Folding Door: (Bi-Fold)
In these enclosures, the door folds in the middle and slides to the side, always opening inwards; these provide a great space saving option.

Sliding Door: (Sliding, Quadrant)
The sliding shower doors provide complete ease of opening. While the Quadrant styles are ideally placed to make the most of the corner of rooms, because generally the doors open from a central position. The Sliding styles are designed for slightly larger bathrooms (the largest enclosure extends to 1400mm in width).

Hinged Door: (Pivot)
The hinged door provides a sturdy, wide opening to the enclosure.

No Door: (Wet Room, Walk-In)
With no moving parts, these enclosures provide an open finish. The Walk-In enclosure can be installed with a tray, or installed as an alternative to the Wet Room.

Corner or Alcove?
You also have two options when installing a new enclosure. You can install a corner enclosure, which features the door and side panel in any corner of your bathroom.

Alternatively, with just a door panel, you can convert any bathroom alcove into an enclosure. Instead of using these areas for storage, purchase a tray to fit the space, and let the single door panel cover the length completely. Should you wish to add an alcove in an existing bathroom, simply construct a stud wall in the desired location.

A Bi-Fold Shower Enclosure, installed in an alcove.

These are some key things to look out for when buying a shower enclosure:

Quality of the glass – Always look out for tempered shower glass, as the manufacturing process heats and cools the glass several times. This provides an incredibly strong safety glass which should meet BS6202 standards.

Quality fittings – Molten metal is forced into a cavity at high pressure, and this is known as solid die casting. When this is done in a single mould, a quality fitting is produced as there is less chance of breakage.

Metal rollers – Too many shower enclosures have a single roller attachment. However, problems can occur if the roller detaches itself. A better solution is to have both rollers attach themselves on the top and bottom of the door to prevent such accidents.

Given the truly diverse range of bathroom furniture and design available today, it is easier than ever to create a space which is both accessible and contemporary, in a style that is suited to your taste!

In the second part of this series, we focus on baths and shower enclosures.

For most people, bathrooms are fairly easy to navigate. However, once a user is faced with joint and muscular weakness, the perception of what is ‘easy’ changes very quickly.

Bathing can become somewhat more of an ordeal, and the hardest part of the process being actually getting in and out of the bathtub. One move would be to install a walk-in bath, level with the floor; however, given the price costs of such units, this would not be a viable option for many people.

Of course consult with the rest of your family first, but getting rid of the bath and opting for a shower enclosure instead can be an excellent solution – and a little less harsh on the wallet!

2 Way Shower Mixer by BathEmpire

No Burning

Choose a thermostatic temperature control and make scalding a distant memory. Such a feature will guarantee a steady stream of water, so those with limited mobility or motor control will not have to worry about moving out of the way of the scalding water. If someone flushes the toilet or opens a tap elsewhere in the house, the shower experience won’t be affected.

Slimline Tray

One essential feature to look out for when considering showers is slimline trays. While most quality shower trays are between close to 100 mm in height, there is growing popularity for more slender versions.

Some varieties, such as the Quadrant Shower Enclosure, include a slim 44mm tray with the purchase. The absence of the high step will certainly help accessibility, as less effort will be required to enter the shower, and hence less strain will be felt on the joints.

Wet Room, 1000mm, by BathEmpire

Ultimate Ease of Access

To fully negate the mobility concerns, it may be worth investing in a wet room. With no obstacles to consider, such as doors, steps or handles, wet rooms make life much easier for those with walking aids. It also enables those with chairs to manoeuvre under the shower. Although installation costs may be higher for concealing all plumbing under floor level, the result would allow independence for many years to come.

Today, there are a numerous options which combine style and practicality, ensuring a designer solution to everyday life. If you would like help or advice in creating your ideal bathroom, feel free to contact the BathEmpire team.