New This Week: 6 Dramatic Showers
See the stylish details and features pros used to bring luxurious beauty to these bathrooms
A shower can be so much more than a space for washing. The experience of a shower can boost your mood, rejuvenate your soul or help you relax at the end of a long day. If you add up the amount of time you spend in the shower, you’ll probably arrive at a number that convinces you the space is worth investing design resources in. Here, design and remodeling pros share the details they used to create six dramatic showers.
2. Welcoming Wetroom
Designers: Katie Flynn of Hisel Flynn Architects (architecture) and Reid Design (interior design)
Builder: Design Plus Construction
Location: Needham, Massachusetts
Size: 200 square feet (19 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “The existing house had been cobbled together over the years,” architect Katie Flynn says. “It was dark, disorganized and slightly too small for the clients and their growing family. Throughout the home, the finishes were in poor repair and outdated — textured plaster, decorative rough-hewn posts and beams, a general Paul Bunyan vibe. We added about 200 square feet on the second floor to incorporate a primary bathroom and laundry.”
Shower features. Wetroom layout. Rain shower head and wall-mounted shower head. Ceramic graphite gray 3-by-12-inch wall tiles and hex ceiling tile. Large-format (24-by-24-inch) porcelain floor tile.
Other special features. Walnut vanity with concrete-look quartz countertop.
Designer tip. “We used the same bold tile but in a different pattern in the primary bath ceiling and walls,” Flynn says. “This created some visual interest and a nice combination of textures without the space becoming too busy.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “Space was at a premium, and we had high ambitions for all of the elements we wanted to include in each bathroom — sconces, mirrors, double vanities — and we really struggled to get the elevations to look balanced and not too busy,” Flynn says. “We had to hold the actual mirrors and sconces up against the wall to get the layout just right. There is no substitute for seeing the real items in the real space.”
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Designers: Katie Flynn of Hisel Flynn Architects (architecture) and Reid Design (interior design)
Builder: Design Plus Construction
Location: Needham, Massachusetts
Size: 200 square feet (19 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “The existing house had been cobbled together over the years,” architect Katie Flynn says. “It was dark, disorganized and slightly too small for the clients and their growing family. Throughout the home, the finishes were in poor repair and outdated — textured plaster, decorative rough-hewn posts and beams, a general Paul Bunyan vibe. We added about 200 square feet on the second floor to incorporate a primary bathroom and laundry.”
Shower features. Wetroom layout. Rain shower head and wall-mounted shower head. Ceramic graphite gray 3-by-12-inch wall tiles and hex ceiling tile. Large-format (24-by-24-inch) porcelain floor tile.
Other special features. Walnut vanity with concrete-look quartz countertop.
Designer tip. “We used the same bold tile but in a different pattern in the primary bath ceiling and walls,” Flynn says. “This created some visual interest and a nice combination of textures without the space becoming too busy.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “Space was at a premium, and we had high ambitions for all of the elements we wanted to include in each bathroom — sconces, mirrors, double vanities — and we really struggled to get the elevations to look balanced and not too busy,” Flynn says. “We had to hold the actual mirrors and sconces up against the wall to get the layout just right. There is no substitute for seeing the real items in the real space.”
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3. Historic Hit
Designer: Jenny Murphy of J Reiko Design + Co.
Location: Denver
Size: 165 square feet (15 square meters); 7½ by 22 feet
Homeowners’ request. For this home, located in Denver’s Humboldt Island historic district, “we wanted to stay true to the home’s history and classical nature but also update it for modern-day living,” designer Jenny Murphy says. “The original primary bathroom contained many dated finishes that did not accurately reflect this young family of three. Ultimately, the homeowners wanted to update the space while maintaining the home’s original charm.”
Shower features. “To maintain the classical Italianate feel in this primary bath, we used polished Carrara marble 4-by-16-inch tiles for the entire shower,” Murphy says. “The ledges in the shower are made of 3-centimeter slab Carrara marble. To add warmth to the space, we introduced brass plumbing fixtures as well as a modern clear shower enclosure with a brass frame.
“As with most older homes, this home’s primary bath was slightly smaller than a modern-day bath. To make the space feel larger and more connected, we installed a curbless shower base. This meant that the floor tile, the hexagonal ceramic mosaic, could be carried throughout the entire bathroom and into the shower with no visual interruption. This makes the space feel larger and more modern.”
Other special features. Alder vanity with honed-Carrara marble countertop. Aged-brass hardware, faucet and mirror frames. Lights made of white glass and hand-rubbed antique brass.
Designer tip. “Don’t fight the architecture that already exists,” Murphy says. “Work with whatever is there that you can enhance — all of the space’s best features. This is especially true when working on historic homes. You can easily update a space without insulting its original architecture. Embrace the charm of old spaces.”
Vanity lights: Calliope in white glass and antique brass, Thomas O’Brien, Visual Comfort; wall paint: Swiss Coffee, Benjamin Moore
Designer: Jenny Murphy of J Reiko Design + Co.
Location: Denver
Size: 165 square feet (15 square meters); 7½ by 22 feet
Homeowners’ request. For this home, located in Denver’s Humboldt Island historic district, “we wanted to stay true to the home’s history and classical nature but also update it for modern-day living,” designer Jenny Murphy says. “The original primary bathroom contained many dated finishes that did not accurately reflect this young family of three. Ultimately, the homeowners wanted to update the space while maintaining the home’s original charm.”
Shower features. “To maintain the classical Italianate feel in this primary bath, we used polished Carrara marble 4-by-16-inch tiles for the entire shower,” Murphy says. “The ledges in the shower are made of 3-centimeter slab Carrara marble. To add warmth to the space, we introduced brass plumbing fixtures as well as a modern clear shower enclosure with a brass frame.
“As with most older homes, this home’s primary bath was slightly smaller than a modern-day bath. To make the space feel larger and more connected, we installed a curbless shower base. This meant that the floor tile, the hexagonal ceramic mosaic, could be carried throughout the entire bathroom and into the shower with no visual interruption. This makes the space feel larger and more modern.”
Other special features. Alder vanity with honed-Carrara marble countertop. Aged-brass hardware, faucet and mirror frames. Lights made of white glass and hand-rubbed antique brass.
Designer tip. “Don’t fight the architecture that already exists,” Murphy says. “Work with whatever is there that you can enhance — all of the space’s best features. This is especially true when working on historic homes. You can easily update a space without insulting its original architecture. Embrace the charm of old spaces.”
Vanity lights: Calliope in white glass and antique brass, Thomas O’Brien, Visual Comfort; wall paint: Swiss Coffee, Benjamin Moore
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4. Outdoor Oasis
Designer: Kip Kelly of Nest Architecture
Location: Beverly Hills, California
Size: 150 square feet (14 square meters); 10 by 15 feet
Homeowners’ request. Update a 1960s home to “create a modern bachelor pad suitable for hosting over-the-top Hollywood Hills-style parties,” architect Kip Kelly says. The owner “wanted to create a space that took full advantage of the canyon views and the large, flat backyard.”
Shower features. Flagstone flooring. Twelve-foot glass ceiling. Four walls of glass, one of which overlooks a koi pond and garden. “A 300-pound boulder set into the flagstone reinforces the feeling of being outdoors,” Kelly says.
Other special features. “A color palette of warm grays and earth tones was used throughout the bathroom to blend with the flora in the garden,” Kelly says. “Floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors immerse the occupants into the garden and draw in natural light across the ceiling and floor. The freestanding stone tub mimics the stonework outside, further obscuring the line between inside and out. Motorized roll-down shades, recessed into the ceiling, offer privacy when desired.”
Designer tip. “We always recommend bringing in natural light from more than one direction to minimize glare,” Kelly says. “In this room, windows on two perpendicular walls, as well as the shower skylight, flood the space with natural light.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “Within the city of Beverly Hills, remodeling is encouraged, but if demolishing more than 50% of the existing structure, the entire building must be brought up to current code,” Kelly says. “We did not anticipate the amount of dry-rotted and termite-damaged material we would encounter, and barely kept within the 50% allowable. We worked closely with the contractor to minimize the scope in certain areas to meet the guideline and avoid costly upgrades.”
Designer: Kip Kelly of Nest Architecture
Location: Beverly Hills, California
Size: 150 square feet (14 square meters); 10 by 15 feet
Homeowners’ request. Update a 1960s home to “create a modern bachelor pad suitable for hosting over-the-top Hollywood Hills-style parties,” architect Kip Kelly says. The owner “wanted to create a space that took full advantage of the canyon views and the large, flat backyard.”
Shower features. Flagstone flooring. Twelve-foot glass ceiling. Four walls of glass, one of which overlooks a koi pond and garden. “A 300-pound boulder set into the flagstone reinforces the feeling of being outdoors,” Kelly says.
Other special features. “A color palette of warm grays and earth tones was used throughout the bathroom to blend with the flora in the garden,” Kelly says. “Floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors immerse the occupants into the garden and draw in natural light across the ceiling and floor. The freestanding stone tub mimics the stonework outside, further obscuring the line between inside and out. Motorized roll-down shades, recessed into the ceiling, offer privacy when desired.”
Designer tip. “We always recommend bringing in natural light from more than one direction to minimize glare,” Kelly says. “In this room, windows on two perpendicular walls, as well as the shower skylight, flood the space with natural light.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “Within the city of Beverly Hills, remodeling is encouraged, but if demolishing more than 50% of the existing structure, the entire building must be brought up to current code,” Kelly says. “We did not anticipate the amount of dry-rotted and termite-damaged material we would encounter, and barely kept within the 50% allowable. We worked closely with the contractor to minimize the scope in certain areas to meet the guideline and avoid costly upgrades.”
5. Gorgeous Graphic
Designer: Katie Brown of Muse Residential
Location: Sherrills Ford, North Carolina
Homeowners’ request. “The client originally had a small bathroom that had a tight tub-shower combo and one very small vanity,” designer Katie Brown says. “It lacked storage and style. The client wanted something that made a statement and was befitting of a house on the lake. We were renovating the entire kitchen and master suite, and found a new location for the master shower in part of the old master bedroom area. The new layout solved the tiny shower problem, and the new space allowed for a double vanity with extra storage.”
Shower features. Large-format (24-by-48-inch) porcelain tile in a graphic print that features blues, black and gold. “The tile was flipped so it created a gradient effect, making it look like it was one giant slab of tile,” Brown says. “The feature wall is balanced with a white Calacatta marble-look porcelain tile on the side walls and on the shower floor, so the back wall really pops when you come into the room.”
Other special features. Cement-look porcelain hex floor tile. “The warm champagne bronze that’s in the shower tile is picked up in the plumbing, cabinet hardware and lighting,” Brown says. “We also used the black from the floor in the shower glass hardware, mirrors and lighting to keep it fresh and pop against all of the white.”
Designer tip. “A decorating trick that I like to do is choosing a statement piece for a room and building off of that,” Brown says. “The client fell in love with the shower tile I had selected at the first meeting, and it was a jumping-off point for not only the bathroom but the whole first floor. It gave us our color palette and made all of the other decisions very easy. Don’t be afraid to take a risk either.”
Shower tile: Imagine Stone Decor Domino, 24 by 48 inches, TileBar; wall paint: Nebulous White, Sherwin-Williams
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Designer: Katie Brown of Muse Residential
Location: Sherrills Ford, North Carolina
Homeowners’ request. “The client originally had a small bathroom that had a tight tub-shower combo and one very small vanity,” designer Katie Brown says. “It lacked storage and style. The client wanted something that made a statement and was befitting of a house on the lake. We were renovating the entire kitchen and master suite, and found a new location for the master shower in part of the old master bedroom area. The new layout solved the tiny shower problem, and the new space allowed for a double vanity with extra storage.”
Shower features. Large-format (24-by-48-inch) porcelain tile in a graphic print that features blues, black and gold. “The tile was flipped so it created a gradient effect, making it look like it was one giant slab of tile,” Brown says. “The feature wall is balanced with a white Calacatta marble-look porcelain tile on the side walls and on the shower floor, so the back wall really pops when you come into the room.”
Other special features. Cement-look porcelain hex floor tile. “The warm champagne bronze that’s in the shower tile is picked up in the plumbing, cabinet hardware and lighting,” Brown says. “We also used the black from the floor in the shower glass hardware, mirrors and lighting to keep it fresh and pop against all of the white.”
Designer tip. “A decorating trick that I like to do is choosing a statement piece for a room and building off of that,” Brown says. “The client fell in love with the shower tile I had selected at the first meeting, and it was a jumping-off point for not only the bathroom but the whole first floor. It gave us our color palette and made all of the other decisions very easy. Don’t be afraid to take a risk either.”
Shower tile: Imagine Stone Decor Domino, 24 by 48 inches, TileBar; wall paint: Nebulous White, Sherwin-Williams
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
6. Steam Scene
Designers: John Klopf, Angela Todorova and Yegvenia Torres-Zavala of Klopf Architecture
Contractor: Rich Mathers Construction
Location: Mountain View, California
Size: 115 square feet (11 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. This home was designed by famed midcentury modern real estate developer and builder Joseph Eichler. “With a love for woodworking, the homeowners wanted beautiful wood designs that would make their Eichler truly unique,” Klopf Architecture program manager Curtis Lee says. “They chose to update the entire house to ensure a consistent look and feel throughout.”
Shower features. Curbless shower with steam function. Teal back-painted-glass detail. Frameless glass enclosure. Textured ceramic floor tile. Matte black fixtures. Custom dark bronze hardware.
Other special features. Walnut vanity wall. Custom vanity with white Silestone countertop. Skylight. Freestanding tub.
Structural engineer: Sezen & Moon Structural Engineering; project photos: Mariko Reed
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Designers: John Klopf, Angela Todorova and Yegvenia Torres-Zavala of Klopf Architecture
Contractor: Rich Mathers Construction
Location: Mountain View, California
Size: 115 square feet (11 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. This home was designed by famed midcentury modern real estate developer and builder Joseph Eichler. “With a love for woodworking, the homeowners wanted beautiful wood designs that would make their Eichler truly unique,” Klopf Architecture program manager Curtis Lee says. “They chose to update the entire house to ensure a consistent look and feel throughout.”
Shower features. Curbless shower with steam function. Teal back-painted-glass detail. Frameless glass enclosure. Textured ceramic floor tile. Matte black fixtures. Custom dark bronze hardware.
Other special features. Walnut vanity wall. Custom vanity with white Silestone countertop. Skylight. Freestanding tub.
Structural engineer: Sezen & Moon Structural Engineering; project photos: Mariko Reed
More on Houzz
Read more bathroom stories
Browse bathroom photos
Find a bathroom designer
Shop for your bathroom
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Designer: Krista McGrath of McGrath Interiors
Location: Media, Pennsylvania
Size: 148 square feet (14 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “The homeowners wanted a clean-looking modern space that had a more open, curbless shower,” designer Krista McGrath says. “The existing shower was smaller and walled off, so it felt dark and claustrophobic. Removing a closet and that existing shower opened up the space and provided plenty of room for the vanities and the larger shower.”
Shower features. “The overall theme of the bathroom was the sleek look of the polished Carrara marble, which was applied to all of the vertical surfaces of the shower as well as the rest of the bathroom,” McGrath says. “The clients wanted a pebble floor in the shower as well as a nice-sized bench. There is a rain shower head in addition to the regular shower head, and a handheld closer to the bench. The controls for these are easily reached on the left side of the shower, but out of the way of the shower stream. A niche finished in the same marble allows for product storage.”
Other special features. Heated floors. Thassos and Carrara marble hex floor tile. Dark gray stained wood vanities and mirror frames.
Designer tip. “Keep materials and colors consistent throughout for a more cohesive look,” McGrath says.
“Uh-oh” moment. “We considered doing a linear drain, but installing that at the shower head end as well as having a curbless shower proved to be too difficult,” McGrath says. “The larger the shower, the higher the rest of the bathroom floor would have to be because of the pitch, so we settled on a drain toward the middle.”
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