From visual upgrades to dreamy new features, there’s more than one way to make a shower more luxurious. Whether you’re building a new bathroom, renovating your existing space, or simply looking to make a few next-level tweaks, we’re chock full of luxury shower ideas that we can’t wait to share with you. So, lather up, grab your squeegee and let’s get started!
What Are The Features of A Luxury Shower?
Before we really kick off, let’s briefly summarise what we’ll be covering in this article. The main things to consider and that are key features of luxury shower spaces are:
- Smart colour choices
- High-quality materials
- Modern features
- Creature comforts
- Wise use of space
- Mood-enhancing lighting options
When all of these components come together to compliment and enhance each other, a state of true luxury can be achieved.
How Big Is A Luxury Shower and What Are the Dimensions?
You know the old saying; it’s not about the size, it’s about what you do with it. Many people assume that a luxury shower is open plan, with plenty of space, and surrounded by decadent styles and designs such as marbling. While it’s always nice to have lots of room to play with, this isn’t a mandatory requirement in creating a plush showering setup and even the smallest shower enclosures and spaces can offer an opulent showering experience. The right fittings and creative use of light and space can transform cosier enclosures into a bastion of luxurious indulgence, as you’ll soon discover below.
Six Helpful Things to Consider For a Luxury Shower
1. Choose Your Colours Wisely
People are famously visual creatures, and the first thing anyone’s going to notice about your shower area is the colour scheme. If luxury is the aim of the game, you want to go for something strikingly memorable, yet subtly refined. In normal human speak, this simply means it needs to look nice without being tacky or over the top. Depending on what you’re going for, there are many options available.
If you want to create a cosy, private sanctuary, black is the way to go. Rich, dark tiling can bring a real sense of intimate comfort, while brushed and matt black shower fittings simply ooze enticing elegance. Black bathroom tiles also look great with metallic fittings, such as a brass riser rail, a brushed nickel shower head or a gold shower valve glinting evocatively from the tasteful twilight surrounds.
Speaking of which, nothing screams luxury quite like the heady allure of gold. If black isn’t your thing, gold fittings set against a breezy white tiled backdrop create an equally regal sense of splendour. Brighter shades of gold tend to lend themselves towards traditional shower settings, while the subtle hues of brushed gold or brushed brass will transform your modern luxury shower space.
You might also consider tactful bursts of unexpected colour to accentuate things further, such as burgundy or turquoise tiling. Whatever you choose, remember that subtle, tasteful colouring is the hallmark of luxury shower design. The key is to keep things simple and complimentary.
2. The Right Materials Make All the Difference
In the realm of the modern shower, dull white plastic tends to prevail above all else. While this might be a functional choice, it doesn’t exactly scream ‘inspiring luxury’ at the top of its lungs.
Instead, you’ll want to keep your vision firmly trained on the high-grade metal side of things. Brass, stainless steel and anti-rust chrome are all strong shouts, and a good indication of quality is to check the manufacturer’s guarantee for any product you’re interested in (ten years plus is usually a safe bet). Brands such as Vado, Crosswater and Just Taps Plus specialise in these types of beautifully crafted, highly durable shower fittings, so might be a good place to start browsing.
As for your wall tiles, materials such as ceramic, porcelain or even mosaic-style glass are perfect for adding a touch of designer class. You can even look beyond tiles to options like brickwork or wood panelling if you’re aiming for a specific look. Wood is particularly good for cultivating a spa-like atmosphere and can even be used for your flooring as well (Scandi sauna-style slats, anyone?). Stone is another luxury floor option, with slate shower trays a particularly enticing, naturalistic choice.
3. Features, Features, Features
True indulgence is about more than just good looks. You can spend all the money in the world on an intricate mosaic tiled wall, but it won’t mean much if your shower head keeps scalding you and your shower handset trickles with all the power of a dribbling baby. From small luxury shower rooms to sweeping enclosures, efficient functionality is always a vital component.
We’ll start with shower heads. Depending on your budgetary requirements and personal preferences, there’s a whole host of opulent, feature-heavy models out there to choose from. A ceiling-mounted rainfall shower can recreate the soothing effect of a high-end spa, for example, while a multifunction shower head allows you to cycle between different spray settings at will. Whatever you go for, just make sure your water pressure matches up to the manufacturer’s specifications. An exploding shower head might be exciting, but it’s not really very luxurious (for more information, check out our comprehensive water pressure guide).
They say two heads are better than one, and this certainly applies to showers. An additional shower head, riser rail or hose-fitted handset can boost your options and offer a truly comprehensive experience. You might even fancy a wall-mounted shower body jet or tile for a real dash of resort-style pampering.
A shower valve can make or break your setup, so make sure you find the right one to accommodate the number of shower accessories you want. A single shower head merely requires a one-way valve, while a double-outlet or triple-outlet valve can be used to operate up to three shower accessories. A diverter valve will usually just let you switch between the outlets individually, while a valve with all-flow functionality can run each outlet simultaneously for the ultimate luxurious shower session.
For a real infusion of high-tech wow-factor, you could even consider a digital shower valve with ambient LED lighting.
Finally, look out for the word ‘thermostatic’ when shopping for shower valves. This refers to an automatic temperature regulation system, which prevents those random freezing and scalding spikes that can seriously ruin your day.
4. Don’t Forget the Creature Comforts
If you want to put together a modern luxury shower room, you can’t be overlooking all those lovely little comforting touches. First on the agenda is baskets and shelves. After all, there’s nothing luxurious about having to bend all the way down to the shower floor just to scoop up your shampoo. A wall-mounted shower basket or stylish glass shelf can not only keep all your favourite products within easy reach, but also enhance your chosen aesthetics as well.
If you like to use your shower for personal grooming, you’ll no doubt be familiar with the amount of borderline-contortionist manoeuvres you have to pull just to shave your legs. A smartly placed shower footrest can work wonders here, offering full, elevated support to protect your back from strain. This lets you relax and take your time with things, with no need for a desperate rush to finish before your spine starts tweaking.
If anyone in your home deals with mobility issues, you might also want to consider a sleek and practical shower seat. These unobtrusive accessories can fold away when not in use and allow everyone to enjoy your shiny new luxury shower room equally. Wall-hung grab bars and rails can also aid in this regard, with numerous shapes, finishes and sizes available.
5. Make Use of the Space You Have
Whether you’ve got a little or a lot to play with, savvy use of space is a vital element of luxury shower design. For instance, a shower surrounded by glass strongly evokes feelings of fluidity. A glass enclosure opens up the space by allowing the lines of the walls to flow into the wider space around it, instead of being closed off by opaque plastic.
For smaller bathrooms, even a single glass divider screen separating a luxury walk-in shower from the rest of the room can create feelings of depth and size. A well-placed bathroom mirror or mirrored cabinet (particularly one with mirrored side panels as well as front panels) can have a similar effect.
If you’re trying to build a luxury shower enclosure, the right choice of shower tray and doors can make a huge difference to the amount of room you have to manoeuvre. Square shower trays with hinged doors can slot nicely into the corner of any sized bathroom, while quadrant or D-shaped trays paired with sliding doors can form the basis of a gorgeous enclosure for even the smallest of spaces.
As for the fittings, a recessed shower head built into the ceiling is a great way to maximise headroom while adding a plush sense of distinction. Alternatively, wall-mounted shower arms can build up the distance between your shower head and the wall, giving you more room to stretch out and really lose yourself in the simple joys of a genuinely satisfying shower.
Remember, unlocking the potential of your available floor space with smart, well-informed decisions could well be the difference between a genuine luxury shower room and a valiant-yet-doomed attempt at one.
6. Use Light Effectively
Whether it’s the soft caress of sunlight or a carefully cultivated artificial glow, the way you use light can have a big impact on the overall feel of your shower area. We’ve already extolled the spatial virtues of glass frameless enclosures and screens, but they’re also wonderful for enhancing the effects of natural light. Glass allows light to flow freely throughout your bathroom, infusing the space with gentle, sun-kissed radiance for a truly luxurious feel. A skylight positioned above your shower area can accentuate this further, although that’s generally only an option as part of a wider bathroom renovation.
In terms of artificial light, there are various enhancements you can make to bring a bit of extra pizzazz into the mix. Dedicated ceiling lights mounted above your shower enclosure can really set a cosy, intimate mood, further building the feeling of a private sanctuary separate from everyday life.
You can also use ambient lighting to wonderful effect. Placing a temperature colour changing LED mirror near your shower lets you pick the kind of atmosphere you want, from a bright, morning-ready dazzle to a soft, candle-like evening glow. You might also consider a wall-hung vanity unit with LED underlighting, which can radiate subtle, relaxing luminance. For an extra-special touch, you can even invest in an LED shower head to light up the very water itself as it tumbles down in a cleansing, fluorescent cascade.
What Does A Luxury Shower Routine Involve?
Now that we’ve established the main components of a luxury shower and how to go about implementing them, let’s talk a little about the act of showering itself. Even if you’re in a morning rush, you can still bring a little taste of the spa life into your showering routine with a few minor tweaks. From mood music and aromatherapy candles to shower bombs, skin-caressing lotions and gentle natural soaps, there are plenty of small steps you can implements to take your showering session to new levels of pampering goodness.
So, whether you’re making a few upgrades to your walk-in shower space or looking for some new luxury ensuite shower ideas, hopefully this has given you a few useful pointers on how to get started. Feel free to browse our website for some more luxury shower inspiration, or even pop by our Leeds showroom to have a peek in person.
