Bathroom shelves

Bathroom Corner Shelves, Straight or Shower: How to Choose a Shape

Three forms are making a comeback for bathroom shelves: corner, straight, and shower. The corner version rests against two walls meeting at an angle and fits into the corner of the alcove or shower enclosure, which you wouldn't be able to use with a straight outline. A straight shelf requires one straight section of wall. However, it provides a longer edge, allowing you to place several bottles side by side on it. The shower version, with a triangular outline, fits directly into the corner of the enclosure, under the rain shower head. A shelf with a water squeegee built into the edge combines two things in one point of the cabin: a place for cosmetics and a tool for collecting drops from the glass. squeegees for glass and shower enclosures have their own section here, so you can also buy them separately.

Chrome bathroom shelves, brushed steel, and PVD coatings

The finish determines how the shelf will coordinate with the fixtures, because in a small bathroom, all the metals are visible at once. Steel is the primary material here, including stainless steel. Other options include brass and PVD coatings: gold, copper, and black. Chrome bathroom shelves can be paired with a faucet in the same cool luster, while gold and copper with PVD coatings are easier to match with fixtures in a warm shade. Polished steel produces a similar effect to chrome, so if you're looking for shine, test both finishes side by side. Brushed steel diffuses light and shows less watermarks, while polished surfaces reflect it like a mirror and require more frequent wiping. Matte black and black PVD coatings are two distinct shades, so for a black faucet, compare photos taken in the same light. Our bathroom mirrors have similar finishes, so you can keep the entire sink area in one tone.

Where to hang a bathroom shelf: above the sink, in an alcove, or in a shower enclosure

The mounting location determines the shape more than the finish. A shower enclosure usually leaves one free corner unobstructed by the door or the shower head, and that's where a corner or shower enclosure comes in. It's easier to hang a straight shelf over the sink because the wall is flat there, and you can remove it with one hand. Above the bathtub, keep the shelf out of the shower's reach to prevent your toiletries from standing in the running water. In tight spaces, corner bathroom shelves take up a strip of wall that would otherwise be empty with a straight outline. This is their main advantage. Before choosing a location, check whether the open shower door or entrance door will touch the edge of the shelf. You can find the rest of the equipment for this area in the bathroom accessories section.

How to mount a bathroom shelf on the wall

Start by measuring. Measure the width of the recess or corner where the shelf will fit, and subtract a few centimeters for the grout and the curve of the corner, as walls rarely meet at a straight angle. Choose the hanging height based on who uses the shower most often, as a shelf above the eye level forces you to reach upwards on a wet floor. When drilling into tile, start with a small diameter and work without impact, as the tile often cracks at the start when the drill bit runs along the glaze. It's a good idea to cover the area with masking tape and drill through it. Drill holes in the tile, never in the grout. The grout won't hold the plug under load. Some models can be mounted without drilling and these can also be found in the self-adhesive accessories section. This type of installation requires a level, dry, and degreased surface, so it adheres to tiles and shower glass, but flakes off on grout and textured plaster.

How to clean bathroom shelves made of steel and PVD coatings

Hard water deposits accumulate on shelves faster than on walls because water runs off them and dries at the edges. It's easiest to wipe the surface with a soft cloth after a long shower, and use a mild bathroom cleaner occasionally. Abrasive pastes, scouring powders, and steel wool leave a network of scratches on polished steel that you can't polish out later, and they damage the top layer on PVD coatings. Keep limescale removers away from gold and copper finishes, as acidic agents can be aggressive to colored coatings. Polished surfaces show drip marks more clearly than brushed ones, so in a shower enclosure used daily, a brushed finish requires less frequent wiping. If your bathroom doesn't have a window, leave the shower door ajar after showering. This dries both the glass and whatever is placed on it.