7 Walk-In Shower Mistakes Designers Say You Need To Avoid – and What To Do Instead
The do's and don'ts for an elevated design
Walk-in showers are beloved for many reasons. They are perfect for smaller bathrooms and can feel truly luxurious with the right approach. But there are many ways these spaces can go wrong – and there are a few design mistakes that designers say they see all too often.
Your shower room ideas need to work for everyday needs, but they should also be beautiful, inviting spaces that you look forward to using. It's the first and last room you use each day, so avoiding unnecessary faux pas will ensure your scheme ticks all the boxes.
And knowing exactly which walk-in shower design mistakes to avoid (or fix, depending on where you are in the design process) will ensure your scheme blends practicality and aesthetics seamlessly. Here are seven to look out for.
1. Not Balancing Form and Function
In this walk-in shower, a simply terracotta tile border at the top and bottom of the wall instantly elevated the whole design without impeding function.
A walk-in shower is incredibly functional. It needs materials that withstand a wet environment, but that doesn't mean you can't add elevated details that take these spaces from basic to luxurious. Stop letting your bathroom fixtures lead the design, and take a more design-focused approach with color and unique features.
'I think the biggest mistake is treating a walk-in shower as purely functional and being afraid to give it any personality. Because bathrooms tend to be smaller spaces, people often default to white tiles and fixtures, which can leave them feeling quite cold and clinical. I also think it is a mistake to choose everything from the same range – a bathroom can still feel cohesive without every element matching perfectly,' says interior designer Laura Stephens.
'I would embrace the fact that it is a smaller space and use it as an opportunity to be a little bolder. Color, pattern and texture can completely transform a shower room, whether it's a patterned tile, painted paneling, or an interesting floor. Even in a very small bathroom, there should be some contrast and layering – it is what stops a bathroom from feeling like a purely utilitarian space.'
2. Overfilling a Walk-In Shower With Too Many Elements
'Good lighting is also essential, and I like to layer it rather than relying on one central fitting. Once the practical elements are resolved, you can then bring in color, texture, and beautiful materials to make the room feel personal rather than purely functional,' says Sophie.
A walk-in shower needs open space – enough room for everyday tasks, whether it's washing, morning routines, or even cleaning. Cramming your shower room with too many features is a common mistake designers see, and it instantly compromises your design's usability.
'One of the biggest mistakes is trying to fit too much into a small shower room without properly considering the circulation around each element. A room can technically fit everything you need, but if the shower door clashes with the basin, there isn't enough clearance around the WC, or storage is hard to access, it quickly becomes frustrating to use,' says Sophie Pringle, Founder of Pringle & Pringle.
'Think about the room as a whole and plan it around how you actually use it. We always look carefully at the flow and the clearances before specifying the finishes, and try to make every inch work hard. In a compact shower room, a walk-in shower with a single pane of glass can be much less visually intrusive than a more complicated enclosure.'
3. Avoiding Color
'We love the idea of a gorgeous, glossy tile running vertically through a shower, perhaps in a deep olive green or rich burgundy, paired with a quieter stone-effect floor,' says Grazzie. 'You still get plenty of character, but the room feels considered rather than chaotic.'
If there's one walk-in shower mistake designers are truly tired of seeing, it's colorless designs. Just because these small rooms are functional doesn't mean they shouldn't get the same creative treatment as other spaces. A room filled with tiles offers a unique opportunity to bring in fun tones, combinations, and textures to create a shower room you get excited to use.
'Whoever decided that walk-in showers need tiny tiles and lots of white clearly wasn't having much fun with their bathroom! There's absolutely no reason a smaller space can't be filled with color, beautiful patterns and a little personality. In fact, shower rooms are often the perfect place to be a bit braver because you don't have acres of wall space to contend with,' explains Grazzie Wilson, Head of Creative at Ca’ Pietra.
'The mistake is thinking that being bold means everything needs to compete for attention. A patterned floor, a colorful shower wall, contrasting grout, and another statement tile behind the vanity can quickly become rather a lot to take in. Instead, give one element its moment and let everything else complement it.'
4. Making the Shower Area Too Big
Scale has clearly been considered in this walk-in shower, where the shower and vanity have been proportionately designed to offer just the right amount of floor space for easy use and flow of the room.
When it comes to interiors, the idea that bigger is always better has led to more than one design mistake. A large shower area might sound like the pinnacle of luxury, but it actually creates an uninviting space that leaves the rest of the bathroom feeling overcrowded and dysfunctional.
'There's a tendency to assume that the bigger and more open a shower is, the more luxurious the bathroom will feel, but that simply isn't always the case. I've seen homeowners become so determined to achieve a walk-in shower that they end up compromising the proportions of the entire room. The bathroom vanity feels squeezed in, there's very little room to move around, and suddenly what was supposed to feel luxurious becomes quite awkward,' explains Keeley Sutcliffe, Design Manager at BC Designs.
'One of the first things I'd consider is the view as you enter the bathroom. You don't necessarily want to be confronted by a large glass screen or the side of an enclosure, particularly in a smaller space. Think about where the shower sits in relation to the vanity and how much uninterrupted floor space you can preserve. Sometimes a slightly smaller, beautifully proportioned enclosure will make the whole bathroom feel more generous.'
5. Choosing Materials Unsuitable For Their Placement
Switching from the glossy wall tiles to the marble-look floor ensures the aesthetic requirements are being met while choosing a floor that won't become a slippery nightmare as soon as the shower is turned on.
It's easy to get carried away with bathroom tile selections, and while designers recommend choosing beautiful designs that add character and personality to a walk-in shower, choosing the right materials and finishes for each placement is really important. The wrong floor tile, for example, can lead to an impractical design.
'Make sure the tiles are suitable for where they're going. Those deliciously glossy finishes might look fabulous on the walls, but the shower floor needs something with appropriate slip resistance. Let the walls do the showing off and give your feet something sensible to stand on,' Grazzie advises. Check the specifications of the tiles you like the look of – just because they are suitable for bathrooms and walk-in showers doesn't mean they work for a shower floor.
6. Forgetting to Factor in Storage
'A shower room can be practical without feeling clinical; beautiful stone or handmade tiles, considered lighting, antique or vintage elements and bespoke joinery can all make a small space feel much more inviting,' says Melissa Hutley, Co-Founder of Hutley & Humm.
One of the biggest mistakes you can make when designing a walk-in shower is forgetting to plan out your storage. A floor covered in bottles and products looks messy and chaotic, not to mention hazardous if those products leak and cause a slippery floor. It's also just about ensuring your shower room is functional, rather than a space you dread using.
Instead, plan in your shower storage early. This could be a ledge along the back wall, or a recessed wall niche to store all of your essentials at the right height. 'People often underestimate the importance of planning storage at the very beginning rather than trying to find somewhere for toiletries afterwards,' says Sophie. 'A properly designed wall niche can provide useful storage without taking up floor space.'
7. Placing the Shower Controls Beneath the Shower Head
'Don't forget about the actual layout of your tiles,' says Grazzie. 'Where the grout lines fall, how the pattern wraps around a corner, and whether you're left with awkward little cuts around a shower niche can make an enormous difference. It's worth planning all of this before the first tile goes on the wall, particularly if you're using a decorative pattern.'
One thing people overlook in almost any walk-in shower design is the placement of the shower controls. But it becomes all the more important in a shower room, where controls directly beneath the shower head will leave you drenched every time you turn the shower on. Instead, placing the controls by the entrance of the shower allows you to turn the shower on before you step inside.
'Another mistake is designing the shower around how it looks rather than how somebody will actually use it. Can you turn the water on without getting soaked? These things sound incredibly obvious, but they're often forgotten in the excitement of choosing beautiful finishes,' Keeley explains.
'I'd encourage homeowners to invest thought in the brassware. It's something you interact with every day, so the quality, positioning and finish really matter. A beautifully designed shower valve in polished nickel, for example, can introduce a lovely sense of refinement, particularly when it's coordinated with the other fittings.'
Elevate Your Walk-In Shower With These Stylish Essentials
Shower rooms can be truly luxurious – you just need to nail the design. It's about balancing function and aesthetics, and ensuring you bring as much personality to the scheme as you would any other style of bathroom.
Love beautiful design ideas, expert advice, and inspiring decor trends? Sign up for our newsletter and get the latest features delivered straight to your inbox.
