A shower screen is a great choice for any small bathroom, as a glass screen will keep the room open, versus blocking off the shower area with a solid curtain. A glass screen can also reflect light, so it will brighten up a dark bathroom, and it won't show dirty fingerprints and other smudges and smears as easily as a cloth curtain.

When you're ready to shop for a new shower screen for your home, note a few quick tips for choosing the best design and style. This will ensure you're happy with that screen for many years to come.

Smoked or coloured glass

Clear glass is good for most bathrooms, but if your home's bathroom tile is any shade of brown, tan, or cream, you might want to opt for smoked glass. The brownish tinge of a smoked screen will allow it to fit nicely with the tile, looking like an accessory and not an afterthought.

The same is true if your bathroom has tile that is any type of green, red, or gold tone. A shower screen with a green, rose, or yellow tint can coordinate well in these spaces, being a perfect complement to the space. Coloured or even frosted glass can also offer more privacy, something to consider for a shared bathroom. 

Framed versus frameless

A frame around the shower screen can help make the glass look weightier, so it's more noticeable in the bathroom. This can be good if the bathroom doesn't have much style and needs some added visual interest. A metal frame of the same material as bathroom faucets and fittings can also make the screen seem more coordinated, like a true accessory in the space.

On the other hand, a frameless screen can be good for smaller bathrooms, where a heavy frame might make the space seem crowded. A frameless screen can also be good if you tend to change the accessories in the bathroom quite often, as you then won't need to worry about matching those new accessories to a frame.

Consider going fixed

Opt for a fixed shower screen, meaning one that stays in place, if someone in the family is elderly or has balance issues. This person might lean on the shower screen for balance, and a hinged screen may actually cause them to slip and fall. This is also a good choice in a smaller bathroom, where opening the screen can mean crowding the space or even bumping it into the sink or commode!