Shower bench advice

last year

Houzz-land, need a fresh pair of eyes as I have been staring and swirling on this too long. Attached pics show dimensions of our new build master shower 54” x 88”, all glass on one side facing into the master bath, tiled on 3 sides. Shower head and hand held shower with 72” hose on one end and a window on the other.

Struggling with shower bench configuration.

Option 1 runs it all the way along the long wall, but fear it might feel a bit cramped when showering. Visually would look good.

Option 2 has a partial bench. Should be close enuf for the end to be used as a foot rest for showering and sitting with the handheld shower - it will be a bit of a stretch but 72” probably is workable. Allows most room for showering but looks “off”, I think, since off center.

Option 3 has a centered bench but that seems ripe for whacking knees and chins on the corner. May make the shower area feel tight. Could explore an oblong bench or 45 degree corners to alleviate the knee whacks but not sure how that looks. Centering it might visually look good. The handheld shower should stretch.

Option 4 is probably a nonstarter but putting it out here. It would put the bench along the back wall but that would require a second handheld shower to be installed (and cutting into some walls - nothing is tiled yet). Would also mean I’d still need a toe niche for shaving, I think, as would shave under shower head. But probably looks the best visually.

Thoughts from the group?

Thanks in advance.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (10)

millworkman
last year
No built in bench, by a Teak Wood free standing bench
cafleter
Original Author
last year
Have thought about a teak bench but it really doesn’t go stylistically. Have spent hours searching for non-teak movable benches w/o finding anything. I do get the allure of a movable bench.
Related Professionals
Elizabethtown Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Louisville Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Elkton Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Lawton Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Chillicothe Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Clearlake Bathroom Remodelers · Salinas Bathroom Remodelers · San Bernardino Bathroom Remodelers · Springfield Tile and Stone Contractors · Charlottesville Tile and Stone Contractors · Saint Marys Tile and Stone Contractors · Newport Tile and Stone Contractors · Brattleboro Tile and Stone Contractors · Pullman Tile and Stone Contractors · Edmonton Tile and Stone Contractors
chispa
last year
In a larger shower, I prefer separating the main showerhead from the handheld showerhead on a sliding bar. The handheld goes near the bench.

In my previous house I did built-in benches in the showers, but they are hard and cold to sit on.

When we built in 2021, I decided to skip the built-in benches and go with teak benches. No regrets. Having the flexibility to have nothing in the shower is also good for ageing in place, in case we ever need to use a shower chair.

They come in different styles, widths, heights and stains.
chispa
last year
K Laurence
last year
Obviously a matter of personal preference. we have option #2 in our second home, love it. We have a teak bench in our primary home’s shower, don’t like it for a few reasons (;shower is too small for a built in ).
cafleter
Original Author
last year
Thank you K Laurence. It sounds like the fact the bench is off-center/off-kilter gives you enuf room to sit on the edge of the bench with your dimensions and you are ok with it visually not being “balanced”. I’m struggling getting past the visual aspects on Option 2, I think.
K Laurence
last year
Sorry cafleter … we have option # 1 , my mistake. I’ll measure the width between wall & bench,
K Laurence
last year
cafleter , how about a triangular corner bench?
cafleter
Original Author
last year
If it’s in the corner on the short wall opposite the shower head, still have a problem with the handheld shower head reaching that far. And not sure we would want it underneath the shower head…..but maybe….
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
last year
Who sits on a bench in a shower? You need a toe hold for leg shaving and that's it.