1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shelf that allows storage of various items thereon and aesthetically conceals a shower curtain rod from external view.
2. Background of the Prior Art
Most homes have one shower therein, with some having multiple units. One of the most common ways to close off a shower enclosure during use, in order to keep the shower water from splashing all over the bathroom, is through the use of a shower curtain. This simple device uses a rod that is positioned and secured between the end walls of the shower enclosure and the rod has a plurality of hooks that slide therealong and which hooks have a curtain hanging therefrom. When not in use, the shower curtain is slid to an open position, oftentimes held in such position by an appropriate tie or other similar device. When the shower is being used, the lower end of the curtain is positioned within the confines of the tub basin and the curtain is slid closed thereby directing the shower water into the tub. This simple utilitarian device is very effective in keeping most, if not all of the water, wherein belongs, within the tub.
The problem with shower curtains lies in their utilitarian existence. The shower curtain typically looks like a functional product. While many curtains may have a design imprinted thereon, sometimes the design being quite elaborate, the rod and the hooks that slide along the rod look quite industrial. Some users attempt to spruce up this aspect of the shower curtain by using rods and hooks that either come in fancy colors or are made from exotic metals, such as brass or polished nickel, however, the rod and the hooks visually remain what they are, functional.
Some have proposed devices that are used to conceal the rod and the hooks thereon, however, such devices tend to suffer from certain drawbacks. Many such prior art devices are unusually complex in design and construction making such devices unnecessarily expensive to manufacture and purchase, as well as difficult to install and use. Other devices appear for what they are, a concealment device that only looks marginally better than the rod and hooks that are being concealed.
Others eliminate the shower curtain altogether by installing a door on the shower enclosure. However, such a solution finds disfavor with many as it can be a costly retrofit and many home owners dislike the look of a sliding door over a bath tub, even less so than the look of a rod with hooks and a curtain hanging therefrom. Additionally, many folks do not like their bath tubs partially enclosed by the sliding door panels whenever a bath is taken.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for a device that allows a person to maintain a shower curtain barrier system for a shower enclosure while allowing the rod and curtain hooks to be concealed from view of a bathroom user. Such a device must be of relatively simple design and construction so that it is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and thus purchase by the shower curtain owning public. Such a device must be relatively easy to install and use once so installed. Ideally, such a device must not appear to simply be a concealment barrier for another product.