Walk-in showers are not only practical –making a small space feel larger and brighter –but luxurious! And what better way to enjoy your time spent in the shower than seated comfortably on a built-in or portable shower seat. A walk-in shower design enables you to easily access the shower, with no slips or trips stepping over a tall edging. Adding a shower seat into the layout gives you ample room for storing personal hygiene products within reach and sitting comfortably to wash or just bask beneath the steam.
It’s important to note that shower seats can be built-in, using similar materials to shower flooring and walls, or portable, typically wooden. Built-in benches provide an expansive seating area, usually along the entire shower wall’s length or width, with a seamless design element. Portable seats can easily be located exactly where you’d like, for ideal comfort beneath the water and near your essentials. Both types are easy to maintain and add functionality and style.
If you’re new to the idea of a shower seat or thinking about adding one to your walk-in shower, we can help to inspire! Below, you’ll find eleven fabulous walk-in shower layouts that feature shower seats in various materials and orientations. Please, have a look, and then let your creativity run wild to design or upgrade your bathroom!
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1. Singin’ In the Rain
Nothing is more relaxing than simply standing beneath an evenly falling rain shower, or as is the case for this walk-in shower, a rain showerhead. But when you need a moment to step aside to lather, why not sit on a portable shower bench –this teak style provides the perfect respite from the rain. Teak’s rich hue really accentuates the darker tones in this stone tiled shower wall for a cozy nook amidst a modern design.
2. Texturally Sensational
The blending of stone textures in this shower is not only visually stunning but also stimulates your sense of touch while experiencing a warm shower seated on the built-in bench of all-natural materials. Not only that, just imagine the soothing sound of water falling from the rain showerhead as it gently patters onto the rocks. A sensational shower design with ample space for storing all of your spa-quality products and accessories.
3. Marble Marvel
This built-in shower bench blends seamlessly into the marble wall, with the tile motif as a focal point. The result is a luxurious look yet a functional, hidden seat where you can indulge. When you do not step into this walk-in shower for a quick rinse, the cleverly placed handheld showerhead is ideal for a slowed-down pampering.
4. Oasis in the Sandstone
A delicate yet sturdy built-in seat can be later added to an existing shower using this shelf styling. It coordinates with the other shower shelves and offers a resting place as well as storage beneath to tuck away accessories out of reach from the showerhead’s stream. Intricate tiling detail gives this walk-in shower a bit of personality, though it’s relatively monotone and small. Before adding one to your walk-in shower, read “How Big Should A Corner Shower Bench Be?”
5. Expanded Elegance
A built-in shower bench expands this narrow walk-in shower for an overall elegant experience in an otherwise elaborate bathroom. Positioned just aside from the overhead rain showerhead, this bench is ideal for a steamy sit. A centrally positioned mirror helps to further enhance the shower’s size. For more tips on where to hang mirrors, check out “How to Decorate the Bathroom Walls with Mirrors.”
6. A Step Above The Rest
Shower benches are multi-purpose, as you can see here, by adding water-proof decor, you can enhance your shower’s look or create a theme. The leaf motif coordinates with decor beyond the shower walls not to segregate the walk-in shower from the rest of the bathroom. While the built-in shower bench is also unobtrusive of the overall design, creating an open feel.
7. Minimalist
Simplicity does not mean losing sight of chic. A large walk-in shower seems to offer minimal amenities, yet a stool is provided as a comfy shower seat. The wooden stool ties-in the swirling, darker hues of the bathroom wall tiles to create a flowing, natural feel that seems to move through the shower.
8. Dark & Stormy
The tub may be the focal point here, but the walk-in shower bench is equally inviting. Notice the inlaid ceiling with recessed lighting and central rain showerhead –if you aren’t in for a deep soak, step into the shower for a soothing sit beneath the falling water. The verticle, black and white tiles emulate the feeling of pouring rain and coordinate effortlessly with the embellished floor and chair-rail tiles.
9. Integrated Design
This bathroom design has creatively integrated a built-in shower bench by framing a seat atop the bathtub’s platform using glass shower walls. Not only does it create a seamless look, but the bench offers a convenient location to use the handheld showerhead or rest beneath the rain showerhead. So many options!
10. Luxurious Yet Cozy
Classy marble shower walls make this walk-in luxurious, while a built-in bench provides a cozy nook to relax. The design is open, not typical of built-in benches, with single standing leg support to increase the spacious feeling even more. Use this bench to set your hygiene products and accessories safely outside of the showerhead’s stream, or have a seat!
11. Lend A Ledge
Tastefully blended ledges bordering this tub and walk-in shower coordinate with the sandy-toned tiling, and as your eye gravitates toward the mini-tile, darker wall, and flooring, you hardly notice the seat. The design here positioned the glass shower walls mid-ledge to create a corner seat and shelf –both handy in a small space!
Final Thoughts
Whether your walk-in shower is spacious or confined, a shower bench can increase your comfort and storage capabilities. Hopefully, you’ve seen some great ways to incorporate a seating space and can give this a go in your own bathroom with either a portable shower seat or built-in to the design of your remodel or new build.