Picture a beautiful modern bathroom, and you’re likely to imagine a shower as one of the main features. The design of a shower – a little room in itself – can make or break the appeal of a bathroom interior. It’s therefore important the shower you choose fits with modern design trends as well as being functional for all the family.

In this article, we’ll take a look at the growing appeal of showers together with the latest design features that make them increasingly safe, comfortable, and aesthetically appealing. 

 

Move Over Tubs – It’s the Shower’s Turn to Shine

According to a variety of sources, the shower is now the preferred home bathing method. More and more homeowners are opting for larger showers in place of a traditional bathtub. They are also fitting additional en-suite shower units for family and guests.

A Home Design Trends survey by the American Institute of Architects found that “larger walk-in showers and shower stalls without tubs continue to dominate the market, with 60 percent and 57 percent of respondents, respectively, deeming them leading features”.

Similarly, a 2020 Houzz Bathroom Trends Study revealed that for the first time, “half of renovated master bathrooms do not have a tub, and 78 percent of homeowners who choose to remove the tub do so to enlarge their shower enclosure space”. Bathtub soaking is down seven percentage points from last year.

These facts are not surprising. With two-thirds of us washing our bodies daily, a shower has the overwhelming advantage of speed and convenience. 

It saves water too. In this age of environmental awareness, more people than ever before also focus on the green benefits of showers. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a bathtub uses up to three times as much water as a five-minute shower. 

It is clear that the bathtub is now an optional accessory, while the walk-in shower has become the primary bathroom feature.

 

Larger Showers Offer Aging-in-place Benefits

Ensure Your Shower is Safe for EveryoneTubs and older showers can be inconvenient and even hazardous for the less mobile. Thankfully, today’s more spacious shower designs offer greater accessibility and comfort for every member of the household. They include numerous innovations, not least to meet the needs of aging-in-place (or living-in-place) homeowners.

Curbless shower options enable the elderly or disabled to access the shower cubicle with ease. There’s no threshold, allowing users to roll a walker, wheelchair, or transfer chair seamlessly across the edge. The tripping and slipping risks associated with shower lips and steps are no longer a concern.

Grab bars and handrails are essential universal design features for both inside and outside the shower cubicle. These vital safety components provide people with all levels of ability an extra level of assistance and assurance when maneuvering inside the shower.  

In the past, these safety features were often rather clinical in appearance. Grab bars and handrails now come in a wide variety of colors and styles to match with the shower cubicle and wider bathroom design. 

You can also install bars that serve a secondary function, such as a shampoo and soap shelf, thereby aesthetically camouflaging the bars to outside eyes.

Another important feature perfect for larger showers is the shower bench or seat. These are particularly important for the elderly and disabled. But they can also create a relaxing and luxurious spa-like atmosphere to a modern shower that’s ideal for everyone. 

Shower seats, like bars and rails, come in a range of designs. Wooden seats are on-trend at the moment and offer a natural vibe to an enclosure which can be further enhanced with a rainfall shower. 

 

Trends in Shower Floors and Walls

Midway Highlands Modern Bathroom RemodelWhen it comes to shower enclosure floors, grouted tile flooring continues to be popular, and advances in grout materials (specifically Epoxy grout) have greatly improved the function and maintenance of shower tiling. Epoxy grout does not use Portland cement or water in the mixing process. Instead, it features a hardener, pigments, epoxy resin, and silica fillers.  Most people prefer epoxy grout because it’s sturdy and durable. It’s a grout for tiling that’s highly resistant to climatic changes, stains, and cracks.

It’s the preferred option for showers in particular since it adds a second layer of protection for the moisture that’s under the tile. Another benefit of epoxy grout is its ability to resist staining and protect the original grout color.

When it comes to shower walls, classic subway-style tiles remain popular. Clean geometric patterns are widely favored, but there is a growing interest in warmer colorful naturalistic themes. 

 

Shower Door Designs that Make a Statement

Gray Bathroom with Marble Shower Stall and Glass Door DallasThe design of your shower door will partly depend on the size and geometry of your shower cubicle, while style and cost considerations also come into play. It is a feature to get right because it can enhance the overall look of the bathroom. 

Shower doors come in various forms and it is wise to seek assistance from your remodeler to ensure that they are appropriate to your needs.

There are several popular door design styles that suit every type of bathroom look.

Looking for a shower cubicle with an open and airy ambiance that’s also easy to clean and shows off your beautiful shower tiles? Frameless doors are the perfect option. 

As the name suggests, these glass shower doors are almost invisible and lend themselves well to bathroom interiors needing a spacious and minimalist feel. They come with either swinging or sliding options to suit your preferences. 

A similar option to the frameless door is the rolling door. It’s also made primarily of glass with little in the way of a framework, except it’s designed specifically for showers built within a 3-wall enclosure. 

The rolling “barn style” frameless enclosure features a metal bar near the top, along which the doors slide. This elegant shower door can also be fitted in front of an enclosed shower-bathtub combo. 

An enduringly popular style suited to almost any installation is the simple hinged door with a grid pattern. They are easy to clean and allow for a wide variety of patterning to produce a classic, shabby-chic, or minimalist look. French-inspired black framing and grid patterns are really popular right now.

 

Shower Design by Blackline Renovations

Thinking of a bathroom remodel or of adding new shower units to your home? You’ll need to find out the full range of technical and design options available. Our experienced team here at Blackline Renovations, Dallas’s top design-build home remodeling firm, is ready to help. 

Call us today at 214-827-3747 or schedule a consultation.