17 Luxurious Walk-In Shower Ideas From Designers

Add a Subtle Theme

Designer Jennifer Kmet, principal designer of 12|eleven Design Co., wove her client’s desire for a southwestern-style home into the primary bathroom by opting to line the walk-in shower with a Fireclay rust-brown tile that had a coppery undertone. Kmet says, “This was the perfect tile, because it has so much variation—it’s handmade and has a slightly rustic appearance.”

Create Balance

Stephen and David St. Russel of the Renovation Husbands decided to make their bathroom the perfect combination of traditional and modern aesthetics. The duo says, “We selected more contemporary fixtures in a chrome finish to balance both.” Interestingly, the husbands decided to install dark tile in their walk-in shower, and the reason is, again, about balance. “We chose a dark shower floor tile to ground the space, and paired it with a few dark accents (light fixtures, mirror) outside of the shower to tie it all together.”

Make the Most of What You Have

This jewel-like walk-in shower was designed by Laura Tribbett, principal designer of Outline Interiors, a Chicago-based firm. Tribbett says the oversized steam shower was once a “poorly designed walk-in closet.” And to make even more lemonade out of the lemons she was given, she took advantage of the structural column in the middle of the shower to add quartz shelves. The cherry on top: The stunning tiles, which are a glazed ceramic from Bedrosians.

Add a Skylight

Nothing feels more luxurious than showering in a stall with a skylight, and we swooned over this example designed by Garza Interiors. Maddie Moran, the lead designer for this project, says the wet room was once an awkward walk-in closet and that “clothing storage was relocated to an adjacent former ‘Monica Geller junk closet.'”

The gorgeous sage green ceramic tile pairs perfectly with the wood paneling, which (fun fact!) was sourced from high school and college gyms! Moran says, “We are always focused on cultivating a feeling—a vibe—and here we wanted the space to feel like a spa suite that lived at an intersection of nature and art. Color definitely came into play. We wanted something natural, but we wanted to do it in a bold way.”

Mix Up the Textures

Designers Jenna Choate-James and Mariana Ugarte of Interior Fox chose emerald green ceramic tiles from Porcelain Superstore for this client’s gem of a walk-in shower. They explain, “Our clients loved the terrazzo effect [floor] tiles and thought the organic pattern contrasted nicely against the geometric wall tile. It also introduces more color and visual texture to the space!”

Make an Enclave

For a walk-in shower that feels heavenly, try installing a soft blue, zellige tile throughout, like how JHL Design did here with the handmade clay tiles from Zia Tile. “We wanted the shower area to feel like an enveloping enclave of that beautiful zellige tile,” the designers said. The tiny Ann Sacks floor tile pattern helps break up the space a tiny bit, and the glimmering Watermark antique brass fixtures add an extra layer of sophistication.

Be a Little Playful

Often, you’ll see greens and blues in bathrooms, but rarely sunny yellow, which is why we were delighted to see this soft yellow bathroom designed by Abbie Naber, head designer of a. Naber Design. She lined the walk-in shower with custom-colored cement tiles from Zia Tile. Interestingly, she chose not to line the entire shower stall with the striped tile, which prevents the pattern from overwhelming the space.

She says, “I chose this tile pattern as a fun, youthful alternative to checkers that are so common these days. Being that it is a kid’s bathroom, we wanted the space to be playful but also provide a space that kids can grow with as they get older. The stripe was the perfect option for this. A stripe is timeless and the mellow color pairing was a subtle contrast option.” And as for why she chose yellow: “We chose yellow for its uplifting playful qualities. This hue was the perfect shade—not too bold and bright, not too jarring.”

Get Creative with Tiles

For an eye-catching walk-in shower, choose a watermelon-colored tile! This bathroom showcases a deeply saturated pink ceramic tile from Mandarin Stone and a unique black pencil tile to break it up. The porcelain floor tile pattern offers a nice curvy contrast to the linear tiles.

Go a Little Retro

We’re in a mauve state of mind after seeing this stunning bathroom from Austin-based design-build firm Moontower. Senior Interior Designer, Annie Mistak, says the client selected this “dusty mauve” tile from Fireclay because they were going for a “spin on a 90s look in a modern way.” The sleek white floor tile brightens up and modernizes the room even further.

Honor Your Home’s History

Designer Marie Flanigan of Marie Flanigan Interiors absolutely nails the classic aesthetic of this breathtaking bathroom. According to Flanigan, it was important to keep the timeless character and charm of this pre-war New York City apartment. “The plumbing fixtures are unlacquered brass, which will age and patina over time, honoring the building’s history. The dark hexagon flooring is a subtle nod to the intricate tile work of the pre-war era and juxtaposes beautifully against the white marble surround.”

(And if you’re wondering where the doors are, they were added after this photo was taken! Flanigan says, “We actually installed a gorgeous steel and glass shower door after photography took place, but loved getting the opportunity to show off the beautiful fixtures and natural light for this photograph.”)

Focus on the Details

Tyler Karu of Tyler Karu Design and Interiors designed this calming retreat so it mirrored the home’s original design style. She says, “We used a jewel-toned green cement tile as the field tile of the shower and did a simple stacked setting to complement the mid-century architecture.”

Interestingly, the jambs and curbs are all soapstone—small details that provide a nice contrast. Karu says, “The natural material resonated with the wooded site, and we loved how the green tile brought out the subtle green undertone in the soapstone.”

Keep It Simple

This crisp, white bathroom caught our eye because of its sheer simplicity; an all-white shower just looks fresh and clean, which is exactly how you want to feel when you step out of it! The tiles are actually a glossy white ceramic from TileCloud, meaning they’re easy to wipe down and maintain. The brass fixtures, also from TileCloud, warm up the space.

TileCloud explains the reason for the all-white aesthetic, saying, “The bathroom was quite a small space, so the all-white palette was a conscious design choice to make the space feel light, bright, and spacious.”

Combine the Shower and Tub

Who says you can’t have a walk-in shower and bathtub in one spot? Solstice Interiors proves it can absolutely be done—and done well. They combined two different tiles here (the white ones are from Bedrosians and the zellige tiles are from Zia Tile) for a space filled with texture. According to Katie Betyar, principal designer of Solstice Interiors, the client really wanted a tub incorporated somehow.

Betyar says, “We explored a few different layout ideas, entertaining a smaller standing shower and a small freestanding tub but always ended up losing something else like a double vanity, a private toilet room, or additional built-in wardrobe millwork they have in the bathroom. We landed on this tiled-in tub within the shower, almost like a mini-wet room so that the clients could have the best of both worlds, without having to sacrifice those other key components of the space.”

Stick to Earth Tones

Designer Lizzie Green of Popix Designs opted for a very neutral palette in this bathroom and chose travertine (which we’re predicting is coming back!) as the wall tile. She says, “I love travertine because it feels earthy and organic. It is definitely having a moment in design right now, but I think any natural stone always feels timeless to me.”

According to Green, the original shower was already in this location, but it had a shower curb and the ceiling was un-tiled. She rectified all of this, then added an extra layer of drywall so the tile and drywall were flush, creating a beautiful, seamless transition.

Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark

Black shower tiles might be intimidating but this walk-in shower, which is lined with black ceramic subway tiles from Tile Club, proves it can totally be done without overwhelming a space. It adds a moody vibe, sure, but the other details, like the warm wood, the curve of the arch, and the natural stone countertop keep things light and inviting.

Embrace Color Multiple Ways

Green is hot right now in bathrooms (if you haven’t already noticed!), and it might be due to the rise in biophilic design. We love how designer Corey Lohmann of Corey Lohmann Design made it the star of this bathroom without overwhelming the space by infusing the color through the tile work and paint. Lohmann says the porcelain wall tiles are from Fireclay and the green paint color is Pigeon by Farrow & Ball.

According to the designer, she wanted all of the “architectural details to feel thoughtful and like they have been there forever.” She added that the floor tile (which was from Cle Tile) introduced a textural element and pattern, “while keeping the overall vibe timeless and classic.”

Think Pink

Pink doesn’t always have to look super juvenile. In this bathroom designed by Patrice Rios of Patrice Nicole Studio, a taupe-y blush hue (Elephant’s Breath by Farrow & Ball) permeates the room. According to Rios, “The client wanted a calming space for a steam shower and a quiet bath.”

The custom cabinetry by Patrice Nichole Studio is topped with a natural marble countertop and unlacquered brass hardware from J&L Hardware, elevating the area even further. The natural mosaic marble flooring from Architerra adds a beautiful pattern inside and outside of the walk-in shower.