5 Luxury Shower Ideas Designers Are Loving Right Now

Build the spa of your dreams with these inspiring suggestions.

Creating a bathroom that helps you feel relaxed and pampered seems easy. After all, these enclaves usually don’t have as much square footage as others in your home—like, say, a kitchen or living area—and you can most likely count its must-haves on one hand. But then you start designing this project, and the entire idea of “ease” goes out the window. There are countless tile options, fixture styles, lots of water pipe questions, and so on.

But it's going to be fine... deep breaths! If building a luxury bathroom is your ultimate goal, but you’re stuck in either the daydream or the demo phase, these five ideas should give you the confidence you need to successfully achieve your vision. Designers Amy Vroom of The Residency Bureau and Gina Gutierrez of Gina Rachelle Design are sharing their tips for designing a luxury bathroom from the ground up, so that you’ll get exactly what you want.

Related: The Best-Kept Secrets of Luxurious Bathrooms

Add a ledge in your shower

While most people are aware of “niches” in showers, whether they know the name for those storage spots or not, Vroom says to move beyond them if you’re seeking a more high-end finish. “Installing a shower ledge is more seamless than adding a niche, and allows for another material to be incorporated into your design,” she says. You can mirror the material used on this ledge in your vanity, for instance, creating cohesion from one corner of the room to the next.

Mix natural stone with color

Bold, sleek, and graphic tiles have been trending for years, and can be luxurious whether they’re used from floor-to-ceiling or just on a statement wall. Guiterrez also likes to select a colorful tile in her bathroom projects, but tends to pair that with a natural stone — from marble and travertine to river rocks and terrazzo. “The color brings warmth to a space while the stone elevates the details,” she says. Just make sure your pieces coordinate, and you’ll have pulled off this trick, too.

Optimize your floor plan

Think of your bathroom like a pretty version of Tetris. If you want a luxury-level bathroom, then you’ll have to spend some time editing your layout. “Take the time to come up with a floor plan that suits your needs and dreams,” Guiterrez says. “It may take a few iterations to get there, but patience can lead to a gem of a space.” To her, luxury is defined as a place to “soak and escape,” so Guiterrez would prioritize fitting in a tub, even if that means putting it under a showerhead.

Pick substantial hardware

While it’s true that tiles and tubs will get plenty of attention during the picking process, Guiterrez wouldn’t forget about the lesser items, too. “There’s always something to touch in a bathroom, from faucets and knobs to a showerhead and trim,” she says. For the sink, she recommends choosing hardware that feels substantial, because that’ll read as more luxurious. “You’ll want it to feel heavy and smooth,” she adds. “It’ll also be more long-lasting.”

Distinguish the tub with tile or stone

A soaking tub is a luxurious feature on its own, but you can make this piece even more of a showstopper by following Vroom’s advice. “Tile the skirt,” she says. “And if there’s an undermount tub, add a stone slab to the top of it for an extra special feature.” The tile can either be a recurring material seen on the walls or backsplash for a tonal look, or can be something slightly different for a fun contrast. Either way, your shower is bound to stand out!

Related: 5 Ways to Make Your Shower Feel More Spa-Like

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