When you are considering refurbishing your bathroom, a change of shower enclosure is often a great way to change the dynamic and aesthetic of your room. Some shower enclosures are more complicated to change or install than others; but of course, if you don't already have one, or are relying on a curtain, you can expect to have to do a little more.

While shower curtains are inexpensive and can be changed quickly to give your bathroom a different look, they aren't as secure for keeping water off the bathroom floor and might not be as elegant or classy as a more permanent choice; even though they are the very cheapest option. So to help you out, here are a few of the most popular styles available.

Frameless Shower Enclosures:

These shower enclosures are popular for the modern bathroom and come in a variety of configurations and shapes. These include a hexagonal style or just a single wall option, the choice of which will depend on your bathroom design. They are made from thick pieces of glass that don't require a frame to hold them in place. They are more expensive than other shower enclosures, but many people like them because they offer a seamless appearance, much like being in a glass cube. These shower enclosures are the way to highlight a more modern shower. This might include a rain shower head or multiple shower heads for a full-body shower massage experience.

Semi-framed Shower Enclosures:

The semi-framed shower enclosures aren't as expensive as the frameless shower walls and doors, but they can offer more support for the glass doors while still offering a near seamless appearance. Typically, semi-framed shower enclosures will have a frame on the sides, but usually not on the top or bottom of the glass. This can give your bath the more expensive look of the frameless shower enclosures, yet offer you more support for your glass doors and they tend to cost less because the glass isn't quite as thick as the frameless shower enclosures.

Framed Shower Enclosures:

When you are considering the cheapest shower enclosures, the framed models are probably the most common because they have glass that isn't as thick as the other choices; but they do require aluminum or steel framing to support the glass on all sides to give it a sturdy structure. You won't have the seamless appearance that frameless or semi-frameless shower enclosures can offer, but you will have a more permanent glass enclosure around your shower than you would with a shower curtain. Because they are thinner glass and cheaper because of the thickness, it's not unusual to see frosted glass or interesting glass etching to add more class to them.

Summary:

When you are considering shower enclosures to give your bath a different look, there are plenty of things to consider. For an expensive flawless look, it's hard too look beyond the frameless models. But that style does come at a price. Frames will save you money, but you have to sacrifice some of that seamless style.

The main thing with these though is that you get the type that can fulfill your decorating needs and fit your budget. Any permanent shower enclosures are going to cost considerably more than shower curtains, but they can save water damage to your bathroom floor and offer a more elegant appearance to your bath. The important thing is to find the type you like the best and the ones that offer the modern appearance that makes your bathroom look updated.