Imagine lathering up in an open shower with the feel and look of a luxury spa. Instead of a raised threshold, the entry on a barrier-free shower is flush with the floor, creating a seamless surface that pleases the eye. More importantly, it’s convenient for everyone from kids to grandparents, including people with mobility challenges. Read on to find out why barrier-free, or curbless, showers are a bathroom trend with staying power.
Zura Single Handle Bathroom Faucet and TempAssure 17T Series Shower (above); H2Okinetic 3-Setting Slide Bar Hand Shower, HydraChoice Body Spray, Pivotal H2Okinetic Shower and Two-Handle Wall Mount Bathroom Faucet(top)
Bathrooms with curbless showers instantly look bigger.
When the floor flows unobstructed from wall to wall, your bathroom will look like it magically grew some serious square footage. That’s good news for small spaces.
Ara Diverter, H2Okinetic Slide Bar Hand Shower, H2Okinetic Shower and Roman Tub with Hand Shower
Barrier-free showers are easier to clean.
If a room has fewer surface joints and seams, there are fewer places for soap scum and mildew to nestle. Even if you install a glass partition in your shower, you’ll still have a more streamlined cleaning routine. And less housework means more time for indulgent bathroom rituals. Oatmeal-avocado face mask, anyone?
Ara Floor Mount Tub Filler, H2Okinetic Slide Bar Hand Shower, HydraChoice Body Spray, H2Okinetic Shower and Two Handle Wall Mount Channel Bathroom Faucet
The curbless shower is designed for water to stay where it belongs.
The workhorse of a barrier-free shower is the drain, which ensures that water doesn’t run all over the room. To allow for proper drainage, the floor is slightly sloped toward the drain. Shower head position is important, as is aiming the water in a direction that causes the least backsplash.
H2Okinetic Raincan Shower Head
These types of showers are useful for all stages of mobility.
Curbless showers are a classic example of Universal Design, which promotes spaces that are accessible for as many people as possible, regardless of age, size or physical ability. With no tub or threshold to climb over, a barrier-free shower is a game-changer for anyone with achy joints—or who uses a wheelchair. The minimum size guidelines issued by the Americans with Disabilities Act for a transfer type shower compartment is a modest 36″ x 36″.
Tesla Diverter, H2Okinetic Slide Bar Hand Shower, Roman Tub with Hand Shower, H2Okinetic Shower and Two Handle Widespread Bathroom Faucet
Barrier-free showers match any design style.
Don’t think that unless your decor is modern, this type of shower won’t suit your bathroom. No matter your style, barrier-free showers can be designed to blend with a variety of looks and configured to accommodate the shape and size of your bathroom.
