Unless your income is that of a hedge-fund manager, living in Manhattan requires an approach to the conservation of space whenever possible and this is true even when planning renovations to a condo or your rental.
Over the years, the combination tub and shower has been one of the methods for keeping the bathroom small while not reducing its utility. The tub is there to relax in after that hard day on the sales floor or behind the computer and the shower is there to refresh and clean when time is short or, face it, you’re still not quite awake.
So there are those shower curtains to contend with. Vinyl, as often unlined as they are lined and subject to human error at the worst times. It is too easy to not get the curtain into the tub properly and then there’s that shocking wet step you take into the water that has run down the curtain and has soaked into the bath mat. Not only messy, it’s dangerous. Another side effect of the vinyl shower curtain can be the smell. You like hot showers? Lots of steam? You can do it with a curtain as long as you are willing to accept the sensation that you are taking a shower in an oil refinery.
Perhaps this is an exaggeration for effect. Maybe it’s unfair to shower curtains to blame them for the challenges they face in filling their role.
But there’s other evidence of another way. Those tub showers in motels and hotels at exit after exit on every interstate. Shower tubs designed for your comfort and the motel operator’s ease. These showers are easy to clean and rarely subject to spills or smells. The difference? Shower doors Well fitted sliding glass doors that keep the water in, allow you to splash if you need and have no odor.
In Manhattan, as in the rest of the country, the sliding glass shower door is a realistic and inexpensive means to a better shower experience. The glass is easy to maintain and the set-up assures a safer entry and exit from the tub. Want to take a bath? Just leave the door open.
There is the possibility – if you have the room – of installing a separate shower. Here you have the options of size and shape to consider. The shower can be triangular or box like – there are doors for both.
But whether yours is a shower tub or a separate shower, when you determine the sort of door you desire, remember to measure accurately so the fit will be secure and leak proof.
And always remember to leave a space at the top for the moisture to escape so that the ceiling and its supports are not damaged.
Manhattan looks to value in everything and a well-installed shower door is sure to raise value.
