
15 Shower Remodeling Ideas to Consider For Your Bathroom Remodel
Posted on November 2, 2023If you’re tired of the current state of your shower, it may be time to consider a remodeling project. Simply updating your shower can bring new life to your bathroom, or it can be part of a larger bathroom remodeling project. If you’re looking for inspiration, here are a few shower remodeling ideas to consider:
- Build in storage.
- Add seating.
- Do something different with the door.
- Think about getting rid of the shower door.
- Paint the ceiling.
- Add a skylight.
- Add a tub.
- Double up on showerheads.
- Consider a spa shower system.
- Install grab bars.
- Don’t forget the floor.
- Choose a different color.
- Try textured tile.
- Play with patterns.
- Upgrade the details.
1. Build in Storage
Not having enough storage is one of the most common bathroom remodeling mistakes. If your current shower doesn’t offer sufficient storage, consider adding built-in storage options. Extra shelves can be useful for storing items like shampoos or body washes. Or, you could opt for built-in niches.
You can choose one or two built-in niches, or for even more storage, try a recessed wall with shelving. Not only is this a convenient storage option, but it is also an interesting design feature. Depending on what you choose and where it’s placed, built-in storage can also be a kid-friendly bathroom design idea.
For extra contrast, choose a different color or patterned tile than the rest of your shower. This is one of the shower wall options that allows design and functionality to come together for a unique shower detail.
2. Add Seating
A shower should be a place where you can relax. Adding seating to your shower gives you a place to sit and let the warm water soothe you. It’s also another area that can function as storage if need be.
Seating is also a smart addition for accessibility. These seats offer convenience and safety, plus they’re a great home remodeling idea for aging in place. They’re also helpful if you have small children, but no bathtub in your home.
3. Do Something Different With the Door
In addition to the overall design of the shower, including wall options, built-in features, fixtures, and more, you can also play around with different types of shower glass on the door to create an interesting look. Clear glass is a classic choice, but there are many options available in tinted, textured, and frosted glass as well. You can even get etched designs!
Options for the shower glass include (but are not limited to):
- Tinted glass
- Textured glass
- Frosted glass
- Etched glass
- Black-framed grid glass doors
- Frameless glass doors
- Partial glass walls
4. Think About Getting Rid of the Shower Door
Ease of access is one of the benefits of a walk-in shower. If you want an even more seamless entrance to your shower, think about forgoing a shower door. This can add a classy, upgraded, and modern look to your bathroom. It’s also one of the bathroom design ideas inspired by hotels.
Upgrading your shower in this way is just one of the tips to turn your bathroom into a home spa. However, it’s important to note that you need enough square footage to accommodate it and good drainage for this detail to work. Additionally, the shower design, fixture placement, and more will need to be taken into account to contain the spray and water in the shower and prevent overflow.
Opting for a more open shower may not be the right fit for everyone or every bathroom design, but it can be a great way to remodel a shower when it makes sense and is done right. If you’re considering remodeling the shower in a way where you don’t need a door, especially if you want to make it more accessible, you can also think about a low-curb shower or curbless shower design.
5. Paint the Ceiling
A fresh coat of paint is a great way to update a bathroom. For a statement, paint the ceiling. If you want a moody, luxurious bathroom, pick a dark color, like emerald green or black. To keep the bathroom from looking too dark, keep the rest of the color palette lighter or contrast with white.
Or, if you want to further lean into that brooding vibe, choose geometric black and white tile flooring or shower tiles. The dark ceiling anchors the tile, adding a cohesive feel to the space. Choosing colors and deciding what you want in major areas of the bathroom, and how those fit together, are things to consider when remodeling your bathroom.
6. Add a Skylight
Good lighting is a bathroom must-have and is important to get right in any bathroom. A mix of natural and different lighting options can help you get the light you want where you need it. Depending on the design and layout of your home, windows can be difficult to add to bathrooms. Even if you have a bathroom window, it may not reach your shower.
You can maximize your lighting and add more natural light to a bathroom with a skylight or sun tunnel right above your shower. This can give you a nice amount of light without sacrificing privacy, and on clear days, you won’t need to depend on electrical lighting during the day. Plenty of natural light is just one of the benefits of skylights. It will also be an impressive focal point for your shower space that benefits the rest of your bathroom, too.
While natural light is a popular shower lighting idea, be sure your shower has at least some electrical lighting. You’ll want light if it’s dark out or if it’s extra cloudy outside. Good lighting is important in any room, and the shower area is no exception. Recessed lights are a popular option.
7. Add a Tub
If your bathroom doesn’t currently have a tub, it might be worth considering adding one to your shower remodel. This could mean a shower and tub combination, or a separate shower and freestanding tub. There are several different types of bathtubs and tub placements available, so you should be able to work with your contractor to find the perfect fit for what you want.
Tubs are great if you have kids or if you enjoy relaxing in a tub after a long day. A bathroom remodel adds value to your home, and adding a tub along with your shower could add even more, so that’s something to keep in mind as you evaluate adding a tub or not.
8. Double Up on Showerheads
Another one of the shower remodeling ideas that is becoming more popular is to double up on showerheads. This is a particularly popular option for adding luxurious upgrades or spa-inspired elements to your bathroom design.
Deciding what you want in major areas, including the fixtures and details of them, is a key step in a bathroom remodel checklist. Depending on your preferences and what you want out of the shower remodel, doubling up on showerheads can look like:
- Two different types of showerheads on the same wall
- Showerheads on different walls for multi-directional spray patterns
- A standard showerhead placement paired with one on the ceiling for a waterfall effect
- And more!
9. Consider a Spa Shower System
If one of the goals of your shower remodel, or total bathroom remodel, is to create more of a relaxing, home spa experience, consider including a spa shower system. This can look like doubling up on showerheads by adding a rainhead showerhead in addition to the fixtures you already have.
This could involve upgrading the showerhead to include a panel for smart shower controls and even more options and control over adjusting temperature, spray, and other features. In some cases, a spa shower system could include steam pipes for an in-home sauna experience in your shower.
10. Install Grab Bars
Another shower remodeling idea is to install grab bars. There are several types of bathroom grab bars in addition to styles, sizes, and reasons to use them. Grab bars are useful additions outside and inside the shower that provide a convenient source of stability and balance.
Although they aren’t the only consideration, grab bars are key features of an accessible bathroom remodel. They also provide broad benefits beyond accessibility, which makes them a good fit for just about any bathroom design.
11. Don’t Forget the Floor
Picking the right flooring is an essential bathroom remodeling tip. If you’re doing a total bathroom renovation, it’s easy to remember to think about what you want in a bathroom floor and stick with the standard for the floor of the shower. But, you don’t have to. One of the shower remodeling ideas is to get more creative with the floor of the shower.
You still have to make sure the material is designed for use in showers, but there are still a lot of opportunities to play around with styles for that material. For example, you can match the style and color to the bathroom floor for a seamless look or go with something different for a complementary contrast. Custom tile is another option, which opens up a ton of other opportunities for shapes, colors, designs, etc.
There are a lot of different design options available. If you know what you want, you don’t have to explore other options. But, if you are open to other things and are already exploring options for the bathroom or other areas of the shower, it’s worth taking some time to think about what else you can do with the floor in the shower to complete and elevate your bathroom design.
12. Choose a Different Color
Customizing the shower is a popular bathroom remodeling idea. Neutral palettes are common for shower walls and floors, but they aren’t your only option. Something as simple as choosing a different color is a shower remodeling idea that can elevate the look of your entire bathroom. If you want to get more creative, explore some other color options that might make sense for your shower or bathroom remodel.
Custom tile is also a popular shower remodeling idea. Waterfall tiles and accent tiles are common options with a lot of variety. In addition to sizes, shapes, and materials, you can also play around with different colors of tile to help create the look you want.
13. Play With Patterns
Tile is a versatile material. Beyond color, size, shape, and more, you can also play with patterns to make your shower stand out. This is a tile trend that can elevate the look and feel of your shower and your bathroom design overall. Patterns can be patterned tiles that have different designs printed on them, as well as how tiles are arranged and installed to create patterns.
Geometric, patterned tiles, and other tile patterns are bathroom design trends. The classic stacked tile look is clean, simple, and elegant. A waterfall pattern is a common option for accent tiles in showers. Depending on the tiles you choose, a herringbone or chevron pattern can create an upgraded, interesting look. You can also create a mosaic with tiles to help make your shower a focal point in your bathroom design.
14. Try Textured Tile
In addition to size, shape, material, color, and pattern, you can also get creative with texture in tiles. By playing with patterns and arranging tiles in interesting ways, you can add visual texture to a shower remodel. But, you can also add tactile texture by using textured tiles.
These tiles are designed to add extra depth, dimension, and visual interest to walls and floors. They often have designs etched into them for added texture. Fluted tiles are a popular option for texture and an interesting visual design. Wavy patterns are another option on textured tiles.
Textured tiles are available across a variety of materials. Because they are available in ceramic, porcelain, and other tile materials that can be used in showers and bathtubs, you have options available to explore for your shower remodel if you want to. Textured tiles meant for showers often feature subtle designs to still add texture, while also reducing the risk of trapping moisture in places it shouldn’t be and allowing for easy cleaning.
15. Upgrade the Details
Upgrading the details can include a lot of different shower remodeling ideas. From fixtures, custom tile accents, the glass you choose, and more, there are a lot of details you can add and a lot of customizations you can do. Plus, upgrading the bathroom, either from a total remodel, partial remodel, or upgrading different elements, is consistently one of the home renovation trends that adds convenience, comfort, and value to your home.
The best part is that, because there are so many options, this is a shower remodeling idea that can work in any bathroom. One of the bathroom design myths is that small bathrooms can’t be luxurious. You may run into limitations on space with a small bathroom, and there may be some things you can’t do within the space you have without expanding it, but upgrading details is something you can do to elevate your shower or bathroom remodel, no matter the size of your bathroom.
For example, there are many types of showerheads to choose from. A simple upgrade in this area can make a big difference in the look of your shower while also adding luxury, comfort, and convenience. You don’t even have to have multiple showerheads to take advantage of this; simply upgrading a single showerhead can elevate and enhance a shower.
Remodel Your Bathroom With Zephyr Thomas
There are many benefits of a bathroom remodel, including increasing comfort, improving function and flow, adding value, and more. These are also benefits you can get when you remodel your shower.
These are just a few shower remodeling ideas to consider if you’re thinking about a shower or bathroom remodeling project. If you’re ready to begin the remodeling process or have questions, contact Zephyr Thomas at 717-399-4708 to get started!
Take a look at the video below to see the Zephyr Thomas team remodeling a bathroom for this homeowner and including some built-in storage niches in the shower!