Dayton September 2023

Soaking or standing?
There’s a long-standing debate on which is better: soaking tubs or
standing showers? The answer is simple: there is no wrong answer!
It all depends on your needs, your personal style, and how much
space your bathroom allows.
Shower and tub combos are a versatile classic that maximizes
space. “This design can be helpful with smaller children or pets that
need to be bathed in a tub,” says Kiersten Jung, director of marketing
with Basco Shower Enclosures. Since not everyone has room for
a freestanding tub, this type of shower is a great solution to give
people tub access without taking up valuable space.
On the other hand, standing showers “can feel more high-end
and make the entire bathroom feel more open,” says Nettling.
“Especially if glass doors are used, these showers can highlight
interesting designs and elevate the space.” Standing showers make
aging-in-place easier too, as people can walk straight into their
shower without having to worry about stepping over the curb and
into a slippery tub.
Behind the curtain
As with any room in your home, your shower needs to start with
a solid foundation. Once you’ve decided to install a shower, one
of the first things you need to do is determine what is happening
behind your bathroom wall.
Today, most homes are equipped with a ‘wet wall’, which is a
bathroom wall that’s thicker than the others in order to support
water lines and the main stack. The location of this wall will largely
dictate where your shower is able to go and will serve as the base of
your bathroom layout. ➻
housetrends magazine 2023 55