skip to main content
Photos
Photos
Kitchen & DiningKitchenDining RoomKitchen/Diner
BathroomBathroomCloakroomEnsuite
LivingLiving RoomGames RoomConservatory
OutdoorGardenBalconyPatio
BedroomBedroomKids' BedroomNursery
Small SpacesSmall KitchenSmall BathroomSmall Garden
More RoomsHallwayStaircaseUtility RoomHome OfficeEntrance HallPantryHouse ExteriorWalk-in WardrobeView All
Stories
Stories From Houzz
Most PopularHouzz ToursKitchensBathroomsMore RoomsGardensRenovatingDecoratingStorage & OrganisationSmall Space LivingTips for ProsView All
Houzz Discussions
Design DilemmaBefore & AfterPollsKitchensBathroomsLiving RoomsGardensRenovatingDIYHome DecoratingSmaller HomesPaint
Houzz Research
Advice
HOUZZ DISCUSSIONS
Design DilemmaBefore & AfterPollsKitchensBathroomsLiving Rooms
GardensRenovatingDIYHome DecoratingSmaller HomesPaint
Sign In
Join as a Pro
History of Houzz
Houzz Logo Print

shower

Joanie Belair
Joanie Belair
Photo

Shower Ledges Instead of Niches Everyone needs a place in a shower for soap and shampoo bottles, and a niche does an adequate job. But niches are somewhat difficult to handle from a design and construction perspective, because they have to be recessed between wall studs. This requires extra planning and preparation. Meanwhile, you have to consider what you will use to tile the interior of the niche and how you will finish off its edges. That’s a lot of work for a small area that sometimes isn’t even big enough to hold large bottles of shampoo and conditioner. A shower ledge is much more straightforward and requires a build-out of only a few inches into the shower space. Run it along the length of your shower stall, as designer Katy Popple did here, and you’ve got tons of space for shower essentials. Cap it with a piece of your bathroom vanity countertop material and call it a day.

Q

Photo

Ha ... this looks familiar!

Q

Photo

niche areas

Q

Photo

pebble niche

Q

Product

ACO Flag grill 27.55" 700mm - Linear Shower Drain

Q

what's this drain?

Q

Photo

curblesss shower with bench and hooks and a drawer for storage

Q

Photo

large sections

Q

Photo

like a piece of artwork! Lighted niche and bench below

Q

Photo

for the small mosaic tile

Q

Photo

walker zanger studio moderne fretwork pattern

Q

Photo

perhaps this pattern for a white on white

Q

Photo

for added privacy in a curbless shower

Q

Photo

many thoughtful and beautifu details

Q

Photo

window incorporated

Q

Photo

Walker Zanger tile used on the half wall between shower and tub

Q

Photo

so pretty

Q

Product

Inset-Tile Custom Drain Solution

Q

An inset-tile drain is another solution to obtrusive drains. The tile in the shower was used to inset the drain, adding a seamless transition from drain to tile. A one-way slope in the shower pan is the key science behind this marvelous invention.

Q

Product

Marble Slab Shower with ProLine Drain

Q

This gorgeous shower utilizes a linear drain installed alongside a solid slab of marble. This is the only set up that allows you to use a slab of solid surface material without any modifications in your shower pan. Spacers can adjust the strainer to the thickness of your slab material.

Q

Product

Modern Tiles Shower with Quick Drain

Q

Pro LIne drain system -- can be placed so you barely notice them. Place where one will not stand

Q

Photo

AJ -- big blocks and pebbles - wall gives privacy to toilet

Q

Photo

so artistic AJ

Q

Photo

limestone in large pieces?

Q

Photo

tiny glass tiles like shiny shells on a beach

Q

Photo

CURBLESS SHOWER EPOXY GROUT It is more expensive, unwieldy to work with and stinks. But epoxy grout has a big benefit over its sanded and nonsanded cousins: It makes it difficult for mildew to grow, and liquids have a hard time penetrating it. We have been installing it frequently in master showers and at kitchen backsplashes (where food and grease can splatter) with great results.

Q

Photo

neat niche

Q

Photo

WATERPROOF DOORS? READ ON: Though curbless showers tend to show up in modern baths, there's no rule that says a traditional bath can't go curbless. Their unbroken appearance and importance WHEN IT COMES TO AGING IN PLACE and universal access make them an important consideration, regardless of a bath's design style.

Q

Photo

Curbless showers don't have to be open, this one's contained behind a frameless, glass enclosure. THE LACK OF CURB AND SHOWER FRAME!! give this bathroom an absolutely seamless sight line.

Q

Photo

CURBLESS SHOWERS TAKE A GOOD DEAL OF PLANNING TO PULL THEM OFF EFFECTIVELY.. What looks like a wooden mat at the entrance to this one is actually a drain cover to catch any water overflow.

Q

Photo

A smaller bathroom with an unenclosed, curbless shower requires that the entire floor be pitched toward the drain in the shower. DONE PROPERLY, A BATHROOM SUCH AS THIS WILL DRAIN ITSELF DRY SHORTLY AFTER USE.

Q

Photo

Shower head placement is an important aspect to containing the splash zone.

Q

Photo

CURBLESS SHOWER Curbless showers have to be larger than a typical shower to make them large enough to contain the entire splash zone.

Q

Photo

THIS ZERO THRESHOLD SHOWER, which almost qualifies as a less-than-zero design, successfully combines two different flooring materials. The wood boards in the shower are spaced to provide drainage and prevent water from pooling. In a design like this, it's important to make the floorboards removable so the drain can be accessed easily.

Q

Photo

ZERO THRESHOLD SHOWER This continuous run of floor tiles from the main bathroom area into the shower exemplifies the streamlined and contemporary feel a zero-threshold shower adds to a room. The shower incorporates a standard round drain in the middle of the space rather than a trenchlike drain at the door. If you're emulating this design, just make sure the floor slopes toward the drain.

Q

Photo

Go curbless. A curbless shower isn't just for those with difficulty getting around. A curbless shower can turn the entire bathroom into a showering room.

Q

Photo

RIGHT SIZING . I hate showers that are too small and are claustrophobic. It's like those showers at summer camp when we were kids. Fine for when I was 10 but not now. So to get the optimum size I'll ask clients to stand with their arms outstretched and then turn in a circle. This circle will be the absolute minimum size shower the client will want. If you have the space, a good rule of thumb to follow is that the shower should be a minimum of 60" by 36". Of course the shower can get bigger as we add things like a bench or other feature.

Q

Related Photo Topics
    Contemporary Bathroom PicturesModern Bathroom PicturesClassic Bathroom DesignsRustic Bathroom DesignsContemporary Bathrooms
  • Ireland
    © 2026 Houzz Inc.
    • COMPANY

    • About Houzz
    • In the News
    • Press Info
    • Careers
    • Contact Us
    • Terms & Privacy
    • Copyright & Trademark
    • EXPLORE HOUZZ

    • Buttons & Badges
    • Mobile Apps
    • For Brands
    • For Professionals
    • Review Professionals
    • Suggested Professionals
    • FAQs
    • CONNECT WITH US

    • TwitterXCircleX
    • Facebook
    • RSS