The Best Space Saving Shower Enclosures for a Small Bathroom

When you have limited bathroom space and don’t have enough room for a combined bath shower, using fixtures designed to optimise the available square footage is necessary. Opting for a shower enclosure rather than having a bathtub installed will create the illusion that your room is larger than it really is. Having a shower in the morning gives you that much-needed boost of energy to start your day off properly while taking an unwinding shower in the evening gives you the perfect opportunity to recreate a relaxing spa session before heading to bed.

Here at Bella Bathrooms, we have a wide-ranging selection of shower enclosures designed to save on space without compromising on style. Remember to pick up a shower head and tray from our range of choices to ensure you have all you need to bring your bathroom together. You’ll also be able to find a premium quality shower handset to complement your full shower kit ready for installation.

Ultimate Space Saver: Bath vs Shower

Nowadays, it’s common for people to have two bathrooms in their homes, with some master bedrooms even featuring a fitted bathroom suite. Whereas family bathrooms will generally have a bathtub, an en-suite is more likely to be on the smaller side and have a modern walk-in shower enclosure. While small baths and shower baths are a practical solution in smaller bathrooms, they’re a little less stylish than a contemporary shower.

 

The installation of a shower enclosure brings several benefits; they’re ideal for small bathrooms where optimising the available space is crucial, they come in a wide range of styles to suit any bathroom design, and they show great versatility. So, whether you’re looking to redecorate an en-suite, a cloakroom-style bathroom, or your family bathroom, you’ll be able to find exactly what you’re looking for.

However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that having a bath is better than having a modern shower, there are just different pros and cons to each.

Considering Small Showers in Bathrooms

‘Are shower enclosures worth it?’ we hear you ask – it’s a good idea to have a balanced view of the pros and cons of having a shower versus having a space-saving bath. Let’s go through some key points you’ll want to consider before deciding on the best bathroom products for your small bathroom.

Pros of Shower Enclosures

• Unlike running a bath, taking a shower saves time, water, and money. So, if you’re looking to minimise your impact on the planet, replacing your current bath-shower combo with a shower enclosure is an environmentally conscious move which will reduce your water bills in the long run.

• Replacing a bathtub with a shower enclosure is an efficient method of reducing the space taken up; enclosures with a small shower tray and tall, glass panel doors give the illusion of there being more floor space as they will only take up a limited amount of room while also making use of natural light. Small bathrooms can be totally transformed by opening them up with the installation of a glass corner unit or a wet-room style glass panel around a shower head – we’ve made sure to include a few of our favourite products below to give you some examples of the types of showers you could have in your own home.

• With bathroom trends increasing in popularity of showering over bathing, the range of shower enclosures available on the market has grown substantially in recent years. You’re much more likely to find a unit tailored to the exact size and shape of the room and suit your own personal bathroom décor.

Cons of Shower Enclosures

• The initial upfront costs of the labour required to replace a bath with a modern shower cubicle may be expensive. However, the long-term savings on your water bills from showering rather than running a bath will likely make up for any renovation costs.

• Having a bathroom without a bathtub could limit interest from potential buyers if you were to sell your property in the future, particularly if they’re a family with young children. If your previous tub was outdated, having a modern bathroom suite with a contemporary shower may be a step up from your original setup and make your property more appealing to buyers.

Our Recommended Products

Shower units come in all shapes and sizes and it can initially feel a little daunting knowing exactly which shape and style will best suit your home and the available space. From corner units to wet-room showers, we stock every imaginable style. We have handpicked three of our favourite products in our collection at Bella Bathrooms; each is intended to complement your own personal bathroom ideas in terms of your interior design preferences while also being high in quality and functionality.

1. Aquadart Inline Hinged 3-Sided Shower Enclosure

Our first recommendation is the Aquadart Inline Hinged Enclosure. This model is designed to give your bathroom a modern, spacious feel and comprises three glass panels to create a one-wall enclosure. The brass construction of the hinges paired with the silver finish adds to the overall minimalist effect of this model. With defined lines and a frameless design, this is a contemporary choice that will certainly provide you with a relaxing showering experience.

 

2. Frontline Aquaglass Onyx Wet Room Shower

Next up, we have the Frontline Aquaglass Onyx Wet Room unit. This will be a subtle yet stylish addition to any small bathroom installed with a shower tray. With a walk-in front panel, on-trend matte black profiling, and a large section of glass, this elegant choice will truly transform the room. The finish on the glass prevents that dreaded build-up of residue, while the memory-effect design will immediately stop any shattering should it take impact. If you live in an older property with a small bathroom burdened with crooked walls, then you’ll be pleased to know that, upon installation, this model can be adjusted to the contours of your walls.

 

3. April Destini Double-Door Quadrant Enclosure

Our third and final recommendation is the April Destini Double-Door Quadrant Shower. This contemporary quadrant shower is well-suited to small bathrooms, featuring toughened safety glass, concealed fixings, and a chrome finish. The sleek, curved shape combined with the tall glass will give your bathroom a refined feel, no matter how confined the space you have available is.

 

FAQs

We want to help you make your small bathroom ideas a reality, and so, to help you find the best-showering unit for you and your bathroom, we have compiled some of the most frequently asked questions and used our expertise to answer them.

What is the smallest space for a shower room?

When you opt to go without a bathtub, you will be able to work with the most confined of spaces. The smallest shower tray we have at Bella Bathrooms measures only 700 x 700mm and we have the Nuie Ella 700 x 700 quadrant shower enclosure to match, enclosures of these sizes are well-suited to smaller rooms and won’t be imposing or cause the room to feel overcrowded.

As a tip, quadrant enclosures are exceptionally good in terms of being space-saving; perfect for small bathrooms, they’ll often feature a sliding shower door rather than a hinged door which would require additional clearance to open and close.

Do corner showers save space?

The corner of a bathroom is perhaps the most common spot for a shower to be fitted into; corner shower enclosures will fit into practically any size of bathroom and they’re great for saving on space. We have a variety of corner enclosures, each coming in a number of different sizes and designs to fit in with your own small shower room ideas.

How much space do you need between a bathtub and a shower?

Generally, we recommend that you have approximately 30 inches (76cm) of clearance between a bathtub and any other fixtures. The same applies to shower enclosures, however, if the door is hinged as opposed to sliding, then you’ll also need to ensure that you have enough space for it to open and close properly.

Can you have a walk-in shower in a small bathroom?

Having a walk-in shower will be a perfect addition to a small bathroom. As you won’t require a huge amount of square footage, they’re an ideal space-saving solution which will add a real sense of luxury to the room.