Custom Showers

Showerheads, which control water pressure and spray patterns, are classified in two ways:

1. By mount position:
   • Fixed showerheads are mounted directly to a shower wall.
   • Hand-set showerheads are also wall-mounted but feature a hose, allowing you to maneuver the spray to various angles and making cleaning easier.
   • Ceiling-mounted showerheads deliver water from above at low or medium pressure.
2. By control settings:
   • Single-setting: Offers one constant spray setting and pressure.
   • Multi-setting: Provides variable spray patterns and pressures, ranging from fine mists to beads.
   • Rainfall: This is a highly desired single-setting showerhead type that simulates showering under a gently cascading waterfall.
   • Shower tower: This system features several vertically oriented jets and nozzles that can be adjusted to provide a full-body spa experience, akin to a standing jacuzzi.

The selection of shower tile materials is vast and can effectively mimic various natural aesthetics and textures. Options include:

• Ceramic and porcelain tiles: These are clay-formed, very popular, generally more economical, and easier to clean and maintain (with porcelain being even more so).
• Natural stone materials: Such as marble, slate, and travertine, which offer striking beauty but are more high-maintenance and may fade, discolor, or degrade without proper sealing and regular cleanings.
• Man-made materials: Like engineered quartz, cultured marble, or solid surface (e.g., Corian), which combine ground stone with other binding substances. These are available in many colors and patterns, and can even replicate materials like natural wood, which wouldn’t typically be recommended for a shower environment.

Once the shower size, location, and orientation are determined, you can choose a door type:

• Sliding doors are a good option for smaller bathrooms and shower enclosures that are flush with walls.
• Hinged doors swing outward, requiring you to account for potential interference with other master bath elements like the sink, vanity, or the bathroom entrance.
• Pivot doors are a modern variation of hinged doors, also swinging outward. They are hinged at the very top and bottom or continuously hinged, allowing the door to be tighter to the frame and not swing out as far.

Most people prefer a shower that feels cozy but not claustrophobic, allowing you to fully extend your arms and spin around without bumping into anything. A standard walk-in shower size is 48” x 36”. However, for larger or more upscale master bathroom remodeling projects, you might consider an enclosure that is 60” x 36” or even larger.