Walk-in showers make more sense than bathtubs when dealing with limited bathroom square footage. You can customize their size and layout, fitting them just about anywhere. Use these walk-in shower ideas for small bathrooms to make your space feel bigger and more put together.

1. Try a Clear Glass Door

Jami Meek Designs

A clear shower door creates the illusion of more space and makes the shower feel like it’s part of the design scheme. Consider using the same floor and wall treatment in the shower for continuity.

2. Use a Single Partition to Create Openness

Proud House Studio & Co

Rather than closing off the bathroom with a set of doors, a simple glass partition keeps the room feeling open. These designers carried the color of the bathroom floor tile to the shower surround and went with simple white walls to keep the space feeling light and bright.

3. Create a “Sunken” Shower

Hiser + Kopits Hiser Architects

A recessed shower creates more vertical space and helps water to drain without getting on the bathroom floor. These homeowners built a partition wall around the recessed shower, leaving the walk-in shower doorless.

4. Keep the Shower Small

Devine Bath & Kitchen

Keep a walking path in the bathroom by installing a small corner shower. The glass enclosure keeps the space open and leaves plenty of room for the toilet, sink, and an area to dry off.

5. Skip the Door and Opt for a Curtain

Pinney Designs

Make your bathroom feel like a shower house by installing a shower curtain and using the same flooring and wall treatment throughout. The design gives this bathroom a summer camp feel, perfect for a kids’ room or a nautical-themed bathroom.

6. Continue the Flooring Throughout the Shower

Pineapple House Interior Design

The dark wallpaper behind this vanity creates a focal point, and the light-colored shower wall prevents the space from looking dark and gloomy. You can get a similar effect by keeping the floor tile continuous throughout the room and then treating the shower area and vanity as accents to each other.

7. Work with the Length of the Room

Bo Fentum Design

When designing a walk-in shower for a small bathroom, work with the dimensions of the space. If your room is narrow but long, use the length of the room to your advantage, like these homeowners did. They also kept the area open using a single glass partition versus a wall of doors.

8. Add a Shower Window to Make the Space Feel Bigger

Align Design LLC

Bathrooms with a private view are prime candidates for a window in the shower. Adding this natural light is one of the best walk-in shower ideas for small bathrooms since it creates openness and aids in getting ready for the day.

9. Try A Walk-in Shower in a Tiny Bathroom

Julia Chasman Design

If you’re willing to give up some vanity space, you can put a walk-in shower even in an ultra-tiny bathroom. These homeowners added a floating vanity and a small walk-in shower to fit the space. The green tiles make a design statement, proving that great things come in small packages.

10. Leave the Curtain Open

DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen

If you have an awkward bathroom layout, where the shower is across from the vanity, opt for a shower curtain or clear glass door to create the illusion of space. You can tie your shower curtain open when not in use.

11. Doorless Walk-In Shower for a Small Bathroom

Ziger|Snead Architects

Create a doorless walk-in shower in a small bathroom with a tiled partition wall. The partition will block water from getting on your bathroom floor and prevent the need for a separate door.

12. Make the Shower the Focal Point

kimberly peck architect

Make the shower in your small bathroom the focal point with a patterned tile. These homeowners ran the same floor tile up the shower wall. You can use any tile, but a bold one like this makes a big statement.

13. Add Double Shower Heads and Built-In Shelves

NF interiors

Even though the space is small, the designers created a high-end look with double shower heads and built-in shelves next to the door. Use this idea on a partition wall or if you have an awkward space next to your shower.

14. Keep Tile Consistent for a Seamless Look

Gregory Phillips Architects

The design in this bathroom is so cohesive it’s hard to tell where the shower stops and starts. The glass doors section off the toilet area, providing a long, narrow entrance to the shower.

15. Use the Shower as a Design Accent

Use your shower surround to add texture to your space. The designers of this rustic farmhouse bathroom incorporated varying wood tones and carried that look to the shower tile. You can adopt this method for any design.