Thank you pharaoh and hapyfrustrated for answering my (and marlene's) questions. I spoke with the people at the company that will be fabricating/installing our shower door. They mostly use channels (for the base of the fixed panels) in their installs, but could use the clips if that was our preference. In our situation it would really be a matter of esthetics (the shower isn't that large). They do feel that over time, with regards to "security" (leaking) a channel will generally hold up better than the clips, but this particular shower really won't see a ton of use, so we could go either way and be totally fine. We decided to stick with the channel. The shower (especially the fixed panel section) will be blocked partially from view by the toilet as one enters the room, so the lower profile of the channel (vs 2" square clips) might be a slightly less-visible option for us anyway. There is also an additional upcharge for the clips (over the price for using the channel). Since we've already added on to the cost of the door; starfire glass, Clear Shield coating, contemporary handle, and 76" ht (rather than 72")--for a downstairs/guest bathroom, it's not something we really feel we need to do. I thank you very much for helping with the terminology and info so we could make an informed decision.

We had a somewhat similar situation with controls on the shower wall on the right side but hinged there anyway although we were concerned about hitting the controls when the door swings in. (Our shower door swings 90 degrees in each direction---in or out---but I don't know if this is typical). When I enter the shower I pull the door out as this is the most convenient way for me to reach the controls. When I exit I pull the door in because then the water drips inside the shower and not outside on the floor. We have enough room that even when the shower door is pulled in we still have a wide enough opening to move through easily without hitting the controls. I probably would have not hinged this way in a bathroom used by children as they might not be as careful not to hit the controls on the in swing. For us it works, however. HTH.

Interestingly, I have 2 showes, and one have the header and the other doesn't. The one with the header does not have any brackets on the side or the bottom. The one without has brackets on the side and the bottom to hold the glass. I was actually given a choice on this by the glass shop. They convinced me that without the mounting brackets, it is better for the steam shower to reduce the leak. I don't know if this is true or not. But even with the header, it was not too abtrusive. On the steam shower, I actually like it without the mount brackets.

We have crazy hard water so glass maintenance - even coated - has always made me crazy in the past. We're renovating an old corner store and adding on a master bath but we want the house to have a somewhat reclaimed, repurposed feeling - much as does the rest of the house. In our salvage pile we have a gorgeous 3' solid, old growth cypress louvered door from the late 1800's. A little dinged but I was thinking, "might this be a perfect shower door?" Finished with a little waterlox, perhaps? I'd call the bathroom feeling "industrial spa" - there's two words you don't often see together. Factory style lights, 71" pedestal tub, NeoRest toilet (hidden from view behind shower). "French Casement" vanity cabinet from RH and their "shutter" collection towel storage cabinet. Would this work or am I crazy? I just don't want a big glass door. Seems all wrong (and we don't have enough space for a doorless/barrier free shower.