The one we just did is 15" deep and about 18.5" high (measured from the floor tile to the top of the granite seat). When it's being built, make sure your contractor takes into account the thickness of the stone you're using for the seat and the elevation of the floor. (Assuming the bench is being framed before the shower bed is installed, there's going to be several inches of floor elevation for the sloped bed, thinset and tile -- and you want him to calculate the finished height from where the top of the tile will be.) Likewise for depth, if your contractor is installing the bench top stone before tiling the wall (definitely the preferable way to build it), you'll lose about 1/2" in depth of your stone behind the tile. (If your depth is 15-16", the difference of 1/2" may not matter much; if you do a narrow 12" bench and lose 1/2" you hadn't planned on, that really does make a difference.) Our comfort height toilet is 17.5" high, from floor to top of toilet seat. I think it's much more comfortable for the shower bench to be on the high side of seating heights. It's very different standing up in a tiled, wet shower than standing up from the dining room table, where your feet have much more traction to help you push off when rising from a lower seat. Unless you're both very short, I'd recommend going taller than 16". We're happy with ours at 18.5". -- Eric

Curtains generally look best if they are hung high and wide. Stock sizes of curtains are usually 84" or 95" long. Measure up from the floor to figure out where 84 will land in relation to your window. If 84 is too short, you'll have to use 95. 95 might be a little cramped by the ceiling but they will look better than panels that are too short. If you are crafty, you could hem the 95s or add some fabric to the 84s. Make sure your curtains appear wide enough to cover the windows even if you don't plan on closing them. You don't want them to look too skimpy. Here is a good graphic about curtains. I like all the advice except the pooling suggestion.

Tami I like it. now trim out the window w/some 2-3" casing and it will look perfect. the added trim casing will span some of that gap between the rod/window, and give it more of a finished look. see the first pic. you don't have to do a fancy trim, just a simple flat, square trim style will be fine, like shown here around this door (unless you like more of an ornate trim) then you could consider doing an inset blind or roman shade

I would put the rod to be even with the top of the cabinet.