Bathroom Design
Designers Share 5 Stellar Looks for Showers
Large-format tile, matte black fixtures and frameless doors are among the features these pros love to use in showers
Showers provide a large swath of real estate in a bathroom to showcase tile, fixtures and other features. We asked a group of designers to share their favorite looks for a shower, including their picks for tile size, fixture finishes, storage and door styles. Read on to discover their choices, why they think they’re popular now and how long they think they’ll stay that way.
New technology that allows images and patterns to be printed directly onto tile is another reason that demand for large-format tiles has grown. Here, large-format tile featuring a black-and-white floral motif covers a shower wall in a Detroit bathroom by Sterling Development.
When Bigger Is Better: The Dramatic Look of Large-Format Tiles
When Bigger Is Better: The Dramatic Look of Large-Format Tiles
2. Shower Niches
Designer Kristine Tyler of Treefrog Design likes to use wall niches in all of her shower projects. “It’s always handy to have a place to store shampoo, soaps and other things we use in the shower without having to keep things in a caddy or on the floor,” she says.
Tyler used three niches in this Seattle shower. “I think this is a trend that will last because it’s all about convenience,” the designer says. “Once we adapt a convenience into our lives, it’s hard to go without it again.”
Designer Kristine Tyler of Treefrog Design likes to use wall niches in all of her shower projects. “It’s always handy to have a place to store shampoo, soaps and other things we use in the shower without having to keep things in a caddy or on the floor,” she says.
Tyler used three niches in this Seattle shower. “I think this is a trend that will last because it’s all about convenience,” the designer says. “Once we adapt a convenience into our lives, it’s hard to go without it again.”
Designer Jena Bula of Delphinium Design is also on the shower niche bandwagon. “I always include a large niche in my shower renovations,” she says. “It’s functional and aesthetically pleasing. I like to do accent niches to add personality to the shower.”
Bula added a large niche covered in black-and-white mosaic tiles to the shower wall in this Charlotte, North Carolina, project. “Everyone loves to have a home for all their stuff, especially if it looks great,” she says.
Bula added a large niche covered in black-and-white mosaic tiles to the shower wall in this Charlotte, North Carolina, project. “Everyone loves to have a home for all their stuff, especially if it looks great,” she says.
3. Matte Black Fixtures
When it comes to selecting shower fixtures, designer Michelle Fee of Change Your Bathroom says that matte black deserves a look. “Matte black fixtures are both durable and striking. Since it’s a matte finish, it shows fewer fingerprints and wear over time,” she says. “And because it’s a neutral color, it can also be incorporated into many different styles.”
Fee used matte black fixtures in the shower of this Atlanta bathroom. “Matte finishes are easy to maintain, and black is a finish that works well with marble,” she says. “The challenge of this finish is finding the preferred style of fixture, because it’s currently used in limited collections.”
When it comes to selecting shower fixtures, designer Michelle Fee of Change Your Bathroom says that matte black deserves a look. “Matte black fixtures are both durable and striking. Since it’s a matte finish, it shows fewer fingerprints and wear over time,” she says. “And because it’s a neutral color, it can also be incorporated into many different styles.”
Fee used matte black fixtures in the shower of this Atlanta bathroom. “Matte finishes are easy to maintain, and black is a finish that works well with marble,” she says. “The challenge of this finish is finding the preferred style of fixture, because it’s currently used in limited collections.”
Here’s another example of matte black shower fixtures, this time in a Manhattan bathroom designed by the team at Fowlkes Studio. Note that the shower door handle and hinges, as well as the towel holder, are also matte black, creating a cohesive look for the space.
Shop for matte black shower fixtures on Houzz
Shop for matte black shower fixtures on Houzz
4. Frameless Shower Doors
Designer Wendy Kuhn of Karr Bick Kitchen and Bath says those choosing a new shower door should consider a frameless one. “The most common shower door type I use is frameless glass. It can fit into most bathroom layouts and gives a great, clean look,” she says.
Kuhn used a frameless shower door in this recent bathroom project in St. Louis. “People want a simplified, uncluttered look,” she says. The designer notes that showers without doors are becoming more popular, but she says the result isn’t always as good as the idea. “People love the idea of doorless showers but back off once they think about the chill factor, since steam is not trapped in the space by the door.”
Designer Wendy Kuhn of Karr Bick Kitchen and Bath says those choosing a new shower door should consider a frameless one. “The most common shower door type I use is frameless glass. It can fit into most bathroom layouts and gives a great, clean look,” she says.
Kuhn used a frameless shower door in this recent bathroom project in St. Louis. “People want a simplified, uncluttered look,” she says. The designer notes that showers without doors are becoming more popular, but she says the result isn’t always as good as the idea. “People love the idea of doorless showers but back off once they think about the chill factor, since steam is not trapped in the space by the door.”
Frameless shower doors are also a great look for shower-tub combos, as seen in this Seattle bathroom by Holly Bero of Holly Bero Interiors. “We find that the tile is typically the star of the shower, and using a frameless door allows more transparency and lets the tile shine,” Bero says.
Another nice feature of frameless shower doors is that they’re user-friendly. “They keep cleaning simple since they have less hardware to clean around,” Bero says.
Another nice feature of frameless shower doors is that they’re user-friendly. “They keep cleaning simple since they have less hardware to clean around,” Bero says.
5. Ceiling Track Shower Curtains
The classic and simple shower curtain might seem outdated to some, but it can still be convenient and stylish, especially when hung from a ceiling track. “I have done a fair number of shower curtains on a ceiling track, which is an affordable and stylish way to install a curtain,” designer Kate Roos says.
She had a curved track mounted to the ceiling in this Minneapolis bathroom. “Clients are wanting simplicity, and for many, a shower curtain is easy to maintain and replace if needed,” Roos says. “The curtain track is a sleek way to mount the curtain without the need for a rod running across the space.”
The classic and simple shower curtain might seem outdated to some, but it can still be convenient and stylish, especially when hung from a ceiling track. “I have done a fair number of shower curtains on a ceiling track, which is an affordable and stylish way to install a curtain,” designer Kate Roos says.
She had a curved track mounted to the ceiling in this Minneapolis bathroom. “Clients are wanting simplicity, and for many, a shower curtain is easy to maintain and replace if needed,” Roos says. “The curtain track is a sleek way to mount the curtain without the need for a rod running across the space.”
An image of the same shower curtain closed shows the clean and stylish simplicity that one can add to a bathroom. Roos believes that ceiling track shower curtains will stand the test of time because it’s a look that works well in both traditional and contemporary spaces.
When it comes to selecting tile for your shower, there’s a wide range of styles, patterns and colors to choose from, but when it comes to tile size, designers are telling us that bigger might be better.
“The most popular style of shower tiles being used is large-format tiles,” says designer Frankie Castro of Square Footage, who added 24-by-48-inch marble-look porcelain tiles to the shower walls of this Toronto master bathroom.
Castro thinks that large-format tile is a look that will be around for a while. “Large-format tiles are more visually appealing because they require fewer grout lines compared to smaller tiles,” Castro says. “They’re also a great choice to make smaller rooms appear larger, with less visual distraction.”
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