I like the idea; pony wall, and enclosing it in all frame-less clear glass, may even add a small corner bench extruding from the pony wall and existing wall.

I was also thinking of using the bottom half of the window as the shower niche since their is no way to remove it. Thoughts?

For a niche, it might be a little low for my liking, especially since window framing normally takes up a few inches inside the wall around the perimeter, It's hard to determine where the niche would end up being without know how the window was installed.

Remember the window will likely need a complete redo to be waterproof and within a shower.

Turning all that area into a huge shower seems like an awfully expensive way to just fill space. And to end up with what will be a big chilly shower. Even more so because of the large room/ high ceilings/ cfm requirements of exhaust fan. The only good reason that would justify it would be if you need something like wheelchair access.

Why don't you DRAW the entire bath with all dimensions added to the drawing. Include all entry exit points and those dimensions. Add also, the dimension of window and distance from each wall.

There may be other solutions to an improved layout. Without that information via a drawing? Nobody can say.

Am always concerned about having a window in a shower especially one as large as yours and with such a low sill. Am certain the glazing (glass) will have to be tempered also which in itself is not a huge deal.

Thank you everyone for your comments! I do know that the window would have to be waterproofed to be within a shower, which I'm fine with. We're just not able to remove it so I have to work with it. I've added a makeshift drawing of the bathroom for a better reference. I've also thought about knocking out the wall separating the toilet and shower and switching the placement of the toilet with the shower. The water closet also has a window so there's no avoiding windows in any scenario.

I've also added a pic of the other side of the bathroom. Any more ideas?

We kept our window in our large walk in shower and we loved it. Tile surrounded the window and was used as casing to waterproof it. I used the window well for plants.

Tile is not waterproof. Encasing a window in tile is a quick way to rot out a wall. Especially with plants fitting there dribbling even more water into the wall.

If that is a wood window, it has to be replaced with fiberglass or vinyl. With SAFETY GLASS that will not cut you into a thousand lives after a slip and fall.

There is no way to do what you wan without removing and replacing that window. That can be done. With enough budget. Add 10K to your 50K project.

@Jan Moyer: Thanks for your feedback! The toilet is currently in a water closet which is next to where the shower currently is. The toilet is also under a window in the water closet. So if I change the layout as you have drawn above, there will still be a window in the shower. The picture I drew is exactly how the bathroom is currently laid out. Will it be weird to have a pony wall and glass separating the vanity and the toilet? I thought it might create a bad sight line.

@GreenDesigns: The window above the tub is already fiberglass. It isn't wood.

You need an ACCURATE drawing. Actually, you need a designer on your site. And a willingness to also consider adjacent spaces for which we have no information.

You are looking at a 60 K gut. Minimum. To get a bath you really want : )

What about removing the tub and expanding the shower to meet up with the window? You could use the space between the shower and the counter for a nice bench or something to put your plants on. Just an idea....

My husband and I worked with a designer to do something similar to what you’re thinking of, replacing a small shower and garden tub with a large shower. We also had a large window over the tub that was waterproofed and incorporated into the new shower. The shower fixtures, and a new niche for holding bottles, are far enough away from the window that I don’t anticipate water damage will be a problem. It helps that the shower is used by two adults and we live in a dry climate. The window looks out onto an atrium, so privacy isn’t a concern, but we did eventually add a vinyl roll-up blind for light control in the adjacent bedroom. The resulting shower is large enough to dry oneself at the other end under an infrared lamp. We are very happy with the results.

Before and after photos are attached.

@Melanie, thank you for sharing pics of how it can be done. While I can understand a large window isn't ideal for some, I'm really not opposed to having one especially since even if I change the layout, there will be a window in the shower no matter what.

@ Jan Moyer, a friend of mine knows how to create a more accurate drawing so I'll try and get him to do so and post here.

You've got a large bathroom and a small drop in tub might be nice to keep.

Here are a couple ideas which require being able to move the toilet 90 degrees.

The shower width would be dependent on where the door to the closet is or whether it could be moved.

My thought was along the same line as Karenseb

I am assuming that the 1'5" Linen closet is not a part of the 8ft toilet room wall.

Get yourself a good designer to explore all your options

I was going to suggest something along the lines of what Jean L suggested. In your picture it appears that the window is a foot from the edge of the shower? Pull the shower all the way to the right that you can and make it deeper. Area where tub was becomes a dressing area with bench, scale, etc

@Melanie Magisos I really like your shower design -- do you mind sharing the dimensions of your new shower and whether you get cold in there?

@kariyava, our shower is about 45" x 99". We don't get cold, but we do live in a warm, dry climate. We have an infrared heater installed in the ceiling at the far end of the shower in what we use as the drying area.

@Melanie Magisos Thank you so much! I live in a similar climate, with a similar bathroom layout, so this might work for me. Do you mind sharing what kind of heater you used?

@ RNmomof2 zone 5, in reality, the end of the shower is currently only about 6 inches from the edge of the window. I really like @Melanie Magisos idea of removing the bathtub, extending the shower and using the remainder as a drying area.

@Melanie, I'd like to know what kind of heater you used as well.

The heater we used is a simple two-bulb model. It might be this or something similar: https://www.broan.com/Bath-Vent-Fan/Fans-with-Lights/Bulb-Heaters-and-Heater-Fans/164. Before our remodel the heater was installed in the vaulted ceiling in the room. It was pretty useless way up there, but it works well installed in the 8' ceiling over the shower.

Thank you so much!