Do you dream of beautiful shower where you can rest, relax, and rejuvenate your body and soul?
It makes sense, your shower is the one place that it is quiet and allows our minds to be creative while our bodies are restored.
I once thought about designing a board that you can write down all your brilliant ideas in the shower but then again, wouldn’t that ruin the relaxing aspect of a shower? So, instead, I find great joy in simply designing beautiful showers.
Here are a few key things to consider when designing a shower:
WALLS
Tiled walls are the most popular because it allows flexibility. Options include: an accent wall, an accent strip of tile, a simple solid look, or an interesting pattern. Solid surface shower walls are becoming more popular as manufactured products become readily available such as ¾” quartz used for walls or a Corian-type product. The advantage to a solid surface wall is that there are no grout lines.
FLOORS
Typically, a small scale mosaic tile is the best fit for the shower floor to allow for non-slip surface and proper installation of a drain. Select the drain system that best suits your design aesthetic either in the center or the wall and make sure this is clearly communicated with the builder and plumber before construction starts.
DOORS
A nice glass door actually makes the entire shower experience. I recommend Premier Glass as an installer. The ½” glass allows for a small amount of hardware needed. If you are going to have a steam shower (such as the top 3 photos) there will need to be glass to the ceiling to allow the steam to stay in the shower. I don’t recommend a steam shower if there is a window in the shower or with certain kinds of tile (check with the tile manufacturer to make sure it is appropriate for steam showers).
WINDOWS
If a shower is located on an exterior wall, there is often a window in the shower. Make sure that the windows are vinyl and are carefully tiled directly to the window. It is best if water is not directly spraying on the window. You can order the glass as privacy directly from the manufacturer or consider the placement of the window so that it is not needed.
PLUMBING FIXTURES
I recommend going to a plumbing supply house such as American Standard, Ferguson or F.W. Webb to select the style of handles and shower head that you want. It is actually a very complicated purchase so allowing the plumber order and pick up the necessary parts is the best way to make sure that everything is correct. As a consumer, you should really only care about how it looks and feels and let the plumber and sales people guide you through the details.
If you want help designing this wonderful and important space in your home, let me know!