9 Glass Shower Door Designs for the Perfect Half-There Look

If you’re in the market for a new or renovated bathroom shower, you’ll be looking at a bunch of different options. There are many shower types, door and curtain types, finishes, materials, features, and designs out there.

For shower stalls, you typically have two main options: a shower curtain or a glass shower door. Shower doors are better in some respects because they are more durable and give your shower a premium feel that you can’t always get with curtains. Much like heated floors, a high-quality shower door can completely change the feel of your bathroom for the better. Furthermore, each door has a different look as well and so it is important to choose something that will give you the right aesthetic that doesn’t clash with your bathroom’s design.

1. Curved Doors

Curved shower doors maximize stall space.

One of the newer options out there is curved glass shower doors, perfect for an expressive modernist renovated bathroom design. They are designed to give your shower a convex shape that curves outward like a minimalist pod made of glass and metal. But this design is about more than just looks.

Curved shower doors also allow for extra room in the shower enclosure itself, making it easier to move around in the shower without knocking your elbows against the glass. The extra space inside comes at the expense of space outside as this option will take up more room in your bathroom. But provided you're willing to splurge, this is the most luxuriant shower door option.   

2. Neo-Angle Doors

Neo-angle doors work with any shower size.

This is a better option if you want something that saves space. Neo-angle doors are designed to fit a shower that has been built into the corner of a bathroom. They are generally made with three large glass panels that are joined together.

The middle panel acts as the door whereas the two glass panels on the side complete the enclosure. A neo-angle setup is also great for your shower’s look. The angled glass panels are classy and show off the tile work on the walls of your corner shower. This door type is typically difficult and pricey to install, but well worth it if you need something practical and stylish. A pro can help you step by step into the renovation to ensure success.

3. Steam Doors 

Airtight doors keep steam in for a luxuriant experience.

If you love the idea of a steam shower, but would rather not fork over big bucks for the real deal, you’ll be happy to know that there is an alternative. Steam doors allow you to completely seal off your shower so that it is airtight, preventing steam from escaping.

This allows steam to accumulate in the stall, making for a very steamy experience indeed. In addition to other health benefits, the extra steam can be quite soothing for those that have muscle sores and joint pain. As such, steam doors are well worth considering for your shower remodel since they augment comfort much like heated shower floors. Just keep in mind that while they are cheaper than steam showers, they are still pricier than a standard glass shower door. 

4. Bi-Fold Doors 

These shower doors fold open to save space.

For maximal space-saving, a bi-fold shower door is probably the best design out there aside from sliding shower doors. Bi-fold doors use a hinge to allow the door to fold in on itself before opening outwards. This allows for a hinged door that takes up as little room as possible, making this design perfect for narrow shower stalls.

Bi-fold doors are versatile however and can also be used for wider showers without any problems. However, the nature of the design is such that these doors only come in framed models. In other words, they’re shower glass doors with stainless steel outlines because the frames are required to structurally support the door.

5. Hinged Doors 

The hinged shower doors are considered to be the standard design.

This is what you could call the ‘simple’ or standard glass shower door. It is the one that you have most likely seen before as they are fairly common in many hotels and apartments. Their simple design allows for an easy installation that is also affordable. These doors are so simple that a DIYer can also try their hand at the installation.

Hinged doors can be built both with or without frames, meaning you have some options to play with. Hinged shower doors with frames are constructed lined with metal frames that go all the way around the perimeter of the door, making the structure sturdier. However, while frameless shower doors with a hinged design are weaker structurally, they are more minimalist.

6. Pivot Doors 

Pivot doors can open inwards and outwards, maximizing comfort.

These can be described as stylish versions of hinged doors. Much like other hinged door types, the pivot door can be either framed or frameless. This door design uses a different hinge system that can be opened both inward and outward. Framed pivot shower doors have extra structural rigidity. By contrast, standard hinge systems only open one way, usually outward.

This allows for greater usability and practicality, especially in a small bathroom where limited spaces limit your options. While it is typical to mount such hinges on the side of the panel as with other hinged doors, you can also place a pivot hinge in the top center of the panel, transforming it into a revolving door. Pivot shower doors do tend to cost more than other hinged door variants, but their benefits are well worth that extra price especially if you’re aiming for a premium bathroom design.

7. Sliding Doors 

Sliding doors save space and add style in the most efficient way.

If you just want something that’s simple and saves space, sliding shower doors are the way to go. They work just like your patio door, sliding open with ease by gliding on rails. These doors can be set up so that one or both panels slide open for versatility. These doors come in framed versions and versions without frames, with the main difference being where the tracks are placed.

Framed sliding shower doors use rails that are contained inside the frame, and frameless shower doors use a track bar that is mounted across the top of the front of the shower stall. Frameless sliding shower doors are more minimalist, although they are harder to install than the framed version.

8. Frosted or Clear Shower Glass 

Frosted glass gives you privacy without blocking out all light.

Clear glass is of course the standard when it comes to glass shower doors. It maximizes what you can see and that can be helpful both for your shower’s look and for its usability. A clear glass shower door will also let more light in which is great for making your shower enclosure feel bigger and more spacious. The shiny nature of clear shower glass doors also exudes a feeling of cleanliness, ideal for a good bathroom.

Of course, a clear shower glass door will also get dirty faster, and won’t offer all that much privacy. To address those issues, a different kind of glass shower door may be required. Frosted doors still allow some light into the shower enclosure but also give the user some privacy. They can also come in a variety of colors that keep things fresh and interesting while maintaining a minimalist feel.

9. Rain Glass 

Rain glass gives you style and privacy.

Rain glass is one of the most unique options out there thanks to its nature-inspired style elements. While one side of the glass is smooth, the other side is given a texture that is meant to resemble rain droplets. This makes for a visually unique look that is perfect for those that want to add some originality to their bathroom design.

Another plus of rain glass is that it enhances privacy by being less transparent thanks to the texture. This texture also helps to hide water droplets and soap streaks, keeping the shower door shining for as long as possible. Because rain glass is not completely opaque it will still let in quite a bit of light, allowing you to benefit from a brighter and roomier shower stall.