Let these shower room ideas, for all room sizes and budgets, inspire a relaxing and luxurious space
(Image credit: Kaldewei)
When looking for new shower room ideas, keeping practicality top of the list is essential.
Whether it's for a new bathroom design in a new house or an update to an existing one, the best shower room ideas make the most of the space available, provide function for your lifestyle and, of course, create a welcoming and luxurious environment in the process.
No matter if you're working with a small shower room, adding a new wet room, or creating a relaxing walk-in shower en suite, below are some amazing ideas that can be adopted and adapted into any design.
How Do I Plan a Layout with Shower Room Ideas?
While the average bathroom size is 2.5m x 2m, homeowners choose shower rooms in spaces much smaller than that, or with more awkward shapes.
"When it comes to deciding where you're going to position your bathroom fittings, my advice is to think about how they're used and in what order," explains Phil Etherden, managing director of The Albion Bath Co.
"I often recommend that the sink or basin is placed closest to the door, as it is often the last stop in most bathroom routines. The toilet and other fittings can then be further into the room. This not only provides more privacy but saves you from walking through puddles left behind by people stepping out of the shower."
1. Design a Walk-in Wet Room
(Image credit: Walls and Floors)
Is there anything better than waking up and walking straight into a warm shower? Looking up how to install a wetroom will enable you to maximise the potential of even the most awkward spaces and create a seamless elegance in a shower room space.
Added bonus: no more early-morning stubbed toes!
"More people are choosing to go for walk-in showers and wet rooms ideas over baths, while also moving away from smaller cubicles to much bigger and larger enclosures," explains Paul Wells, showroom manager and 3D bathroom designer at Sanctuary Bathrooms.
2. Add a Small En Suite Shower Room
(Image credit: B&Q)
Adding an en suite bathroom is estimated to add a value of £15,885 to the average home according to a study from Rated People, but this investment will also provide a sanctuary away from the usual chaos of a family bathroom.
Small en suite ideas don't have to be huge — showers themselves only require a space of 900mm x 900mm (minimum) to offer a comfortable experience.
3. Use Slimline Storage in a Narrow Shower Room
(Image credit: Drench)
Use slimline storage and compact toilets so users aren't shuffling awkwardly along to get into the room. Wide and shallow vanity units are now commonly seen in DIY shops and bathroom suppliers to help maximise bathroom storage ideas in any space available.
Freestanding designs are also a help to visually create some extra space.
Another trick to narrow bathroom spaces is to place the sanitarywear along one wall to maximise space.
4. Make the Shower the Star of the Show
(Image credit: Nigel Rigden)
When a bath is sacrificed to create a shower space, don't be half-hearted during the design stage. Choose a wide or long shower enclosure, perhaps using glass panels rather than a full door, with the best shower head you can install.
Showers will be used by multiple people every single day, so investing in a luxurious and enjoyable experience is more than worth your time.
This shower room was built during an extension and includes a roof light above the curved shower enclosure — decadence at its finest.
5. Great Lighting Design is Key to an Effective Shower Room Idea
(Image credit: Mereway Bathrooms)
Even if your new space has plenty of natural light, incorporating a great bathroom lighting ideas plan to introduce artificial illumination is key to shower rooms.
Statement pendant and wall lights in shower rooms don't always add the wow-factor as they do in traditional bathrooms where the tub take centre stage.
However, downlights are always a practical winner for small bathrooms as they work well with awkward spaces and work hard to counter dark corners. Also consider adding unique brightness in the form of recessed LED strips, or integrated mirror vanities.
6. Bring a Spa-Like Feel to Your Shower Room Idea
(Image credit: Tile Giant)
Even if you're dealing with a small bathroom, aiming to achieve a sense of serenity and escapism using materials, fixtures and fittings will make any room a cut above the rest.
Be it luxurious stones, warm woods, or (as shown above) boutique-inspired marble effects, using floor to ceiling tiling creates a spa-like atmosphere that will never fail to decompress after a long day.
"People are investing in their homes and want to create their very own sanctuary and place to escape and what better way than creating your very own spa in your home," says Darren Allison, managing director at BC Designs.
7. Don't Necessarily Discount Baths from a Design
(Image credit: Albion Bath Co)
Shower rooms can be a good choice for those who don't need or want a bath tub, but many homeowners choose this style of design as a result of a lack of space.
"Don't assume just because you have a small space you can't accommodate a bath," says Albion Bath Co's Phil Etherden.
Many compact and space-reducing baths have come out in recent years so those with smaller rooms can still achieve a sense of luxury.
8. Keep it Traditional with a Freestanding Vanity
(Image credit: Big Bathroom Shop)
As shower rooms tend to feature walk-in shower and built-in storage, adding a little variety into the mix helps to make a room feel cosier.
Including a freestanding vanity unit or bathroom storage solution is the best of both worlds and for more traditional shower rooms, farmhouse-style wooden worktops with small Belfast basins does just the trick.
9. Get Creative with Tiles in a new Shower Room
(Image credit: Walls and Floors)
Bathroom tile ideas are a great way to inject some personality into a shower room, be it with a colourful pattern, interesting laying pattern or even different coloured grout (trust us — it works!).
Tiles, combined with other bathroom elements, are a great source of visual texture and can massively impact the finished look of a room.
"Smooth, reflective materials bounce light around and so tend to make a space feel bigger and brighter; think mirrors, floss-finish tile, paint and brassware" explains Barrie Cutchie, design director at BC Designs.
"Alternatively, rougher textures like unpolished stone and wood absorb light to make a bathroom feel warmer and more comfortable. Adding both finishes in different areas to create zones can be a fantastic way of using you bathroom to its full use."
10. Go for a Smart and Accessible Shower Room
(Image credit: Pure Bathroom Collection)
Installing a shower room as part of an accessible home design can involve more than just including walk in shower ideas and level floor. Wetrooms are perfect for this purpose and the removal of a bath creates more space for getting changed, adding grab bars or storing a wheelchair.
Including smart home accessories will take an accessible shower room to the next level.
Digital showers, smart speakers and self-cleaning loos are great to include in any new bathroom, and they work especially well to transform an accessible wetroom into a future-proofed and easy-to-use space.
11. Make a Statement in a Shower Room
(Image credit: Walls and Floors)
From mixing and matching tiles and laying beautiful flooring to including the latest matt black taps and industrial-style shower enclosure, this shower room has it all.
Now, you might not want to include all of these elements, but make the most of the opportunity and weave in one or two of your favourite styles and trends to make your shower room individual to your lifestyle.
12. Choosing Flooring for a Shower Room
(Image credit: Walls ans Floors)
Choose the right bathroom flooring for a shower or wet room — to install the wrong option will cause no end of issues later down the line.
Hardwearing options include slip-resistant porcelain tiles, natural stone and even rubber, but more cost-effective shower room options might also include luxury vinyl tiles and laminate.
These vintage-inspired ceramic tiles are a durable and stylish choice for a shower room.
13. Go Bold in Very Small Shower Rooms
(Image credit: Chris Snook)
While we used to think pared back style worked best in small spaces and only large rooms could really take bold colours and materials, nothing is further from the truth in modern bathroom ideas.
This amazing en suite wetroom renovation is bursting with personality. Timeless fixtures like flooring, wall tiles and sanitarywear have been matched with more modern trends which can be swapped out as styles change.
14. Maximise Awkward Shower Room Spaces
(Image credit: Mereway Bathrooms)
Working with unusual or awkward spaces in a shower room renovation will make the most of every inch of space. Think about boxing in storage, including clever lighting or even adding some privacy by setting back toilets.
Here, the recess in the wall has been utilised to create the perfect shower enclosure while freeing up the rest of the space for other bits of sanitarywear.
How Do You Revamp a Shower Room?
Refreshing a shower room can eek out precious years from an existing bathroom, but the extent of an update will definitely depend on the budget:
Low cost: For a few hundred pounds new taps and storage could be installed on a DIY basis as well as a new coat on paint on the walls to perk up a dated space.
Mid cost: For a larger investment, perhaps £1,000-£2,000, a new shower enclosure, shower head and perhaps a section of statement tile would be within reach.
High cost: A complete remodel of tiles, santiarywear and brasswear will naturally make the biggest difference but be prepared to spend at least £2,000, if not upwards of £3,000.
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Amy is an interiors and renovation journalist. She is the former Assistant Editor of Homebuilding & Renovating, where she worked between 2018 and 2023. She has also been an editor for Independent Advisor, where she looked after homes content, including topics such as solar panels.
She has an interest in sustainable building methods and always has her eye on the latest design ideas. Amy has also interviewed countless self builders, renovators and extenders about their experiences.
She has renovated a mid-century home, together with her partner, on a DIY basis, undertaking tasks from fitting a kitchen to laying flooring. She is currently embarking on an energy-efficient overhaul of a 1800s cottage in Somerset.
