Decorating Rooms Bathrooms Showers & Baths 28 Stunning Walk-In Shower Ideas for Small Bathrooms If you're short on space, these small walk-in shower ideas are perfect for adding a touch of luxury to your bathroom. By Halee Miller Halee Miller Halee Miller is the editorial assistant for BHG.com. She is a recent graduate from Iowa State University where she majored in journalism and mass communications and earned a minor in design studies. Prior to her current role, she was the Better Homes & Gardens magazine home editorial apprentice. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on February 22, 2024 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Tria Giovan A walk-in shower can add function and a sense of luxury to your bathroom. Fortunately, you don't need a huge space to make it work. These small bathroom walk-in shower ideas demonstrate how to beautifully stretch a bathroom's footprint and amplify its good looks. Whether you have to remodel the whole bathroom or just incorporate a few aesthetic tweaks, there are ideas to inspire any walk-in shower design. 01 of 28 Shared Shower Wall Ellie Lillstrom Utilizing one wall for two purposes is the perfect solution for a small bathroom. Use one side of the wall for a walk-in shower and the other side for a sink or small vanity. Install the same tile all over the bathroom so that the multipurpose wall looks cohesive no matter which side you're standing on. 02 of 28 Install Built-In Storage Annie Schlechter It can be tough to find extra storage for towels and toiletries in a small bathroom. If you're able to, adding open shelves to the wall nearest the shower will provide storage and make the room feel bigger. Plus, it makes grabbing these items even easier for you or your guests when hopping in the shower. Open Shelving Ideas for Every Room 03 of 28 Patterned Tile Floor Julie Soefer Take the attention away from your bathroom being small by adding a focal point, like patterned floor tile. Bold tile that creates a striking pattern acts as a work of art on your bathroom floor. You can carry it from the walk-in shower floor to the rest of the room and even partially up the walls. Use one of the colors in the pattern in other parts of the room like the vanity to tie the space together. 04 of 28 Add a Wooden Bench Anthony Masterson If you don't have the space for a tub in your small bathroom, adding a bench to your walk-in shower is a great way to add comfort and safety to your bathing experience. Consider one made of teak, which is water- and slip-resistant. Continue the wood tones in other parts of the bathroom like shelving or the vanity. 33 Stylish and Functional Ideas for Walk-In Shower Seats 05 of 28 Unexpected Shower Door Design Karyn Millet Add contrast to your small bathroom with a walk-in shower door in an unexpected shape. Whether it's arched or keyhole-shaped, anything other than a rectangular shower doorway will draw attention, while the glass material keeps the small room spacious. 9 Arched Doorway Ideas That Will Elevate Your Home 06 of 28 Colorful Tile Accent KERRY KIRK Colorful tile creates a strong contrast against white tile. A block of color or a mosaic of different tiles in an all-white bathroom is an eye-catching focal point. Glass shower doors allow the accent tile wall to be the highlight of the room. The Shower Feature Wall Is a Subtle Way to Make a Splash in Your Bathroom 07 of 28 Doorless Walk-In Shower Design Adam Albright Forego the door to make a small bathroom's walk-in shower feel even more spacious. A fixed glass panel separates this shower from the rest of the bathroom. The open door design allows users to come and go freely. To waterproof the shower stall, cover the surfaces with tile, then mount the showerhead and controls on the wall opposite the opening to limit splashing. 17 Doorless Shower Ideas for a Modern Bathroom Look 08 of 28 Use Shower Curtains Edmund Barr Finish a walk-in shower in a simple, budget-friendly fashion with curtain panels rather than glass doors. This small bathroom walk-in shower design takes advantage of a wooden support beam for mounting curtain rods across the two open sides. A slightly raised step around the shower pan keeps water contained. The 9 Best Shower Curtain Liners of 2024 09 of 28 Tiled Wall and Walk-In Shower Reed Davis Furnish your small bathroom with a wall-mounted or pedestal sink to open up space for a walk-in shower. In this bathroom, a tiled partial wall separates the small walk-in shower from the sink area. Choosing a wall mounted sink instead of a full vanity allows space for a garbage can and small storage stool that can tuck behind the sink, as well as towel hooks or a towel bar (like this Better Homes & Gardens Cameron Towel Bar, $20, Walmart) just outside the shower door. 10 of 28 Utilize Space Efficiently Tria Giovan Consider the other amenities you'll want when making space for a walk-in shower in a small bathroom. This small walk-in shower's simple glass door allows for wall space for showcasing a double vanity. A narrow glass panel on the wall adjacent to the door helps carry light from nearby windows into the shower's interior, while a cutout on the door allows steam to escape. 11 of 28 Get Extra Light with a Window Anthony Masterson Position your walk-in shower near a window or below a skylight, so that you can enjoy both sunlight and stars. This walk-in shower's clerestory window and glass door allow natural light to flow in and out of the bathroom. Thanks to its placement, the shower becomes a separate room that doesn't clutter up the small bathroom's sight lines or impede traffic flow. 20 Bathroom Window Treatment Ideas to Suit Every Style and Space 12 of 28 Shiplap Knee Wall John Gruen Expand a small bathroom's utility by designing a walk-in shower that provides wall space for placing vanities or tubs. Seemingly an extension of the bathroom's shiplap-clad walls, this knee wall accommodates a shallow vanity with a mirrored door. White painted walls, the walk-in shower's glass enclosure and tiled walls, along with reflective surfaces, encourage light to move around the space, causing the small bathroom to appear roomier. 13 of 28 Use Bright Colors Werner Straube Walls painted white or a light color make a room feel larger. Create the illusion of space in your small bathroom design by choosing light paint and tile colors. If using all white tiles in your walk-in shower strikes you as too sterile, consider marble tiles, or add accent color tiles to offset the white. With limited wall space available, opt for a towel hook (similar to this Better Homes & Gardens Chandler Towel Hook, $17, Walmart) instead of a towel bar. 14 of 28 Extend Walk-In Shower Tile to Walls Werner Segarra A glass shower wall is a great way to make a small bathroom feel large. This bathroom takes it a step further by continuing its black and white striped wall pattern into the shower. This technique eliminates the shower/bathroom barrier to make it feel like one big space. 15 of 28 Small Bathroom with Soaking Tub and Shower Werner Segarra You don't have to sacrifice a bathtub to accommodate a walk-in shower in a small bathroom. Instead, opt for a small soaking tub that doesn't take up too much square footage. This spa-like small bathroom features a neutral color palette and natural textures, including a linen window treatment, faux wood floor tiles, and a muted river-rock shower wall. Glass enclosure walls keep the room open and airy. 16 of 28 Make Your Small Bathroom Luxurious with Marble Frame John Gruen Even the smallest bathroom designs can achieve grand style with these walk-in shower ideas. Despite its small size, this shower makes an impact, thanks to its marble door frame and tiled interior, both of which are highlighted by charcoal walls. Bathroom floor tiles repeat inside the shower to visually link the two areas. 17 of 28 Contrasting Tile Emily Followill In this small bathroom, stone floor tile repeats throughout the shower and toilet area for a cohesive look. Classic white subway tile contrasts with a black tile accent wall for a bold look. A glass shower door and built-in niche for incidentals maintain the bathroom's modern clean lines. 18 of 28 Walk-In Shower with an Eave Anthony Masterson Design a doorless walk-in shower that takes advantage of your small bathroom's architectural oddities. Tucking a shower beneath an eave allowed these homeowners to fit a walk-in shower into their small bathroom. Maximizing this tight space made room for a separate toilet compartment, a luxury usually reserved for larger bathrooms. 19 of 28 Walk-In Shower with Built-In Bench Anthony Masterson Add a walk-in shower that enhances a small bathroom's usefulness and beauty. This shower stands out in a simply furnished bathroom, thanks to its distinctively tiled walls and river rock tiled floor, both of which are easily seen through a frameless glass enclosure. The glass enclosure is fitted around the shower's marble tiled bench and small toiletry shelf, ending simply below the bathroom's beaded-board wainscoting. 20 of 28 Make Space for a Walk-In Shower and Tub Emily Followill Utilizing a tight corner, this small walk-in shower made room for a petite stand-alone tub. The blue tile on the shower floor and recessed shelf bring a touch of color to the white bathroom. Use a garden stool (like this Better Homes & Gardens Blue Teal Glazed Ceramic Garden Stool, $55, Walmart) as a petite perch near the tub. 21 of 28 Small Bathroom Walk-In Shower Ideas for Corners Gordon Beall Walk-in shower designs for small bathrooms require careful space planning. Set the shower into a corner, but expand its space by extending an angled base and glass enclosure into the main bathroom area. This walk-in shower's angled design enhanced the square footage, giving the homeowners space for adding a built-in bench. 22 of 28 Marbled Walls Walk-In Shower Ideas Michael Partenio Stretching across a bathroom's shortest wall, this shower provides plenty of room for pampering without overwhelming the small bathroom. Continuing the bathroom's marble walls and tiled flooring into the shower creates a cohesive scene with the perception of a larger space. How to Paint Your Walls to Look like Marble for a Classic Touch 23 of 28 Small Bathroom Walk-In Shower with Glass Walls Michael Partenio Design a small walk-in shower that blends into the background. Although this shower's seamless glass enclosure is visible, it fades in importance, thanks to brightly hued, striped wainscoting that wraps the bathroom's lower walls. Without solid walls, the glass walk-in shower appears at one with its surroundings rather than as a separate room. 24 of 28 Use Longest Wall to Fit a Walk-In Shower and a Tub Beth Singer Align bathing and showering stations along a small bathroom's longest wall. By placing the tub against the walk-in shower's knee wall, the homeowners created a compact bathroom arrangement that left the opposite wall open for other fittings. A shared palette of neutral colors and materials furthers the connection between the shower and tub. 25 of 28 Use Glass to Minimize Visual Space Stacey Branford Enclose a walk-in shower with a seamless glass enclosure. The transparent barriers take up little visual space and let natural light flow between the bathroom and shower, which in turn makes a small bathroom live larger than its dimensions. This bathroom's neutral tiled walls continue into the walk-in shower to further the space-stretching illusion. 26 of 28 Keep It Simple Jean Allsopp Accommodate your getting-ready needs with downsized fixtures that don't take up too much floor space. This handsomely profiled pedestal sink and narrow toiletry ledge replace a more cumbersome vanity in style. Marble-tiled walls and ceiling elevate this simply furnished small bathroom into elegance. 27 of 28 Small Bathroom with Tub and Shower Combined Stacey Branford When space for a walk-in shower is at a premium, consider placing bathing and showering stations within one enclosure. The homeowners combined a small soaking tub and a shower to maximize a minimal amount of floor space. Advantageously, the two-in-one design keeps splashing water and wet footprints away from the commode and vanity areas. 28 of 28 Small Bathroom Tub and Shower Idea Using Glass and Tile Greg Scheidemann Rethink available bathroom space until you are able to fit in every one of your desired amenities. This small bathroom design tucks a bathtub between the window wall and a compact walk-in shower. The bath extends behind the shower to supply a full-out bathing experience. The tub, shower, and vanity share the natural light streaming through the undressed window. Use a single bath rug (Better Homes & Gardens Bath Rug, $11, Walmart) to serve both the shower and the tub. Frequently Asked Questions What is the minimum space needed for a walk-in shower? Walk-in showers should be no less than 32x32 inches, but ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) recommendations suggest a minimum of 36x36 inches for a square-shaped shower and 60x30 for a rectangular shower. Can a walk-in shower devalue your home? In general, adding a walk-in shower will enhance the value of your home—unless adding one eliminates the only bathtub. Some buyers (particularly those with children) may prefer to have at least one bathtub in the home. Will water splash out of walk-in showers? While water can splash out of a walk-in shower, proper design and careful planning (like a sloped shower pan, a properly placed showerhead, and waterproof surroundings) can all but eliminate the issue. Of course, if you opt for a doorless shower, there is an increased chance of splashed water. For this reason, doorless showers are often designed with a designated “splash zone” (anywhere from 24 to 72 inches surrounding) where anything inside the area is likely to get wet. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit