36 Walk-In Shower Ideas For Any Size Bathroom
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A standalone clawfoot bathtub can be a gorgeous focal point in the bathroom. However, a stunning walk-in shower is the true showstopper. For bathrooms big and small, a tub-free shower is a great alternative to make a big impression. According to designers, this stand-alone option delivers powerful style and function.
“A walk-in shower can provide functional elements over a tub shower, such as dual shower heads for busy couples getting ready in the morning, enhanced safety, additional space for a larger niche or two to store shampoos and soaps, etc, and a bench seat,” Virginia-based designer Susan Sutter says. “Walk-in showers also provide more beauty and style than a tub shower with opportunities to use fun tile pairings on the shower floor, niche accent, and wall tile.”
In fact, designer Paige Goodloe says she encourages clients to choose a walk-in shower over a tub shower in most situations. While she insists on one tub per household (to wash kids), walk-in showers are elegant, space-saving, and optimal for longevity and accessibility. For example, as folks in your household age (gracefully, of course), a walk-in shower offers ease and safety for getting in and out without having to hike over a tub ledge and potentially slip as they do so. Plus, walk-in spaces have more room for benches, if anyone needs to sit to shower, or need to take a load off when they shave.
Whether your goal is beauty or performance (or both), a walk-in shower might be the best fit for your bathroom. Use these photos to inspire your next remodel and your tub-free daydreams.
Nix The Tub Altogether
Laura Negri; Design by Hope Austin Interiors
Atlanta-based designer Hope Austin reveals that there was once a tub in this space. To build style and function, she ditched it and replaced it with a gorgeous walk-in shower. Now the space can accommodate users of all ages and abilities.
Feature Double Shower Heads
Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
These days, double shower heads are often considered a must. For couples on the go, intimate and beautiful double shower heads are perfect. They can double the function of the shower and speed up a busy morning.
Design A Double Door
Laurey W. Glenn
Everyone loves the feeling of throwing open a set of double doors in your home. So, double your shower’s style by doubling the doors. This also offers double the opportunity for stylish hardware on the door handles.
Install A Bench Directly Into The Shower
John Ellis; Stylist: Sunday Hendrickson
Used for storage and sitting, a bench is the way to go when there’s space to spare in a walk-in shower. It has all the benefits of a tub ledge with none of the hazards. Use the same material as your shower walls for a seamless, elevated look.
Save Space
Andrew Bui; Courtesy of Peltier Interiors
In a small bathroom, a tub may overwhelm the space. Opt instead for a graceful walk-in shower. This w to save space without sacrificing style.
Add A Grab Bar
Especially with curb-less walk-in showers, you can rest assured that as your family ages, you won’t have to worry about the hassle of climbing over a tub rail to access the shower. Adding a grab bar enhances the shower’s accessibility and is bound to help out both now and down the road. We love universal design.
Have Fun With Tile
Turn a walk-in shower into an accent wall. But since there are so many tile layout patterns to choose from, we made a guide. Enjoy.
Switch Up The Materials
Even in a monochrome bathroom, subtle switches in the walk-in shower can make a world of difference. Select different tiles for both the shower walls and floor to make it stand out. The shower floor here adds visual interest while the simpler walls coordinate with the floor of the main bathroom.
Style A Dark Retreat
Even in an otherwise light and bright bathroom, a walk-in shower can be like stepping into another world. Choose a high-contrast tile to transform the feel of any walk-in shower. This moody space will make your everything shower way more fun.
Use A Glass Door
It’s so simple, yet so effective. A glass shower door can make both the main bathroom and the shower itself feel much bigger. It’s also much easier to clean than cloth shower curtains. Use frameless hinges for a more modern look.
Add Greenery
“We love to bring greenery into our designs,” says Sutter. “Adding a small plant to your shower bench seat can make the shower feel like a spa oasis.” Pick a plant that prefers high humidity, and you can’t lose.
Give It The Jewel Box Powder Bath Treatment
Just because it’s a full bathroom with a walk-in shower doesn’t mean that you can’t have fun decorating the space. Take the tiny jewel-box bath concept and apply it here. Enhance your shower with bold tile, fun wallpaper, and playful accents.
Focus On The Floor
Every nook and cranny of this stunning bathroom is dripping in style and intention. However, let’s all give a moment to the floor. In any bathroom, an interesting floor tile is sure to elevate your walk-in shower, especially when you use the same tile in the shower as the main bathroom.
Design For Privacy
Laurey W. Glenn, Robbie Caponetto
Sealed behind clouded glass, this walk-in shower offers privacy and class in its own little nook. Tucking away the shower also optimizes function. Now, most of the room can be dedicated to a stunning vanity.
Make It Accessible
The most accessible shower option, curbless walk-in showers, also delivers big on beauty. This mint green shower is easy to enter. Plus, it’s cute as can be without both a ledge and a door.
Add Color In Unique Ways
Tile and fixtures aren’t the only places to incorporate fun design into a walk-in shower. This blue glass door provides a much-needed breath of fresh air to its neutral surroundings. Unexpected moments like this are key for making an impression on guests.
Pair With A Tub
If space allows, the presence of a tub doesn’t mean you can’t still have a walk-in shower. Here, a stunning tub lies just a wall away from the walk-in shower, Having both maximizes the potential uses of this space while keeping the space accessible for users.
Make Room For Storage
This shower includes shelving so that your towel is never out of reach. Goodloe says that she also likes including a shampoo niche to hide those eyesore plastic bottles. After all, you can never have enough storage.
Elevate Your Style
“We like to use items that bring in texture and color, such as a teak bench or shower brush, loofahs/natural sponges, and glass dispensers in fun accents to elevate your shower style,” says Sutter. Here, also, the shape of the chandelier complements the tile pattern. Additionally, a dividing wall separates the shower for a playful, sophisticated look that is finished off by a small stool in the corner.
Remember Towel Hooks
Nothing kills the vibe of a moody, beautiful shower more than a towel tossed over the shower door. Not to mention, while you’re in the shower, it can get wet from splashes and mist from the water. Avoid all that by hanging some nice-looking looks just outside the door (easily in reach, of course).
Forget The Doors
By the strictest definitions, a walk-in shower is one that’s not closed off. Meaning: no doors, or at least incomplete doors that still leave an opening. We promise that builders know what they’re doing and can make this option mess-free.
Make It A Spa
Markus Wilborn MW Concepts; Design by Susan Sutter Interiors
“We updated a dated cave-like walk-in shower to a preppy, soothing spa-like shower with marble tile walls, navy penny round accent tile, and classic brass plumbing,” says Sutter. “A stunning combo when paired with the gorgeous navy double vanity. The existing shower space was huge, so we used a classic color scheme and tile that didn’t feel cold in such a large shower. Also, we added natural light from expanding the shower opening with shower glass to connect the shower to the rest of the primary bath.”
Include A Rain Shower
David Christenson; Design by Mark Williams Design
Turn everyday showers into a luxury worth looking forward to with the help of an overhead rain shower. This will totally transform your shower look and experience. Install is relatively easy, too, unless you want to move the location of the shower head, which may involve moving around pipes.
Convert Your Bathroom Into A Wet Room
Caitlin Kah Interiors
Why worry about parts of your bathroom getting wet when the entire space is designed to handle water? This open-concept bathroom style is all tiled over. So, no matter where you are in there, you can drip care-free.
Add A Curtain For Privacy
Ellie Christopher
Some people love a glass-walled shower. Others want more privacy. If you’re the latter and don’t have the funds to completely redo your shower, just hang a curtain rod and a beautiful shower curtain as a cheap way to conceal your shower.
Use Subway Tile
Rick Lew; Stylist: Loren Simons
Want a timeless look for your bathroom? Go for subway tile. The sleek horizontal shape is a chameleon. Depending on its color and material (consider Zellige for an organic look), the tile can fit easily into any bathroom design.
Go Earthy With Materials
Helen Norman
Often, your bathroom time is your time to reset and recenter yourself. And what’s more grounding than earthy materials? Consider using pebble tiles like this North Carolina beach house for a zen shower you’ll never want to leave.
Add A Window
Although a window may feel exposing in such an intimate part of the home, in a dark, enclosed space like a shower, natural light is key for brightening the space. For more privacy, pick a frosted glass for the window. Or, add a film over the window’s glass.
Encase The Opening
James Ransom, Prop Stylist: Alya Hameedi
As they say, beauty is in the details. Adding a decorative casing to the shower opening is a small touch. However, it instantly makes the space feel more finished and refined.
Take It Outside
Who says you had to take a shower indoors? If you live near the beach or the lake—or you have a pool—you may want an outdoor shower to clean off before coming inside. Have fun with colors and siding in this walk-in space.
Include A Window To The Tub
Tria Giovan, Stylist: Heather Chadduck
Showers can be dark, enclosed spaces, but they don’t have to be. A glass door helps with this. Adding a window on the wall facing the tub, too, can help brighten the space and make it feel larger. Plus, in the case of this bathroom, you can capitalize on natural light from the windows,
Add A Wooden Bench
Seating—even if it’s only used as a storage ledge—is key for any bathroom. We love the built-in look (see #4 above), but that can get expensive. And you may not want to deal with the hassle of a shower renovation. An easy solution is sourcing a small wooden bench to serve the same purpose.
Color Wash A Small Space
In a small bathroom, it’s best to stick the shower in the corner. But to make the space feel larger and not compartmentalized, choose one color for your shower tile and bathroom walls. Neutrals and whites, like in this space, work well in tricking the eye into thinking the bathroom is larger.
Put The Shower In Another Room
Anyone who has shared a bathroom knows the struggle of having to wait to brush their teeth or use the toilet because someone’s in the shower. But why should you have to deal with that? Put the shower in a room off the main bathroom, and everyone can do what they need to do at the same time.
Ditch Tile For Marble
Julie Soefer
If you want a natural look that’s still luxurious, then marble is the way to go. This stone comes in all shades, with gorgeous veining variants, to match anyone’s taste. Opt for a single slab, or get several colors to create a unique pattern as this bathroom does.
Use Half Walls
Separation is key for privacy in a bathroom. Light is also important to create an aesthetic bathroom, so half walls are the best of both worlds. Enjoy a sense of privacy with your walk-in shower while still letting in natural light. The dark grout in this design emphasizes the space while sticking with the look of clean white walls.
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