When designing showers, standard builders are predictable: tile goes here, glass goes there…as long as it looks clean and updated, it’s “done.”
But when I walk into a home, I can tell within seconds whether the shower was designed (like for real), or just installed (you know…what folks with a “just get it done” attitude would do). Because the specific design features that make a shower feel extraordinary—a comfortable and enjoyable and intuitive experience every day—are not accidents. And you have to know what’s possible before the right decisions for YOU come into focus.
It is about you, by the way, because where Return on Enjoyment® lives.
First-layer shower design decisions
Let’s start with what you feel the moment you step into your shower.
The presence of light, the temperature, and the atmosphere instantaneously shape your experience before you even reach for a handle. (I’ve designed showers where I spent as much time thinking about sunlight as I did about plumbing, because harsh afternoon heat pouring through an uncovered window can make a shower feel uncomfortable HALF THE YEAR here in Texas!!)
Therefore…the first design decision one that might surprise you: the right window treatments for your bathroom overall will control heat and light in a critical way. For instance, how about this bathroom where one simple window treatment, doubling as a hint of the owner’s personality and style, protects the shower and the tub from direct sunlight…
And then, in other homes, I’ve introduced skylights above or very near the shower…and the effect is divine. Morning light filters in from above in a way that feels calm and natural, without overheating…and at night, the shower becomes a shady, cocooned-like space.
Then, there are the moments where your home gives you something EXTRA special to work with!! Like this lake property vacation home, for example, where the shower looks out onto water. That’s not something you cover up! You design around it, protecting privacy while preserving the view. ♥
Accent lighting plays into a shower’s “feel” more than people expect, too. Something warm…something you like looking at…something whose soft glow makes an early morning feel a little less abrupt!!
And when a client wants to take it further, I’ll incorporate steam and aroma therapy. That changes EVERYTHING about how the shower is used, changing its role entirely.
Get the full details on this bathroom remodel…
Space for two?
Now, if two people are using the same shower (together or separately), the design has to work twice as hard.
This is where I see sooo many missed opportunities!! If you’ve ever had to reach across someone else’s products in the niche, or wait your turn for the “good” showerhead, or have to constantly readjust the showerhead and water temp and position after someone else messed it all up…you know what I mean. These are seemingly small hiccups, but they happen every day and they’re ultimately a drag (and often a slip hazard, too).
So…I design for separation without making the space feel divided. Here’s how:
His and hers niches are one of the simplest upgrades, and one of the most appreciated!! Each person has their own dedicated space, positioned exactly where they naturally stand.
Same with towel holders!! Placed just outside the shower and within reach. It sounds obvious when you say it, but most bathroom designers skip it…
And then, there’s layering of shower heads. Not just multiple heads for the sake of it, but different types, all placed intentionally. A rain head centered above, a handheld positioned where it’s most usable…and body sprays, if the client wants them, aligned to height preference.
Shower feature layering
There’s another category of game-changing feature possibilities that people don’t think of at all until we suggest them. And then they can’t imagine a shower any other way.
For example…
A grooming mirror inside the shower for shaving, skincare, you name it.
Custom-shaped showers fall into this category, too. Not every space wants a rectangle!! (Sometimes angling a wall or expanding into an underutilized corner gives you more room inside the shower and improves circulation in the bathroom as a whole…)
In several homes, I’ve gone further and absorbed an adjacent closet into the bathroom’s footprint to switch a small box shower into a full walk-in experience. What was once tight and segmented becomes open, generous, and sooo much more functional.
Is your shower the focal point? Should it be?
Now, the conversation shifts from function to presence.
Does your shower feel like part of the room, or like a space of its own? There’s not a right or wrong answer to that, by the way. You just have to know what you want.
For instance:
Large pane glass enclosures open everything up visually. You see the tile, the light, the full volume of the space. It feels expansive!
But in some homes, I take a different direction and give the shower its own identity. A traditional doorframe creates a feel of stepping into a separate room. That adds a sense of transition and privacy, for those who want it.
Aesthetic lift
Finally, we get to the part everyone expects to matter most: how your shower looks!! Here are some tips and shower ideas for true “timelessness” AND Return on Enjoyment®:
Black and white tile is one of the safest, most timeless themes you can choose. It gives you longevity and flexibility—you can add different accent colors easily, and constantly switch them out.
From there, you can layer in personality. Sometimes, that comes as a bold accent color that shows up in just the right place…
And sometimes, personality is shown with the scale or format of the tile. For instance…a larger pattern, an unexpected layout, a texture that catches light differently.
Be sure to see what’s possible with today’s tile technology!!
What to know about shower ideas before you get too excited
What I tell clients all the time is that luxury is defined by the whole system of how your design decisions support your daily life. Your shower space, in particular, should feel good at every hour of the day…and you shouldn’t have to think about where anything is…and you should have your preferences built in.
THAT is Return on Enjoyment®. And once you experience it, you don’t go back.
Write me directly to tell me what your current shower lacks, or what you’re most intrigued by from this list!
More of a bath person? Or know someone who loves a good soak? I have a quiz to reveal your perfect type of tub…
About the author:
Robin Burrill, RID, NCIDQ, ASID, IDS, CAPS, is an award-winning professional kitchen, bath, and interior designer. Robin and her husband, Robert Mathews, have owned Signature Home Services, Inc. for over three decades, establishing a superior in-house team with a widespread reputation for delivering meticulous design to their many repeat clients.
In 2022, the national publication, Kitchen and Bath Design News magazine, named Robin to their Top Innovator list in recognition of her achievements in the field of kitchen and bath design. In 2024, she was named one of the Fall 2024 Market Pros and “tastemakers” by ANDMORE at High Point Market. In 2024 and again in 2025, Fixr identified her as one of the Top Professional Interior Designers for their nationwide audience. At the start of 2025, she then acted as one of Dallas Market’s “Style Eyes” at Lightovation and Total Home & Gift Market.
Over her extensive career, Robin has been quoted in Architectural Digest and Forbes multiple times; her design work has been featured in top national trade publications; and she has been interviewed for Designers Today magazine’s “Profiles in Design” video series, among others. Widely respected for the depth of her knowledge, Robin is a sought after speaker and judge for many design industry events.
In 2023, Robin designed a bench for Charleston Forge, making her foray into product design. Robin currently serves as a volunteer on the board of the Dallas/Ft. Worth chapter of the Interior Design Society.
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