The Serenity sliding shower door system is a good example of a new breed of modern sliding shower enclosures that are increasingly popular with homeowners and prospective buyers. Systems like the Serenity, Hydroslide, and Essence are popular because they maintain a sleek, frameless look while offering the space-saving benefits of a sliding shower system. In comparison to the bypass sliding shower door systems that these units are displacing, the hardware is minimal and stylish, and the glass is thicker (3/8” versus 3/16” or 1/4”).
The Serenity hardware package is one of our favorites in this product category. It has several practical features, such as small glass clamps for the stationary glass and innovative anti-derailing mechanisms, integrated into the header design. We also like the industrial, mechanical aesthetic of the hardware package, and this design motif is more and more popular in the Washington, DC Metro region. People are moving away from more conservative and traditional bathroom hardware options in many cases and opting for modern, minimalist sinks, toilets, tubs, tile, and shower enclosures.
We recently installed this Serenity shower enclosure in Middletown, MD, near our shower door showroom near Frederick, MD, in a bathroom that fits this bill. The homeowners had recently renovated the space, installing a gorgeous modern sink and a low-profile porcelain tub alongside immaculate new tile work. Based on their design choices, the space definitely needed a frameless shower enclosure to complete it, as a framed or semi-frameless unit would have clashed with the modern aesthetic. At the same time, the size and layout of the bathroom limited their frameless options because the space precluded the use of a swinging glass door. A modern sliding shower unit like the Serenity was a perfect fit in this context.
The Serenity system has a lot of benefits versus more traditional bypass sliding units. First, most bypass slider units are limited by stock heights, and since this homeowner’s shower enclosure set atop a tub and needed to clear a decorative band of listello tile, the custom height option was imperative.
Second, the layout required a return panel on the knee wall at 90 degrees like a corner shower unit, and the Serenity hardware system accommodates this layout with very little additional hardware to stabilize the glass. Many bypass systems employ a metal corner post where the stationary glass meets the sliding panels. However, with frameless modern sliding shower systems like the Serenity, the header fits into a cutout in the stationary return panel. That panel is then firmly secured to the back wall using a small glass clamp. It’s a smart, sturdy design that doesn’t sacrifice stability or rely on bulky metal hardware.
Third, the stock handle on the Serenity shower enclosure is a disc knob, which is both a handsome and space-saving piece of hardware. Since it doesn’t protrude like other handles and knobs, it provides an additional 3” of walkthrough space, which makes it more convenient to get in and out of the shower enclosure. It may not sound like a lot, but it makes a big difference in accessing the shower controls.
Everything came together as planned on this job. It’s always rewarding to match the perfect unit with the space we’re given to work with. In this case, the Serenity shower enclosure was a perfect fit with the homeowner’s layout and design preferences, and it will be the centerpiece of this gorgeous bathroom for many years to come.
