the boldness of yellow and make it more friendly to a wider variety of design schemes.  A blend of yellow and warm gray can have a similar effect. 

Though toned down, this welcoming yellow can easily be the center of attention, as it is in The Sun Room. It stands out as the visual center of the design. At the same time, this color can be used as a more neutral color in the space. A softer shade across the walls becomes the backdrop for all the other features of the design. Discover the abundance and joy that can come from this rich yellow in your spaces. 

Ready to see how the Petrones incorporated other trending colors into Joie Inn? Visit the other rooms. 

Tour More of Joie Inn