Smartly-designed bathrooms are a nice feature in a home. With home design moving towards multi-generation living, showers are a big issue. We have done several homes recenlty with open showers, and flush floors that can accommodate wheelchair access. Also, if the showers are well-designed, no shower door is needed to capture the water. These types of showers are expensive and time consuming to do in an existing home, but are fairly easy and straight forward in a new home or addition. By lowering the floor appropriately in the bathroom, the tile floors can be pitched towards open drains, eliminating the traditional shower curb, door or curtain. It also makes the bathroom really easy to clean!
Here is an article from houzz.com with some great ideas: http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/2504909/list/Doorless-Showers-Open-a-World-of-Possibilities