Bathrooms have many parts, but I think the heart of the bath is the shower. Well-designed showers promote serenity, comfort, and a feeling of wellbeing. Inside this special space, the mind is calm, and often valuable insights and ideas surface. Maybe it would be a good idea to provide a small niche in every shower for a waterproof white board. That way, we could write down these ‘aha!’ moments before they are lost to our busy day.
Showers demand careful thought to get them just right, beginning with finding the appropriate size, and the amount of openness. A shower that is too big, or wide open to the bath, often leaves you cold and too exposed, resulting in discomfort and anxiety. A shower that is small and closed off creates darkness and claustrophobia, a place you want to leave as soon as you can.
There's increasing demand for showers that incorporate tub bathing as well: it's a cool combo!
Showers also need to function effortlessly.
We almost always place shower controls [both hot/cold and volume] outside of the spray zone from the shower head[s], and at the entrance. This allows you to find the right balance of volume and temperature without getting wet. Enduring a cold spray to begin your shower experience never feels good!
Walking straight into the shower without a step or a curb is safe and accessible, and showers without doors give you a feeling of freedom and effortless flow. The trick is to keep the water inside the shower [correct drainage is essential] and to maintain privacy.
Showers can be equipped with an elaborate array of controls and sprays, or they can be simple setups, which promote water efficiency. They can be designed for the comfort of two people at once [often with two separate stations] or for one at a time. Sometimes the inclusion of steam is important.
Shampoo, soap, and other shower products all need a conveniently located home [most often we build recessed niches for these essentials], and we need to mount hooks, towel bars, and shower seats wherever they will serve you the best. We like fold up seats, or allowing space for a beautiful teak bench.
Windows are part of good shower design
because we want daylight and a private view without sacrificing privacy. Artificial lighting should be non-glare and dimmable, and a quiet exhaust fan on a timer switch is a must to pull all that hot, humid air out of the bath.
Lastly, the selection of beautiful and inspiring finishes makes the well-designed shower a truly special place. We especially like calming colors that promote serenity, a spa like feeling. Greens and blues are my particular favorites. Shower floors should of course be nonslip surfaces, and everything should be easy to clean and maintain.
The well-designed shower is the best place to start your day, perhaps under an invigorating spray to wake you up, or to decompress at the end of a long day, most likely under a calming rain shower. Or why not both!
Photography by Paul Finkel & Greg Hursley
