6 Inviting New Bathrooms With a Curbless Shower
Designers share how they used this popular bathroom feature to add safety, style and sleekness
A curbless shower takes some extra construction planning to slope the subfloor for proper draining, but it can be worth it. A seamless transition creates a mobility-friendly threshold that can accommodate a wheelchair if needed, but it can also stylishly make a space look sleeker and feel larger, especially when you run the same tile throughout. Here, designers share details on how they integrated a curbless shower feature.
2. Porcelain Posh
Designers: Gabrielle James and Alison Gilbo of The Pavilion Co.
Location: Seattle
Size: About 150 square feet (14 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “The client was looking for a modern, spa-inspired bathroom that evoked sophistication and refinement,” designer Alison Gilbo says. “Although small in size, we were able to make the bathroom feel larger by floating the vanity and creating a curbless, walk-in shower.”
Curbless details. “The design team was intent on making this shower curbless so the floor tile could be continuous and to keep the bathroom feeling as large as possible,” Gilbo says. “The curbless feature enhances the modern aesthetic. One challenge was the location of the drain. It was designed to be at the back wall underneath the shower head, but it is instead located at the shower door. You probably can’t see it as it’s a seamless, concealed linear drain used in conjunction with a Hydro-Blok shower pan.”
Other special features. “The design team hand-placed the smooth spa rocks underneath the floating vanity,” Gilbo says. “We wanted to make this bathroom feel as serene as a high-end spa. The dark, flagstone-inspired porcelain tile provides a nice contrast to the lighter floors and white oak vanity and wall panels. We completed the room with a gallery white paint, custom blackened-steel-framed mirror and Cedar & Moss wall sconces.”
The flooring is concrete-look porcelain tile.
Designer tip. “Spend the time planning ahead for a curbless shower,” Gilbo says. “Play with scale, texture and especially contrast. Follow your gut and create a retreat that brings you joy every time you enter.”
Vanity and wall panels: white oak wood veneer, Acadia Craft; ceiling paint: Pure White, Sherwin-Williams
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Designers: Gabrielle James and Alison Gilbo of The Pavilion Co.
Location: Seattle
Size: About 150 square feet (14 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “The client was looking for a modern, spa-inspired bathroom that evoked sophistication and refinement,” designer Alison Gilbo says. “Although small in size, we were able to make the bathroom feel larger by floating the vanity and creating a curbless, walk-in shower.”
Curbless details. “The design team was intent on making this shower curbless so the floor tile could be continuous and to keep the bathroom feeling as large as possible,” Gilbo says. “The curbless feature enhances the modern aesthetic. One challenge was the location of the drain. It was designed to be at the back wall underneath the shower head, but it is instead located at the shower door. You probably can’t see it as it’s a seamless, concealed linear drain used in conjunction with a Hydro-Blok shower pan.”
Other special features. “The design team hand-placed the smooth spa rocks underneath the floating vanity,” Gilbo says. “We wanted to make this bathroom feel as serene as a high-end spa. The dark, flagstone-inspired porcelain tile provides a nice contrast to the lighter floors and white oak vanity and wall panels. We completed the room with a gallery white paint, custom blackened-steel-framed mirror and Cedar & Moss wall sconces.”
The flooring is concrete-look porcelain tile.
Designer tip. “Spend the time planning ahead for a curbless shower,” Gilbo says. “Play with scale, texture and especially contrast. Follow your gut and create a retreat that brings you joy every time you enter.”
Vanity and wall panels: white oak wood veneer, Acadia Craft; ceiling paint: Pure White, Sherwin-Williams
Shop for a bathroom vanity
3. Fashion Forward
Designer: Jessica Koltun Home
Location: Dallas
Size: 200 square feet (19 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. For this spec home, designer Jessica Koltun imagined future homeowners who would want “open, bright, clean spaces with contrast and interest,” she says.
Curbless details. “The decision to do a curbless shower was from an aesthetic standpoint,” Koltun says. “It creates a seamless flow in the space with the shower as the focal point at the back of the space. Functionally this is excellent for all age groups, with an emphasis for aging in place.”
Other special features. “We used Cloe tile by Bedrosians in a vertically straight layout but made the grout lines between two rows 1 inch thick to make this regularly used tile feel special and unique,” Koltun says. “Contrasting charcoal cabinets ground the long, open space.”
Designer tip. “You can achieve a custom, expensive look with an inexpensive tile just by playing with different patterns and grout lines and color,” Koltun says.
10 Bathroom Design Features Pros Always Recommend
Designer: Jessica Koltun Home
Location: Dallas
Size: 200 square feet (19 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. For this spec home, designer Jessica Koltun imagined future homeowners who would want “open, bright, clean spaces with contrast and interest,” she says.
Curbless details. “The decision to do a curbless shower was from an aesthetic standpoint,” Koltun says. “It creates a seamless flow in the space with the shower as the focal point at the back of the space. Functionally this is excellent for all age groups, with an emphasis for aging in place.”
Other special features. “We used Cloe tile by Bedrosians in a vertically straight layout but made the grout lines between two rows 1 inch thick to make this regularly used tile feel special and unique,” Koltun says. “Contrasting charcoal cabinets ground the long, open space.”
Designer tip. “You can achieve a custom, expensive look with an inexpensive tile just by playing with different patterns and grout lines and color,” Koltun says.
10 Bathroom Design Features Pros Always Recommend
4. Airy Attraction
Designer: Maryana Balushka for Baluco
Location: Bellevue, Washington
Size: 96 square feet (9 square meters); 8 by 12 feet
Homeowners’ request. This was a new-build spec home.
Curbless details. The flooring is 24-by-48-inch marble-look porcelain tiles in a matte finish. “The decision to create a curbless shower was to expand the feeling of the room and to have an open, airy shower that draws you in,” designer Maryana Balushka says. “It also provides a surface that is easy to clean, with minimal grout lines because you are able to use large-format tiles.”
Other special features. Custom 8-foot white oak floating vanity with a soapstone countertop and backsplash. Marble mosaic “rug” treatment with matching shower niche accent tile.
Designer tip. “When working with a smaller footprint, opt for large-format mirrors to open up the space,” Balushka says.
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Designer: Maryana Balushka for Baluco
Location: Bellevue, Washington
Size: 96 square feet (9 square meters); 8 by 12 feet
Homeowners’ request. This was a new-build spec home.
Curbless details. The flooring is 24-by-48-inch marble-look porcelain tiles in a matte finish. “The decision to create a curbless shower was to expand the feeling of the room and to have an open, airy shower that draws you in,” designer Maryana Balushka says. “It also provides a surface that is easy to clean, with minimal grout lines because you are able to use large-format tiles.”
Other special features. Custom 8-foot white oak floating vanity with a soapstone countertop and backsplash. Marble mosaic “rug” treatment with matching shower niche accent tile.
Designer tip. “When working with a smaller footprint, opt for large-format mirrors to open up the space,” Balushka says.
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
5. Stone Style
Designer: Stacia Winkler of Vintage Elements
Builder: Shaun Winkler of Aspect Design Build
Location: Deephaven, Minnesota
Homeowners’ request. “This couple is young with small children so the very-early-morning ritual was feeling like their best opportunity for a sanctuary,” says designer Stacia Winkler, whose clients shared Houzz photos with her for inspiration. “Her needs were a perfect bathtub with a view. His: a steam shower.”
Curbless details. Marble mosaic tile flooring runs throughout the space. “There are many surfaces intersecting in a small footprint in this space,” Winkler says. “Using one flooring surface was key to increasing a spacious feel. The marble pattern is gorgeous and interesting and keeps your eye moving to take in the whole of the room, but there is also enough opportunity for grout to prevent it from becoming too slippery.”
Other special features. The main walls are Fond du Lac limestone over-grouted in white mortar. The walls in the steam shower are porcelain tile. The custom vanity is vertical-grain white oak with a 1-inch square overlay and a Taj Mahal quartzite countertop.
Designer tip. “Using varying scale patterns in a limited color palette across the space to impart texture and visual interest is key,” Winkler says. “Although a large-format tile might show off the curbless shower, the smaller mosaic floor pattern introduces some movement.”
Flooring: Alluro Mini Manor tile in cream, Emser Tile
Designer: Stacia Winkler of Vintage Elements
Builder: Shaun Winkler of Aspect Design Build
Location: Deephaven, Minnesota
Homeowners’ request. “This couple is young with small children so the very-early-morning ritual was feeling like their best opportunity for a sanctuary,” says designer Stacia Winkler, whose clients shared Houzz photos with her for inspiration. “Her needs were a perfect bathtub with a view. His: a steam shower.”
Curbless details. Marble mosaic tile flooring runs throughout the space. “There are many surfaces intersecting in a small footprint in this space,” Winkler says. “Using one flooring surface was key to increasing a spacious feel. The marble pattern is gorgeous and interesting and keeps your eye moving to take in the whole of the room, but there is also enough opportunity for grout to prevent it from becoming too slippery.”
Other special features. The main walls are Fond du Lac limestone over-grouted in white mortar. The walls in the steam shower are porcelain tile. The custom vanity is vertical-grain white oak with a 1-inch square overlay and a Taj Mahal quartzite countertop.
Designer tip. “Using varying scale patterns in a limited color palette across the space to impart texture and visual interest is key,” Winkler says. “Although a large-format tile might show off the curbless shower, the smaller mosaic floor pattern introduces some movement.”
Flooring: Alluro Mini Manor tile in cream, Emser Tile
6. Victorian Vogue
Designers: Rice and De Tienne Designs and Braun + Adams Interiors
Location: San Francisco
Size: 50 square feet (4.7 square meters); 5 by 10 feet
Homeowners’ request. “The bathroom is located on the lower level of the house, so having natural light while maintaining privacy was paramount,” designer Lynn De Tienne says. “This is primarily a guest bathroom, and the client wanted it to be luxurious and easy to use for elderly in-laws when they come to visit.”
Curbless details. “The heated stone floor has a continuous mosaic inlay with a tile border, which was important to maximize the feeling of space in a relatively small room,” De Tienne says.
Other special features. “The shower enclosure incorporates a stone bench with a handheld shower and a steam function, which has a variety of health benefits,” De Tienne says. “The leaded glass panel in the shower — installed in front of a nonoperable exterior window — provides privacy and a waterproof seal for the steam shower. The leaded glass detail is repeated throughout the house in clerestory windows above doors.
“The use of light aqua color tiles for the shower walls provides the accent for the room and the use of quarter-inch round tiles around the exterior of the shower enclosure ensures there are no hard or sharp edges.”
The vanity is repurposed antique drawers with a Calacatta Caldia marble countertop.
Designer tip. De Tienne recommends always designing bathrooms with future adaptability in mind. “All the walls in this shower and the pony wall at the toilet incorporate blocking for future grab bars,” she says.
Shower tile: Claypaper in Sea Glossy, 3 by 6 inches and quarter round, Waterworks; floor tile: Madison mosaic in Wall Street White, 12 by 12 inches, Jeffrey Court; border tile: Magnetite, 1 by 4 inches, Fireclay Tile
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Designers: Rice and De Tienne Designs and Braun + Adams Interiors
Location: San Francisco
Size: 50 square feet (4.7 square meters); 5 by 10 feet
Homeowners’ request. “The bathroom is located on the lower level of the house, so having natural light while maintaining privacy was paramount,” designer Lynn De Tienne says. “This is primarily a guest bathroom, and the client wanted it to be luxurious and easy to use for elderly in-laws when they come to visit.”
Curbless details. “The heated stone floor has a continuous mosaic inlay with a tile border, which was important to maximize the feeling of space in a relatively small room,” De Tienne says.
Other special features. “The shower enclosure incorporates a stone bench with a handheld shower and a steam function, which has a variety of health benefits,” De Tienne says. “The leaded glass panel in the shower — installed in front of a nonoperable exterior window — provides privacy and a waterproof seal for the steam shower. The leaded glass detail is repeated throughout the house in clerestory windows above doors.
“The use of light aqua color tiles for the shower walls provides the accent for the room and the use of quarter-inch round tiles around the exterior of the shower enclosure ensures there are no hard or sharp edges.”
The vanity is repurposed antique drawers with a Calacatta Caldia marble countertop.
Designer tip. De Tienne recommends always designing bathrooms with future adaptability in mind. “All the walls in this shower and the pony wall at the toilet incorporate blocking for future grab bars,” she says.
Shower tile: Claypaper in Sea Glossy, 3 by 6 inches and quarter round, Waterworks; floor tile: Madison mosaic in Wall Street White, 12 by 12 inches, Jeffrey Court; border tile: Magnetite, 1 by 4 inches, Fireclay Tile
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Designer: April Schneider of F+P Studio
Builder: Shaddock Caldwell Builders & Developers
Architect: Janson Luter Architects
Location: Dallas
Size: 52½ square feet (4.9 square meters); 5 by 10½ feet
Homeowners’ request. “Our goal was to design this guest en suite bath in such a way that it felt thoughtful and purposeful,” designer April Schneider says. “We wanted this bath to appeal to all guests staying in this home — elderly, young, a couple or single. Keeping a classic aesthetic was very important, but we were able to elevate the space through the incorporation of contrasting finishes and color tones. Bringing natural light in enhanced the feel as well.”
Curbless details. White marble mosaic tile runs the length of the room. “Aging in place and accessibility continue to grow in popularity within residential design, and homeowners are being more mindful when thinking about potential needs in the future,” Schneider says. “The zero transition into this shower was designed exactly for that, allowing it to be wheelchair-accessible if needed. We always love doing a zero transition to promote flexibility. But it also makes the space look cleaner and feel larger, especially when you carry the same tile from the bathroom into the shower floor.
“Having a curbless shower requires the slab to be dropped. Therefore, it must be noted during the architecture and planning phase so the contractor is notified. This is a detail we always try to apply if able. But it’s not always feasible in remodels where the slab isn’t already dropped.”
Other special features. Green tile wraps the shower and runs floor to ceiling in a vertical running bond pattern. The vanity is painted Magnetic Gray by Sherwin-Williams and features an Infinity White quartzite countertop and acrylic-and-brass cabinet pulls. The walls are Snowbound by Sherwin-Williams. “The overall palette is rich and classic while yielding a surprise factor as you step into the space and see the green tile on the shower walls,” Schneider says.
Designer tip. “Pulling the vanity off the wall with a low splash and customizing the vanity to fit the space perfectly while serving the needs well are just a couple of details we always try to incorporate in bathrooms,” Schneider says.
“Uh-oh” moment. “During the design of this bathroom, we were forced to reselect the floor tile,” Schneider says. “At the time, we had our heart set on a marble penny round mosaic, but when our tile sub called stating they were backordered with no [estimated arrival time], we were back at the drawing board. After spending time searching for the perfect flooring, we came across the Waterfall mosaic from TileBar, which turned out to suit this bathroom perfectly. When challenges occur, which they always inevitably do, we like calling them happy accidents. In the moment it can cause frustration, but the outcome is oftentimes better than ever expected.”
Wall tile: Makoto in Midori green, 2½ by 10 inches, Bedrosians Tile & Stone; floor tile: Alaska White Waterfall marble mosaic, TileBar
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