What is the best size for a walk-in shower?
Interested guests visiting our showrooms to explore bathroom options for their property renovation or new build project are often confused about what the most appropriate size is for their walk-in shower. As a designer, I may get asked, “Phil, having met us and heard about what we want to achieve in our new bathroom, what would you recommend is the right size for us?”
The main factor here is, of course, the existing size and shape of the bathroom and in lots of cases you are restricted by the parameters of the room but can depend on a number of factors including ergonomics and how you want the finished space to look/feel.
Being able to comfortably access your shower is the first important point, who wants to have to awkwardly side-step into their new luxury shower because the doorway is too narrow? I would recommend a minimum opening of 550mm, depending on the person’s stature and mobility, I may increase the dimension.
Once inside, there should be enough width to move freely without feeling restricted in any way - this doesn’t mean there is so much room that the main items aren’t close at hand, or aren’t able to easily reach your shampoo bottles, but you should be able to bend and twist without the worry of bumping the screen.
A width of 900mm is a reasonable guide dimension. It will provide enough space for an average person to stand facing the flow of water and have enough space around their shoulders to move freely.
The length of the shower is generally as long as possible (trays are normally available up to 2 metres) but I have a couple of thoughts I like to share with my clients when discussing this dimension.
I suggest the showering area needs to be small enough to create a pocket of air that warms from the steam and retains the heat. If the shower is too large the volume of air can take too long to heat up or heat quickly disperses.
As a preference, I also like a walk-in shower to have a minimalist style. For me, this means a single-piece, floor-to-ceiling, fixed shower screen without doors or extensions. A shower screen that is 1200-1400mm in length is the optimum length to ensure water is retained in the shower area and the desired style can be achieved.
A fixed shower screen without a door also has the added benefit of making cleaning duties easier. There are no hinges, seals or awkward edges to wipe free of watermarks, saving you time and effort.
The shape of a bathroom can have an influence on the walk-in shower layout, for example, a loft conversion may have sloping ceilings whereby only the centre of the room is full-height. In older properties, especially listed buildings, period features in the home may affect what is possible or allowed.
IN CONCLUSION
In answer to the question ‘What is the best size for a walk-in shower?’, I would say is 1800mm (L) x 900mm (W), with a walk-in opening of 550mm minimum. There is never a one-size fits all approach and that is why we always recommend to anyone thinking about a bathroom renovation, to talk to a professional first. They may save you time, money and stress in the long run.
In any case, our design team are a creative group and typically comes up with an innovative solution. The layout of the project shown adjacent was unlocked with the addition of an interior wall section that provided space for the walk-in shower on one side and a vanity on the other.
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