When you’re planning a toilet replace and questioning whether or not bathe curtains nonetheless have a spot as a bathe room concept, you’re not alone. As soon as thought of a default, they’re now typically dismissed as outdated, unhygienic or just a stopgap till a glass display screen is put in.
However are bathe curtains actually out of date, or have they simply fallen out of favour as lavatory design developments have shifted? And in sensible phrases, how do they really evaluate to glass screens on the subject of area, cleansing and day-to-day use?
To get a clearer image, we requested lavatory specialists whether or not bathe curtains are nonetheless getting used, once they make sense in trendy bogs, and the way to make them really feel intentional relatively than momentary.
Does anybody use bathe curtains anymore?
When you’ve spent any time lavatory inspiration these days, it’s straightforward to imagine bathe curtains are formally out. Glass screens and walk-in showers dominate most trendy lavatory design, and curtains are sometimes related to older leases or fast fixes relatively than intentional decisions.
However specialists say that notion doesn’t inform the complete story. Whereas bathe curtains are not the default, they’re nonetheless extensively utilized in bogs the place flexibility and ease of use matter greater than a set display screen.
Designers proceed to favour bathe curtains in sure layouts, akin to compact bogs and areas with sloped ceilings or tough corners like loft conversion bogs. What’s extra, Blanca Sanchez, founding father of Halo Design Interiors, says bathe curtains “work brilliantly for shower-over-bath layouts and slim footprints, the place a inflexible panel or door would really feel cramped or awkward.”
They’re additionally a sensible choice in level-access showers and moist rooms, the place with the ability to pull the curtain again absolutely makes the area simpler to maneuver by means of and adapt for various customers. In different phrases, whereas bathe curtains is probably not probably the most talked-about choice proper now, consultants agree they’re nonetheless very a lot in use, simply in additional considerate, layout-led methods than earlier than.
Blanca Sanchez is knowledgeable inside designer and founding father of Halo Design Interiors. She has in depth expertise of working with personal shoppers, builders and likewise architects, property consultants and trade specialists. Her initiatives have led her to areas all through the UK, together with London and the Dwelling Counties, in addition to initiatives accomplished globally.
Why bathe curtains get a nasty popularity
Let’s be trustworthy, bathe curtains have a little bit of a picture downside, and in response to the consultants, it’s not fully unwarranted. For a lot of owners the affiliation is with flimsy liners, lingering damp smells and the fixed fear that water is escaping onto the ground.
“Curtains want good air flow and periodic washing to forestall mould,” cautions Blanca Sanchez. With out common airflow and cleansing, even a good-quality curtain can rapidly begin to look drained, which is the place many hygiene considerations stem from.
Motion and upkeep are different widespread frustrations. Not like a set glass display screen, a curtain can shift when you bathe, which can enable water to flee if it’s not correctly weighted or accurately hung. And whereas glass screens require wiping to forestall limescale, bathe curtains depend on constant care to remain recent. Selecting the flawed materials could make this maintenance doubly exhausting, as cheaper choices usually tend to discolour or harbour mildew.
Briefly, bathe curtains are inclined to get a nasty rep once they’re handled as an afterthought. Poor supplies, insufficient lavatory air flow and incorrect becoming can all undermine their efficiency – however when maintained correctly, consultants agree many of those points are avoidable.
Bathe curtains vs glass screens
At first look, selecting between a bathe curtain and a glass display screen can really feel like a purely aesthetic resolution. However lavatory specialists say the true variations have a tendency to point out up when you begin utilizing the area day by day.
Value comparisons
“A bathe curtain may be the higher alternative the place budgets are being rigorously managed,” says Keeley Sutcliffe, design supervisor at BC Designs. Curtains are faster to put in and simpler to switch, which may make them a smart choice if you’re updating a toilet regularly or making an attempt to maintain lavatory renovation prices beneath management.
Glass screens, however, normally value extra upfront and are chosen with longevity in thoughts. “A well-specified display screen is a long-lasting resolution,” explains Richard Eaton, design supervisor at Tissino. Whereas screens are sometimes costlier, he notes they’re much less more likely to want changing over time resulting from put on or discolouration, which may make them really feel like higher worth in the long term.
Keeley Sutcliffe
Keeley Sutcliffe is Model Supervisor for award-winning British lavatory designers, BC Designs. Since 1999 the award-winning firm has been main the way in which with its considerate, modern and thought of lavatory designs.
Richard is senior design supervisor at Tissino and is liable for designing lots of Tissino’s market-leading lavatory merchandise. His speciality areas are showers, baths and heating, and he enjoys nothing greater than creating merchandise that individuals take pleasure in utilizing each day, whereas ensuring they appear the half.
Flexibility comparisons
One of many largest benefits of a bathe curtain is how adaptable it’s. “Curtains are faster to put in, simpler to switch, and permit the lavatory to evolve over time with out committing to a set enclosure,” Keeley explains. That flexibility may be particularly useful in households the place wants change, or in household bogs that should work exhausting for various customers.
Bathe screens commerce that adaptability for construction. Richard Eaton factors out that many householders favor the sense of permanence a glass display screen offers, significantly in bogs designed for long-term use the place a clearly outlined showering space feels extra intentional.
Upkeep & longevity comparisons
Upkeep is usually the place the romance of a bathe curtain wears off. “Curtains want extra common laundering to remain hygienic, they’re much less efficient at containing water than a fitted display screen, and poor-quality choices will date rapidly,” warns Richard. With out common care, it’s straightforward for them to start out wanting drained.
He explains that cup screens are “simpler to maintain clear over time” and fewer vulnerable to varieties of mould or discolouration when correctly specified. Whereas glass nonetheless wants common wiping, it typically holds up higher than cloth that will want changing each few years.
Aesthetic comparisons
Visually, curtains and screens create very totally different moods. Used thoughtfully, curtains can soften a toilet and introduce “color, texture or distinction into an area which may in any other case rely fully on tile and sanitaryware,” Keeley Sutcliffe says. This may be particularly interesting in areas that really feel a little bit stark, or in additional conventional bogs the place an excessive amount of glass can really feel misplaced.
That stated, Richard Eaton notes that cup screens have come a great distance. “That is not restricted to plain, clear glass,” he says, pointing to fluted or reeded finishes, framed profiles and partially screened designs. In smaller bogs particularly, he provides, a display screen may help the area really feel calmer and extra ordered, which regularly makes day-to-day cleansing simpler too.
Store glass bathe screens
Create a smooth, industrial look with this black Crittall-style bathe display screen, combining toughened security glass with a press release body for a contemporary, high-end end that’s straightforward to suit and constructed to final.
Geneva Brushed Brass Tub Display
Improve your lavatory with this brushed-brass bathe display screen, that includes easy-clean tempered glass and a pivot design for easy entry, combining on a regular basis practicality with a refined, modern look.
Convey a clear, trendy end to your lavatory with this frameless sail-shaped bathtub display screen, crafted from 8mm toughened glass with a easy hinged design for versatile, on a regular basis use.
Easy methods to make a bathe curtain look intentional, not outdated
Based on designers, bathe curtains solely really feel outdated once they’re handled as an afterthought. “The only strategy is to specify it with the identical care given to a display screen,” says Blanca Sanchez. She recommends beginning with proportion, explaining {that a} full-length curtain with a weighted hem and beneficiant fullness will at all times cling higher and really feel extra substantial than a light-weight choice.
{Hardware} alternative additionally makes a noticeable distinction. Sanchez advises utilizing “a ceiling-fixed or elegantly curved rail” and matching the end to your brassware so it reads as a part of the general scheme. Small particulars could make all of the distinction, so she additionally suggests utilizing “rustproof rings or gliders” to assist the curtain cling neatly and transfer easily.
Cloth and color must be handled as a design resolution relatively than a last-minute add-on. Sanchez recommends selecting “a peaceful, tonal cloth or a delicate sample that ties to the tiles or stone,” which helps the curtain really feel built-in relatively than visually disruptive.
When these components come collectively, a bathe curtain stops feeling momentary. Detailed correctly, Sanchez says, it may well “look thought of and sit comfortably in trendy bogs,” proving that with the best strategy, a curtain can really feel intentional relatively than outdated.
Store trendy bathe curtains
Coastal Breeze Wave Edge Stripe Bathe Curtain
Convey a relaxed coastal really feel to your lavatory with this easy-to-hang, machine-washable bathe curtain, that includes tender turquoise stripes and a wave-edge element.
French Verdure Aubusson Tapestry Curtain
Flip your bathe into a press release with this Aubusson-inspired curtain, combining classic French appeal with sturdy, waterproof cloth for a daring, characterful lavatory replace.
Maeve Scalloped Cotton Bathe Curtain
Add a playful, design-led contact to your lavatory with this Maeve bathe curtain, that includes scalloped edges and embroidered detailing on tender cotton twill.
Not offered on bathe curtains? We have now a information to the finest over-bath bathe screens to discover as an alternative. And when you’re set on a moist room, be sure to do your analysis and browse our moist room flooring information first.
