THE GREAT COVER UP

There's a curious concealment going on in the design world, a conspiracy that stretches from Architectural Digest to Country Home. Glance through the pages of any shelter magazine, closely examine the pictures of bathrooms, and you'll notice that something's missing. In water closets across the country, some Americans are apparently bathing in defiance of the laws of physics:  they never splash any water when showering. How do I know? Because all of these beautiful, glamorous bathrooms never have a shower curtain in sight - but the grouting is crisp and the floors are dry. Apparently, swags of vinyl are de trop in mag land. Of course, who can blame them? There are few things that scream "tacky" like "plastic shower curtain." But we can't all have marble dividing walls and crystal stalls. The rest of us - us non super-showerers - need a buffer between water and walls. And our bathrooms should look good doing it. So without further ado, some (very challenging to find) examples of proper shower curtain etiquette - and where you can get your own.

   The simplicity of a monogram brings elegance to a bathroom. No 

     ugly here! (For similar shopping options see below.)

Kate Spade's bathroom. Stripes? Check. Zebra stripes? Double check. Using a graphic

pattern to offset the color on the walls is a nice trick - the same one you might use for curtains

in any other room. Scalamandre zebras can cavort across the walls safely shielded from 

the dangers of errant spray.

In a rental and don't want to paint? A shower curtain can bring needed 

color to a bland bathroom. I love the orange and pink pattern - so Tory Burch!

Patterned elegance. Designer Krista Ewert goes luxe with a fabulous fabric 

shower curtain in a pop of pink. Don't hesitate to have your favorite fabrics made 

into bathroom decor. Ever heard of a plastic liner?

How beautiful is this bathroom? An exotic ikat gives it style and substance, 

photo courtesy of Cote de Texas.

Another great white bathroom gets the pattern treatment. 

SHOWER SHOPPING!

Above:  Beautiful chinoiserie examples: Avian shower curtain, from Anthropologie.

 Blue and white pagodas from West Lake at Inmod.

Below:  Patterns, Paisleys, and Monograms. Clockwise:  Green and white patterned Kew shower curtain, at Inmod. Paisley Pop shower curtain from PB Teen. Monogramed Catalina shower curtain, 

Ballard Designs.

Images:  Products, as attributed. Rooms:  Domino monogram, Kate Spade room at Habitually Chic, Orange bathroom, Pink bathroom, Black and white paisley bathroom.