A shabby chic retreat

Bathrooms are one of the more popular rooms to receive a modern makeover in Australian homes. They're a relatively small space, and they don't require the hefty budgets that larger projects demand. Also, bathrooms don't tend to age all that gracefully, and if your bathroom is more than a decade old, it is likely to be looking a little worse for wear and in need of some fresh, contemporary style.

One of the features that you'll need to consider is the shower recess. If you're updating an old bathroom, then a frameless shower screen is an excellent choice. These screens provide a sleek, seamless and highly contemporary look. If you're planning to include a frameless shower screen in your new bathroom, then there are two important elements you'll need to think about.

1. The shower screen hardware

Frameless shower screens are by nature unobtrusive, but they still need hardware in the form of hinges, handles and brackets to support the doors and make them functional. While the hardware for this type of screen is less visible than the hardware of traditional framed shower screens, choosing the right look can still make a valuable contribution to the aesthetics of the room.

Until recently, aluminium hardware with a polished chrome finish has been the most commonly used hardware. However, there are now a wide number of attractive and contemporary finishes to choose from. Copper, brass, rose gold and nickel are all metal frameless shower screen hardware finishes that are on trend right now. You can opt for a brushed, polished or satin finish, depending on the desired level of shine.

2. The screen configuration

Traditionally, showers have been configured in a standard right angle configuration, creating a box-like shape for the shower recess. As bathroom design has become more adventurous and creative with the use of space, you're no longer confined to this simple configuration, and you can make your new shower a stand-out feature by using a non-standard configuration for your frameless showers screens.

A popular option is to use a long, in-line screen that creates an over-size, spacious shower recess along an entire wall of the bathroom. If you're confined by the size and shape of the room, then a neo-angle configuration, which creates attractive geometric shapes with multiple facets, is an excellent choice.

Like many home improvement projects, it's often the small details that take a room from good to great. The right shower screen hardware and screen configuration will help to make your new shower look incredible.