Kris recently asked, “We may need to install a tub/shower door due to the fabulous water pressure in the shower. is it possible to find a shower door that will complement the style and not look like an 80’s redo?” My thoughts:
First of all, you could find something vintage, preferably a door that included an etching of a naked woman, as above. I can’t remember where I got the photo, oopsy.
Note, though: Old shower doors may not be tempered glass, which means if you crash through them you could really seriously hurt yourself *another concern for owners of vintage home to be aware of.* Consult with your own properly licensed professional to assess what you have so that you can make informed decisions.
Some examples of vintage shower doors:
Above: A shower door with deer etched into it, like Amy’s 1953 Portland time capsule house.
…Fishes swimming in the sea, as in Shelly’s gray bathroom.
…Herons or cranes or egrets or whatever they are, as weed30 spotted in a time capsule house and posted on the Forum.
And ooh la la, this is a fine specimen — spotted over on Retro Ruth’s blog, NoPatternRequired. But warning: Don’t go look if you get upset by the house-flippers of old. This shower door got gutted for, big gulp now, large slabs of beige travertine or travertine knock-off yadda yadda yadda.
Or a vintage accordian-style shower door, like the one that Mary Deluxe spotted in a time capsule house…
Carrie has one of these folding shower doors, too.
Here’s another style of vintage shower door — notable for the chrome or steel or whatever metal that is triple-bar-thingie at the top. This is Randy’s Mermador shower door, and I think it must have been very high-end:
Here’s another lovely prewar (most likely) shower door that a reader spotted at Seattle’s Second Use. You know that post yesterday about the Streamline Moderne time capsule house? This is the kind of shower door you’d find in that sort of interior. This heavy, shiny metal framing is a moderne legacy.
Yet, the look continued on for a while. I captured this photo at an estate sale in Pittsfield — for a 1964 blue bathroom decked out with all kinds of Hall-Mack and Nutone accessories. It was a beauty!
I even go nuts for little things like the handles. And oh, the fluted (I think you call it… or reeded) glass.
Beyond naked vintage, For shower doors, I tend to recommend a simple, metal framed door with simple wavy ripple glass. You can get a peek at what I’m talkin’ about in this video about my blue bathroom renovation.
Metal, as in: Satin finish nickel in the above photo is from Basco. Ix-nay on the antique pewter, bronze, burnished copper, wrought iron, oil rubbed bronze etc. etc. that more rightly belong in contemporary homes.
Similarly, I went with the very simple “obscure” glass for the two showers in the bathrooms that I renovated. One of the good things about mid century bathrooms is that if you go with “period”, these simple finishes also tend to be the least expensive. Let other elements of your bathroom decor do the talking. Unless you can get naked ladies, of course.
Where to get a shower door? I went to my local glass and shower door shop — local guy, he could show me all the samples, he came to measure, and then installed. At the same time, I also had him install one of my mirrors. He was great.
paula mayhew nichols says
i used to have the naked lady and she broke and left me brokenhearted. please tell me how i can get another one. i saved every piece of glass to make a stencil out of but i don’t know. i’m sick to death it broke. i got it out of a demolition house.
Nicki Voights says
I own Etched Glass Designs in Albuquerque, NM and do a lot of custom work which has included replicating various images. I am confident that I could come very close to the original. My email is nicki@etchedglassdesigns.com and my phone is 505-883-1136.
Gus says
I have two 24″ shower doors with nude figures etched into them. I would like to get them into someone elses home.
pam kueber says
These can go onto our buy/sell forum — https://retrorenovation.com/forums/
John says
I am searching for shower doors that my grandparents had in their pink and black bathroom. They were glass sliders whitch featured two etched flamingos, palm leaves and frogs in the bottom corners if anyone knows where I can find them I would really appreciate it!!!
Nikki says
In our L.A. apartment we had a naked lady shower door. She was frolicking under the water, and covered much more of the door than the one you’ve shown. I loved her. One day I pulled the door shut and one of the tiny cracks near the handle opened up like a California fault line. I was devastated. And our landlord replaced it with clear glass. I guess that made me the naked lady.
Amanda says
I have a 50s shower door with a “V” (for the previous owners’ last name) etched into it and now struggle to find a man whose last name begins with V to marry so I can keep it! OR anyone whose last name begins with V interested in a trade?!
Elaine says
Those are beautiful, I seriously love the herons. We are looking at a house that has turquoise fixtures in both bathrooms.. One of them has, is it a Princess or Cinderella tub that is squarish instead of oblong? Anyway, someone, not too long after the house was built, put pebble glass walls and a door on this beautiful little tub. It has not been well treated and looks dark and dingy. I have been thinking, what would I do with it? I was thinking attractive curtains that open to the wall on each side and meet in the middle when closed. But these doors give me some better ideas. I’m still not sure about glass surrounding this tub, though. Even sparkling clean, it might detract from the way the tub is meant to be seen. I have a pic if anyone is interested in seeing this 1963 bath.
Jeff says
I have a deer contingent eating bark in my “back 40” constantly, so the deer motif doors need to trot on over to my house!
I would trade my 1953 pair of swan doors for them, seriously!
Samantha G says
Do you know if the swan doors are Showerite? if so, would you like to sell them?
St. Louis shelly says
If reeded glass and other etched doors are too costly how ’bout an etched decal.
Here’s a mermaid…
http://windowfilmworld.com/SC61.htm
pam kueber says
me like. thanks!
MrsPitcher says
I’m not a shower door fan. One of my bathrooms (the pink one with black trim and silver and white vinyl wallpaper with a geometric circle pattern) didn’t have one so I found a shower curtain that went with it beautifully. My other bathroom (more of a peachy color) has a shower door with a seahorse pattern. It has the company name still on it, Shower-Rite. I do want to get rid of them because I can’t stand to clean them. Am I going to retro purgatory because I want them gone?
Sidney says
Loving the deer.