There's no one correct answer regarding elevation. The slide bar should be installed at a height that makes its range functional. That can make it dependent on the highest height you want, the lowest height you want, as well as the length of the bar itself. Some folks simply want to take a traditional shower. Some want to be able to lower the head so there is no way that their head can get wet. I've had some require a height for waist-down showers. And for shaving legs, some have requested the head to be able to be lowered to a mid-thigh height. I do have to say that I prefer the shower head to be able to be raised about 8" above the height of the tallest user. If there is no "tallest user" then I shoot for the bar to be set so the head can be raised up to a generic 7' above the shower floor. As far as centering things, again, that can depend on the style of the bar, the bracket, and the head. I do prefer the head to be close to centered. It can depend on the length of the hose too. Let's say the bracket offsets the shower head to the left of the bar. I might install the sliding bar to the right of center so the head can be centered. I might install the wall outlet just to the right of the bar. That way the hose will hang down from the wall outlet, make a "U" under the bottom of the slide bar, then go upwards to connect to the handheld. But again, that's dependent on the length of the hose and the length of the bar. But that layout will allow the hose to hang in a "U" shape flush to the wall instead of the hose crossing over in front of the bar and projecting out into the shower, or getting looped over itself in a twist. Sounds like a weird point to make, but it does neaten things up. The height of the wall outlet can depend on those same things. Your configuration, the length of the hose, etc. What you don't want is your hose to snag on anything when you adjust it upwards or downwards, the location of the wall outlet can be varied to minimize the possibility of that happening. Again, it all does depend on the fixtures in the shower. The length of the bar, the length of the hose. It's easy to mock things up with tape on the wall and a piece of rope for your proposed hose length. Don't forget that the style of the handheld itself can result in the actual shower head being several inches higher than the height of the sliding bracket. Some brackets are adjustable so that the handheld can be rotated up/down on the bracket, as well as the bracket sliding up/down on the slide bar. So a sort of ambiguous reply, but there is no hard and fast rule. Example, in my own shower? I'm 6'4, my wife 5'1. I have a 40" long slide bar. I have a large shower, so I have an 8' long hose. The shower head can go from well above my head to below the height of my wife's head. The hose allows the head to reach out and touch every point within the shower for bathing or for rinsing the shower walls down if needed. Depends on what you want. Some want the head lower for kids using the shower. Lastly, you can usually by just a wall bracket that can get mounted to the wall. So you can have your handheld on a slide bar that goes up and down as needed. If you then need an out of that range height, say for shaving legs, you can mount a small wall bracket lower on the wall just for that.

Here are some pictures of my bi-level island. Please forgive the mess on lower part - just got 2 new drawers added and trying to organize stuff, I have things out waiting to buy trays. The top doesn't collect stuff now that DD has a drawer for her art supplies. Though I do need a better place for tomatoes and bananas (empty hanger for now). And wish I could think of a better spot for coffeemaker. Breakfast bar (though I eat dinner there with kids when DH is away - as soon as I finish 4th stool maybe we'll all eat there) From FR (had to shut door to mudroom b/c the bench there collects our things - ignore junk on counter by fridge - more organizing to do, put her art stuff in our old "junk" drawer) Lower level (blue tape marking studs so we can nail in trim under plugmold - I'm finishing side pieces now)

Three months later...Research has shown me that a pony wall with tile on one side and glass on the top of the pony wall is not very stable since I will not have a tub against the pony wall to stabilize it. I know the pony wall can be bolted to the concrete and one side wall. Some have put a metal rod or pipe in the pony wall. I have read that sometimes the grout starts cracking on the pony wall...maybe due to wall movement or the wrong grout? I originally wanted a pony wall to make the bathroom lighter since it does not have a window. Now, I am thinking about having a full height wall because the pony wall has a view of the toilet. Now, I am worrying about having enough light.

If you go to the top of this page to the Houzz search bar and type in “tub with ledge” and choose ”in photos” you get many to view. Here is one of them. You will see them with pony walls, with faucets coming off the front of the pony wall, coming out the top of the pony wall and every possible combination.