We often get requests to convert a standard 5’ bathtub into a shower without a door, which can be done in many ways. One of my favorites is what I call the “cave shower.” The photograph shows one such “cave shower” we did for a client.
The wall is 30” wide, leaving a 30” opening. Having the wall and tile go to the ceiling—and tiling the ceiling—helps keep the steam in and gives the cave-like feeling. Using a wide shower head mounted up high causes the water to fall straight down so there isn’t much splash to the outside of the shower. The can light keeps it from being dark, and the soap niche mounted at the correct height is really handy. The wall makes a nice separator between the shower and toilet.
Our clients always fret about the water that will certainly flood the bathroom when we are designing one of these. This simply doesn’t happen. The tile near the opening of the shower will be wet, but most of this is caused by the steam from the shower. The most important thing you can do is to run your vent fan during and after showering and leave it on until the environment is dry, which normally doesn’t take that long.
One of the benefits of this set up is that it is a natural for age-in-place living. Should you ever need a walker or chair, you’d still be able to get into this shower. Add a bench under the shower head, some grab bars, and you will be able to use it safely and comfortably as you age in your home.
There are many, many things you can add to a shower. My best advice is to keep it as simple as possible. Simple is safest, and easier to maintain. Let us know if we can help you design a shower to fit your needs.
Mike
