Showers Can Be a Design Afterthought. Here’s How to Make a Statement.

Ryan Saghian, an interior designer based in Los Angeles, loves to material drench his showers. “Choose one standout material—whether it’s stone, handmade tile, or plaster—and use it consistently on the walls, bench, and niche,” he says. “When the material wraps the space, the shower stops feeling like an afterthought and starts feeling architectural.” Here, Saghian dialed up the drama with a cocoon of high-contrast slabs.

Don’t want to be a material monogamist? Take a cue from Rachel Morrison, who likes to juxtapose different materials and recommends you do the same. “Combine different scales and textures within a restrained palette,” says the California-based designer. “Pair large-format stone on the walls with a contrasting accent tile and a smaller-format floor tile: The variation adds visual interest while keeping the space feeling intentional and elevated.”

In this bathroom, Morrison juxtaposed large-scale marble slabs with black fluted tile, which she says adds texture and creates a “striking” focal point.

Never underestimate the power of great lighting—especially in your shower. While most people settle for a recessed fixture above your splash zone, Kristin Kostamo-McNeil of Anne Rae Design levels up her shower by adding slim accent lighting to a shower niche. “It’s a small detail that makes a big impact by adding warmth, ambiance, and a touch of luxury that most people never think to include,” she explains.

For a one-of-a-kind setup, consider making your own pattern as Regan Baker did here. The San Francisco designer employs a palette of muted blues, grays, and yellow to pay homage to the idyllic skies in the Bay Area. “Statement tile from Smink Studios’ Eclipse collection lines the shower wall for a playful design.” she details. “We utilized glass for the shower doors to allow our clients to see the fun detail every day.”

Another, albeit unexpected, way to zhuzh up your shower is through shape. In order to bring the “clean, relaxing, and timeless feel” of a Turkish bath house to this Bay Area-based home, Baker cleverly juxtaposed white tiles with gentle curves. “A sloping ceiling gives added interest and the imperfections of the zellige tile play nicely with the imperfect alignment of all the planes that come together,” she says.

You could limit your tile to your shower’s backsplash, but why not make a statement? Baker dialed up the drama by extending the orange tiles on one shower wall all the way down to the floor—and then on the floor. “Selecting a bold tile, both in color and design, pushes the limits of the space,” she explains. “A pattern, in particular, will inspire a feeling of levity and playfulness while providing a dose of visual inspiration.”

Anyone who believes more really is more will find a lot to love about this shower from Lark + Palm, an interior design firm in San Francisco. “We tend to approach bathrooms the same way we would a living room—layering color, pattern, and texture,” says Ansley Majit, the firm’s principal designer and founder. “The goal of this bathroom was to create a space with as much personality as the two young girls who use it.”

Not only did Majit inject glossy verdant tiles, but the shower curtain adds a touch of whimsy. “Years ago, a shower curtain might have felt like a downgrade from a glass enclosure,” she notes. “But with creating a custom curtain with a textile like this from Alice Sargent Textiles, it becomes one of the most special parts of the bathroom.”