Modern Home Design: The Curbless Shower

Your shower: the unsung hero

As the oft-overlooked focal point, your shower can greatly impact the overall appeal of your bathroom. Even a daily 15-minute rinse will equate to roughly four days of total time spent in your shower each year—which is reason enough for many to pay particular attention to its design. Not surprisingly, this is a space of much scrutiny for the construction of any modern home.

Modern showers have come a long way. What used to be comprised of a shower head inside of an existing bathtub are now completely separated to allow for more space, versatility, and visual aesthetics.

Because modern homes are all about clean, sleek lines, it’s no wonder that homeowners are turning increasingly to curbless showers in their modern home design.

Kicking the shower to the curb

The threshold between the bathroom floor and the shower floor is has obvious functional significance—it keeps the water in the shower area, and from a design perspective it allows for a deliberate change in tile geometry or pattern.

However, one of the growing trends with modern bathroom construction is flooring that runs through the entire shower, without a dividing threshold. Some of the benefits of a curbless shower design include:

Stylish, sleek, continuous look

Improved accessibility and greater ease of use

Maximized space

Cleaner lines in the bathroom

Less visual clutter

Fewer nooks and crannies to clean

Zero tripping hazard

Going curbless or “barrier-free” also serves the dual function of opening up a small space to appear larger. Under the right circumstances, and with some thoughtful planning, the curb can be eliminated without reducing the functionality of your shower.

Going curbless: things to consider

The primary concern when designing a curbless shower is to contain splashing water—which greatly factors into flooring considerations, shower placement, drain selection, and overall bathroom design. Here are some of the things your home builder should consider for your curbless shower:

Size: Curbless showers typically have to be larger than a traditional shower to contain the entire “splash zone.” Because storage space is also a high priority for any bathroom, this larger space requirement can sometimes mean finding creative storage solutions.

Location: For the same reason, selecting the shower location within the bathroom (as well as the shower head placement within the shower) should be done with the “splash zone” in mind.

Drain: A linear drain is a typical choice for a curbless shower, which runs length-wise and keeps water isolated to one side. This effectively drains the water while reinforcing the clean lines you’ll find in the rest of the space. In some cases, alternative flooring solutions (such as teak deck) are used to allow the drain to sit below the level of the floor.

Enclosed / Unenclosed: Another popular option for curbless showers is to have the area unenclosed by a shower door or curtain—which enhances the visual effect of straighter sight lines. In this case, the entire bathroom floor must be pitched toward the drain to allow for quicker drying after use. (Although a curbless shower does not necessarily need to be completely open. A glass door or partition can add to the visual appeal of the room while still providing some separation.)

As you can see, curbless showers take a great deal of planning to pull off effectively. But with the right amount of thoughtful preparation, you can be proud of your sleek new shower… and make those four days a year just a little more enjoyable.

Interested in learning more about Clarum’s approach to modern home building? Give us a call at (650) 322 – 7069.