8 Shower Design Ideas for Bathrooms

You use your shower all the time, and having one you love makes a massive difference to how you start, or end, your day. If you’re renovating or building out a new bathroom, you need to make some smart decisions about shower placement and size. A good design can make even the smallest bathroom feel brighter, more open and functional.

These eight shower ideas work for different bathrooms and budgets to help you design a shower that looks good and lasts.

Shower ideas for small bathrooms

When your bathroom is on the smaller side, a well-designed shower layout can make all the difference.

1. Choose space-saving layouts

A corner shower with a pivot or sliding door keeps your shower tucked away neatly, freeing up the rest of your bathroom for your vanity and other fixtures to fit comfortably.

1. Use light colours and large-format tiles

Using lighter colours and bigger tiles in your bathroom can give the impression that it’s bigger than it actually is. Larger tiles also mean fewer grout lines and less visual clutter overall.

1. Add storage that blends in

A shower niche can clear up floor space and help organise your toiletries. It’s a little pocket built into your wall that holds your shampoo and soap. They’re a good fit for any shower, but extra handy in tight layouts.

1. Pick fixtures that make the space feel bigger

There’s a lot you can start planning when you know the standard bathroom dimensions. Look for ways to keep the floor and surfaces clear with features like wall-mounted mixers and floating vanities.

Shower over bath ideas

Having your shower over a bathtub is a practical way to squeeze more into a floor plan. Here are a couple of ways to make your shower bath a double-value must-have.

1. Make it feel like a design choice

It should be clear that this shower head isn’t just there because it has to be (even if it is). Match the colour and vibe of the bathtub to the shower tile to make it look intentional. You can also add a shower shelf to really drive this idea home.

1. Combine with accessories

Match your shower hinges and handles with the other accessories in your bathroom for a cohesive look. Add a shower screen instead of a curtain to give it a sense of permanence.

Walk-in shower ideas

Walk-in showers are spacious, but they need to be well-designed for proper drainage. If you’ve got the space, they can make your bathroom feel like a retreat every time you use it.

1. Choose interesting tiles

A walk-in is a perfect blank slate for you to experiment with design. For example, kit kat tiles do a good job of drawing the eye vertically, while terrazzo tiles stand out and add a little personality.

1. Add twin shower heads

Walk-in showers have enough space for two shower heads on opposite walls. With this setup, each person gets their preferred temperature and can shower without waiting.

Build a shower you’ll never want to leave

Your shower should be part of what makes your bathroom feel inviting to you. When it comes to shower design, there’s no one right way to do it. You can use these ideas to get you started, then try to come up with a few of your own.

Need more help? Get in touch with the Yabby team.