Walk-In Showers Design Pictures & Ideas Pros and Cons

Walk-In Showers Design Pictures & Ideas Pros and Cons

Walk-in showers are designed without curbs or very low curbs to step over, so you can practically walk right into them. Walk-in showers without doors are easy to clean and give bathrooms an airy, spacious look. Use this guide to find inspiring walk-in shower ideas.

Lisa was excited to tell me when she was on vacation; she experienced the neatest thing in the bathroom or her contemporary hotel room. It was a curbless, doorless walk-in shower.

It didn’t have a flimsy shower door to clean (like her tired bathroom at home). It was safer for her husband Bill to walk into (even though he won’t admit that he’s gained a few pounds since his football days of years gone by. His mobility isn’t ‘quite’ the same). Lisa went on to say this shower would be perfect if her Mom and Dad – who are beginning to show their age – need to move in down the road.

Here are some creative walk-in shower ideas to inspire your next bathroom remodel:

1. Glass Enclosure

• Design: Use frameless glass panels for a sleek, modern look. This helps create an open feel.
• Tip: Consider frosted or textured glass for privacy while maintaining brightness.

2. Natural Stone

• Design: Incorporate natural stone tiles like slate, marble, or travertine for a luxurious feel.
• Tip: Use larger tiles to minimize grout lines and create a seamless appearance.

3. Dual Showerheads

• Design: Install two showerheads, one overhead and another handheld, for versatility and a spa-like experience.
• Tip: Consider a rainfall showerhead for a relaxing, rain-like effect.

4. Built-in Bench

• Design: Add a built-in bench for comfort and practicality, perfect for resting or shaving legs.
• Tip: Use water-resistant materials like teak or composite for durability.

5. Niche Shelving

• Design: Create recessed niches in the walls for storing toiletries, keeping the space organized.
• Tip: Tile the niches to match the shower design for a polished look.

6. Bold Colors and Patterns

• Design: Use vibrant tiles or patterned designs to add personality and style.
• Tip: Consider an accent wall with a bold pattern to create a focal point.

7. Open Concept

• Design: Eliminate the shower door entirely for a walk-in design that blends seamlessly with the rest of the bathroom.
• Tip: Use a slight slope in the floor to manage water runoff.

8. Smart Features

• Design: Incorporate smart technology, like temperature control and lighting options.
• Tip: Install a waterproof Bluetooth speaker for music while showering.

9. Textured Walls

• Design: Use textured tiles or 3D wall panels to add depth and interest to the shower walls.
• Tip: Choose materials that are easy to clean to maintain a fresh look.

10. Nature-Inspired Design

• Design: Incorporate natural elements like plants or stone features for a serene atmosphere.
• Tip: Use a pebble floor for a spa-like feel that mimics walking on a beach.

11. Lighting Options

• Design: Add recessed lighting or sconces for a warm, inviting ambiance.
• Tip: Consider dimmable lights for a relaxing shower experience.

12. Color-Contrasting Grout

• Design: Use a contrasting grout color to highlight your tile patterns and designs.
• Tip: Dark grout can create a striking look and is easier to maintain.

These ideas can help you create a stunning walk-in shower that enhances both the functionality and aesthetics of your bathroom!

How much does it cost to put a walk-in shower?

Walk-in showers cost homeowners an average of $6,700 but typically range from $1,000–$15,000. See which factors will impact your total cost.

The cost of installing a walk-in shower can vary widely based on several factors, including materials, size, labor, and location. Here’s a breakdown of potential costs:

1. Basic Costs

• DIY Installation: $1,000 – $3,000
• This range covers materials such as tiles, fixtures, and plumbing supplies if you handle the installation yourself.
• Professional Installation: $3,000 – $10,000
• Labor costs can significantly increase the price. A contractor might charge between $50 and $150 per hour, depending on the complexity of the job.

2. Materials

• Shower Base: $100 – $500
• Pre-made shower trays are usually more affordable than custom bases.
• Tiles: $1 – $20 per square foot
• Ceramic tiles are typically cheaper, while natural stone can be more expensive.
• Wall Panels: $300 – $1,500
• Acrylic or fiberglass panels can be cost-effective options.

3. Fixtures

• Showerhead and Faucet: $50 – $300
• Prices vary based on quality and style.

4. Additional Features

• Glass Enclosure: $600 – $2,000
• This adds a modern touch but can increase costs significantly.
• Built-in Shelving or Benches: $200 – $1,000
• Adding custom features can enhance functionality but also add to the budget.

5. Plumbing and Electrical Work

• Plumbing Costs: $300 – $1,500
• If new plumbing is required, this can add to the total cost.
• Electrical Work: $100 – $500
• Necessary if you’re adding lighting or heated floors.

6. Total Estimated Costs

• Low-End Estimate: $1,000 – $3,000 for a basic DIY setup with minimal features.
• Mid-Range Estimate: $3,000 – $7,000 for a professionally installed walk-in shower with decent materials and features.
• High-End Estimate: $7,000 – $15,000 or more for high-end materials, custom features, and professional installation.

Conclusion

The overall cost can vary greatly based on your choices. For a more accurate estimate, it’s best to get quotes from local contractors or suppliers based on your specific design and preferences.

What is the cheapest way to build a walk-in shower?

The most cost-effective way to remodel a walk-in shower is to opt for a prefabricated stall made of acrylic or cultured marble. These stalls come in premade units that are far quicker and easier to install than something like tile.

Building a walk-in shower on a budget can be done effectively with some careful planning and cost-saving strategies. Here are some tips to create an affordable walk-in shower:

1. DIY Installation

• What to Do: Handle the installation yourself if you have the skills. This saves on labor costs.
• Tip: Follow online tutorials or consider community classes for guidance.

2. Use Affordable Materials

• Tiles: Choose budget-friendly options like ceramic or porcelain tiles instead of natural stone.
• Wall Panels: Consider acrylic or fiberglass shower panels as a cheaper alternative to tiles.
• Flooring: Vinyl or laminate flooring can mimic tile at a lower cost.

3. Simple Design

• What to Do: Opt for a straightforward, minimalist design without complex features.
• Tip: Avoid additional features like built-in benches or multiple showerheads to keep costs down.

4. Pre-Fabricated Kits

• What to Do: Look for pre-fabricated shower kits that include walls, bases, and doors.
• Tip: These kits often come at a lower price and are easier to install.

5. Reuse Existing Plumbing

• What to Do: If possible, keep your existing plumbing in place to avoid costly modifications.
• Tip: Position your shower where the current plumbing is located to minimize work.

6. Affordable Fixtures

• What to Do: Choose budget-friendly fixtures like showerheads and faucets from discount stores.
• Tip: Look for sales or shop at big-box retailers for deals.

7. Skip the Glass Enclosure

• What to Do: Instead of a glass enclosure, consider a shower curtain or a simple rod with curtains to save money.
• Tip: This option allows for flexibility and is often less expensive than glass.

8. Use a Shower Tray

• What to Do: Instead of building a custom shower base, use a pre-made shower tray to simplify installation.
• Tip: Look for lightweight, cost-effective trays made from durable materials.

9. Budget for Grout and Sealant

• What to Do: Don’t forget to factor in the cost of grout and sealant, which can add durability and longevity.
• Tip: Choose a grout color that won’t show stains easily to reduce maintenance costs.

10. Plan for Future Upgrades

• What to Do: Focus on essential features now and plan for upgrades later to spread out costs.
• Tip: Choose materials that allow for easy updates in the future, like neutral tile colors.

By following these tips, you can create a stylish and functional walk-in shower without breaking the bank!

Walk-In Shower Design Pictures & Ideas Pros and Cons

Walk-in showers have become increasingly popular for their modern aesthetic and practicality. Here’s an overview of their design options, pros and cons, along with some ideas to inspire your own space.

Design Ideas for Walk-In Showers

1. Glass Enclosures:

• Frameless glass panels create a sleek, open look, making the bathroom feel larger.
• Consider frosted or patterned glass for added privacy.

1. Tile Patterns:

• Use large format tiles for a seamless look or mix and match different sizes and colors for visual interest.
• Consider mosaic tiles for a decorative accent on the shower floor or walls.

1. Rain Showerheads:

• Install a rain showerhead or multiple showerheads for a luxurious experience.
• Adjustable shower arms can offer flexibility in water flow and direction.

1. Built-In Shelving:

• Create built-in niches for toiletries to keep the space organized and clutter-free.
• Consider adding a bench for comfort and storage.

1. Natural Elements:

• Incorporate natural stones or wood accents for a spa-like atmosphere.
• Plants can add a refreshing touch if the space allows for it.

1. Lighting:

• Recessed lighting or wall sconces can provide ample illumination.
• Consider ambient lighting to create a relaxing atmosphere.

Pros of Walk-In Showers

1. Accessibility:

• Easier to access than traditional bathtubs, making them suitable for all ages and mobility levels.

1. Space-Saving:

• Walk-in showers can be designed to fit in small spaces, maximizing available square footage.

1. Modern Aesthetic:

• Offers a sleek, contemporary look that can enhance the overall style of the bathroom.

1. Easy to Clean:

• Fewer nooks and crannies than a tub, making cleaning more straightforward.

1. Customization:

• Highly customizable in terms of materials, fixtures, and layouts to suit personal preferences.

Cons of Walk-In Showers

1. Water Splashing:

• Without proper design, water can splash out, leading to a wet bathroom floor. Good drainage and appropriate enclosure are crucial.

1. Temperature Control:

• The open design can make it harder to keep the shower warm, especially in cooler climates.

1. Privacy Concerns:

• Depending on the layout, walk-in showers may lack privacy unless strategically designed.

1. Potential for Slipping:

• Wet floors can pose a slip hazard, so non-slip tiles and mats are important.

1. Cost:

• High-quality materials and custom designs can make walk-in showers more expensive than traditional shower/tub combos.

Conclusion

Walk-in showers can transform a bathroom into a modern and functional space. Weighing the pros and cons, along with considering design options, will help you create a shower that meets your needs and enhances your home’s aesthetic. If you’re looking for inspiration, consider browsing home improvement websites, Pinterest, or design magazines for photos and ideas!

Friends Lisa – was excited to explore a walk-in shower for the bath remodel she and Bill are planning to do later this year. Lisa said that when she shared her excitement with friends, neighbours, family, and even a few contractors, they started raining on her parade. They became the ‘Mr. And Mrs Doubt-Fires – throwing doubt and rain on her fire and passion for this shower. Here are some of the comments she heard:

• You’ll get too much water on the bathroom floor with a walk-in shower.
• You’ll be cold in there without a full glass enclosure or shower curtains.
• You don’t have enough room for a walk-in shower.
• Are you sure you can even do a walk-in shower since your main bathroom is on the 2nd floor?

She asked me, “Mike, should I continue to explore this idea or blow it up before I get in too deep?”

I went on to tell Lisa I wish I could say to her all the doubts and fears her friends, neighbours, family members and even contractors told her was a bunch of crap. However, I’ve seen my share of walk-in shower blunders. I know the following equation is one she wouldn’t want to be associated with her job:

(A poorly designed and built walk-in showers) = (A bad walk-in shower)

I then offered to share with Lisa the 7 biggest blunders (and misconceptions) I’ve seen with walk-in showers. I didn’t want her to repeat.

Since Lisa liked these ideas, I thought I’d share them with you. I hope they clarify if a walk-in shower is suitable for your project.

Blunder #1 – You assume you don’t have enough room for a walk-in shower, so you blow off the idea

This blunder occurs way too often. You listen to lousy information from others who tell you’ve got to have a BIG bathroom to make a walk-in shower work. It simply isn’t the case.

You can have a walk-in shower in the tiniest bathrooms IF you’re willing to have a 100% open design without any doors. Since, in the United States at least, this isn’t what most people want, I told Lisa we often supply walk-in showers converted from tub spaces. These spaces are 60″ wide x 32″ to 34″ deep.

If you use a shower screen or a curved (thinner sized) glass block shower wall, you can take out your tub, still have glass keeping you warm, and enjoy a doorless shower.

Blunder #2 – You use the wrong shower head, place it in the wrong spot, and water gushes out. 

In a walk-in shower, the type of shower head is very (or very, as Trump would say) necessary. It doesn’t take an engineer to figure out that you will get water on the bathroom floor if you use a stationary showerhead directed at the opening of a walk-in shower.

If you’re designing a short walk-in shower, I’d recommend using a rain head which is, by design, directed down at your head (not blasting full force at your body). It will reduce the chance of water flowing out onto the bathroom floor.

Blunder #3 – There will be too much of ‘you’ showing than you’d like with a walk-in shower

For some people, right after installing a beautiful clear-glass walk-in shower, they stand back and think it’s perfect.

It’s perfect until their little kids barge in and see them in their birthday suits.

It’s perfect until their husband comes in and wants to have a conversation when they hope and pray for a few minutes of privacy in the shower.

A walk-in shower doesn’t have to ‘put you on display for everyone in your family who wants your attention RIGHT NOW! It would help if you designed a more brilliant walk-in shower that gives you the personal space (and showering privacy) you crave.

Instead of going with clear glass with a big opening – size it down with a shower screen (mentioned in blunder #1) with a twist. Use obscure glass vs. clear glass.

Another strategy is to use an obscure wave pattern of glass blocks for your wall. It can create a private yet open shower for you.

Walk-In Shower

Blunder #4 – Your walk-in shower creates puddles on the bathroom floor 

Nobody wants puddles on their bathroom floor, which reminds you of the ones you jump over because of uneven asphalt in your work parking lot. When one level shower and bathroom floors aren’t levelled right, this can also happen in your bathroom.

An even more significant concern with pooling water is if it leaks onto the floor (or God-forbid) furniture below. That can be a disaster!

There is a simple solution to eliminate this problem. Ensure your shower base (or shower floor) has been built with a system (not done by hand by some dude who could be having a bad day) that is pre-sloped and waterproofed. Here are two ways to make this happen.

• First, if you want a ‘flat’ (or one level shower and bathroom floor), use a shower base former and waterproofing kit. These kits waterproof the rain and the bathroom floor as well.

Walk-In Shower

• Second, if you want to use a low-profile shower pan (and slope the shower area), don’t pick up the cheapest one at a big-box store. Another excellent option is a reinforced acrylic shower pan – also known as a ‘Flexpan.’ The bottom of this acrylic pan is built on a sturdy MDF sub-core, so it won’t bend when you’re walking on it or crack down the road.

Blunder #5 – You see a lovely walk-in shower built with teeny-tiny mosaic shower floor tiles, which are now brown, dirty and mouldy

Tile showers are beautiful the day they’re installed.

Tile showers don’t stay beautiful as you and your family use them. Dirt, grime, and mould become their middle names. Cleaning tile showers is enough to make you want to pull your hair out. It’s disgusting. You’ve got better things to do with your life. You KNOW you don’t want a walk-in shower if you’ll become a slave to cleaning tiny grout joints.

Here are 2 ideas to work around this dilemma.

• Idea #1 – Use a linear drain. Linear drains allow you to use large format tiles. While they don’t blow up joints altogether, they cut them down to a manageable size.

Walk-In Shower

Walk-In Shower Design Pictures & Ideas Pros and Cons

• Idea #2 – Use a non-grouted one level wet room system. When I saw this system at this year’s Kitchen and Bath Industry Show, I was very excited (maybe you’re saying right now, ‘Mike, YOU NEED to get out more often).’ However, there is now a non-grouted wet room system (in modern matte white and matte black finishes). This system gives you the one-floor look and ZERO (yes – you heard that right – ZERO) grout joints. It comes in a 63″ x 35 ½” size, which can also be cut to fit smaller sizes.

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Blunder #6 – You didn’t design your walk-in shower to keep you warm

The good thing about a full glass enclosure is it keeps the water and steam enclosed. You stay toasty warm (especially if the hot water turned up full blast). That’s how I like it.

By the nature of its design, a walk-in shower has an openness. A complete shower enclosure does not. This openness allows heat to escape. How can you have an open plan and a warm shower with the’ best-of-both-worlds?

Here are a couple of ways to get these 2 benefits.

First, add a heated floor. They’ll keep you warm (even in the harsh, cruel winters those of us in the Midwest and East are hoping are done once and for all this year).

Second, you can go ‘halfway’ with your open shower system. Incorporate a pivoting shower screen, which takes up half the opening. It keeps more steam inside. It’s truly a best of both worlds’ idea. 

Images for Walk In Shower

• modern
• tub
• small
• design
• luxury
• doorless
• white
• shower enclosure
• grey
• seat
• marble
• building
• toilet
• stone
• custom
• frameless
• large
• double
• slate
• long

Blunder #7 – You assume you have to build a tile shower (which will be a maintenance hassle) since you need a custom size

Since most walk-in showers aren’t an ‘out-of-the-box’ rectangular unit you can grab at the big-box store, most people assume their custom design requires using high maintenance grouted tiles for a luxury look.

It simply isn’t the case anymore. Here are 3 better (and low maintenance) options:

Option 1 – Laminated shower wall panels

There is a no-hassle option if you want a custom tile or stone look (and the ability to chuck your poor, unwanted tile scrub brush). This option is laminated shower wall panels. These 2′ x 8′ x 3/8″ units click, lock and seal together. You get low maintenance. You win the battle over the scrub brush.

Option 2 – High-style modern glossy wall panels

A fun option is bright high gloss wall panels if you want your wall to pop (without your knee joints popping from scrubbing tile). These 39″ x 96″ and 60″ x 96″ panels are fun shiny and add pop and excitement to your bathroom or shower walls. They’re also simple to cut.

Option 3 – Decorative faux stone wall panels

These digitally printed, ¼” thick panels give you the classic look of marble and stone with a super-simple installation process. Your friends and neighbours will THINK you spent big bucks on your shower. It can be your little secret you didn’t (and it was simple to install it yourself).

Conclusion

So now that you’ve read the 7 biggest blunders of walk-in showers (and how to avoid them) are you ready to push ahead despite the FEARS (False Evidence Appearing Real) from the ‘Mr./Mrs. Doubt-Fires who wanted to cool your passion for a walk-in shower in your life?

Do you have any specific questions about a walk-in shower for your home you want advice on? Call me (or a member of my team) to get technical advice and factory-direct pricing on one level of wet room systems, glass walk-in showers, or curved glass block walls. We’re looking forward to helping you.

How much does it cost to put in a walk-in shower?

However, conversion from a tub to a walk-in shower is mainly motivated by the lack of enough space and the urge to make the bathroom more sophisticated. Typically, the installation cost of a walk-in shower goes between $2500 and $15000.

The Average Cost of Converting a Tub Into a Walk-In Shower

The installation costs of converting a tub into a walk-in shower range between $5,997 and $11,950, with the average coming in. Although it may seem like a wide range for a simple project, many other factors contribute to the total cost.

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Will Medicare pay for a walk-in shower?

Generally speaking, Original Medicare is not considered “durable medical equipment” by walk-in bathtubs or showers. The plan will not pay to remove your tub and install a walk-in.

Can you take a bath in a walk-in shower?

Replacing your tub for a walk-in shower would open up space in your bathroom. Everyone’s doing it

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Walk-In Showers Design Pictures & Ideas Pros and Cons

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