How to Choose the Best Shower for Your Bathroom

Kohler Shower

Your shower provides an ephemeral escape from the outside world. Envision stepping into your very own spa environment, where sore muscles are soothed with body sprays and stress is relieved with chromatherapy lights. Today’s wide assortment of shower fixtures, enclosures, and accessories makes it easy for you to customize your shower to your liking.

Shower Fixtures

Fixed Showerheads

A fixed showerhead is mounted on the wall of a shower unit. Fixed showerheads come in either single-function or multifunction water pressure settings. Multifunction water pressure settings include sort aerated, concentrated pulse, wide coverage, and revitalizing massage.

Handheld Showerheads

Handheld showerheads are connected to the wall of a shower unit by a hose or tube. As this type of showerhead is flexible, it is ideal for those who have special mobility needs. Its adjustability also makes it easier to clean your shower. If you have children and/or pets, consider adding this type of showerhead. Both single and multifunction water pressure settings are available for this type of showerhead.

Rain Showers

If you enjoy getting caught in the rain, you’ll love this showerhead! Rain showerheads are flat, large showerheads that are mounted to the ceiling. You’ll feel serene as the “rain” falls down on you from this oversized showerhead.

Body Sprays

For a true spa experience, add some body sprays. Body sprays emit water from different levels and directions, and can either be plumbed separately or together as a single panel. For an extra back massage, consider adding body sprays to your shower.

Shower Doors

Shower Door Types

Standard

Standard shower doors are available in different size and styles for bathtubs and shower units.

Door & Panel

As the name suggests, this type of enclosure combines a glass panel and shower door for a clean, elegant look.

Steam

A steam shower enclosure contains a special door that’s sealed in order to keep the shower environment hot and humid.

Frame Styles

Shower doors are available in framed, frameless, and semi-frameless glass options.

Framed

Framed showers are trimmed or framed in metal (both the door and the structure).

Frameless

Frameless showers have no frame or trim on the shower door or structure, providing an airy appearance.

Semi-Frameless

Semi-frameless showers have frames/trim around the structure, but not around the door.

Hinge Types

Pivot

Pivot shower doors swing open as would a traditional door. This type of door is perfect for a cozy bathroom environment, as it doesn’t require much space.

Sliding

Sliding doors overlap one another for easy gliding action. This type of shower door is used for bathtubs and bigger showers.

Types of Glass

Clear

Clear shower doors open up small spaces and give your bathroom a clean, sophisticated look. They do require extra cleaning, however, so make sure to keep that in mind when selecting your shower door glass preferences.

Tinted

Add color and flair to your bathroom with a tinted shower door. Tinted shower doors also enable you to retain your privacy when showering.

Textured

Textured shower doors require less cleaning than do clear doors, and they also allow you to retain your privacy in the shower.

Etched

For added design and décor, consider an etched glass shower door. Etchings range from art nouveau curves to underwater scenery.

Shower Stalls and Bases

Shower Bases

Shower bases are available in a wide assortment of shapes, styles, and sizes. Zero-threshold units are also available for easy accessibility. Personalize your shower with a colorful base, or stick to neutral white for a traditional look.

Shower Stalls

Shower stalls are easy to clean and are available in a wide variety of colors. They typically come in one-to-four piece designs. Acrylic and fiberglass are popular material choices for shower stalls.

Shower Accessories

Grab Bars

Designer grab bars add safety and improved accessibility to your shower. Choose a style that matches the finish of your plumbing fixtures for seamless integration in your bathroom.

Shower Rods

Shower rods come in a variety of styles, shapes, and finishes. Select a metallic shower rod for enhanced durability and appearance.

Shower Baskets

Keep your toiletries organized with a sturdy shower basket. You can also pick out a wall unit with integrated shelving that accommodates different heights.

Creating the Ultimate Spa Experience

Chromatherapy

Turn your shower into a therapeutic light show with a chromatherapy showerhead. Typically available in colors such as red, blue, white, orange, and green, chromatherapy LED lights match your mood for the ultimate shower experience.

Steam

You don’t have to venture out to the spa to enjoy a soothing burst of shower steam. Simply install a steam system in your shower unit and adjust the settings to your liking. This can be done using the digital steam controls. Steam uses up much less water than showerheads, so you can indulge in a guilt-free, 20-minute steam session.

Audiotherapy

Do you love to sing in the shower? Whether you prefer belting out Top 40 hits or classic rock, musical showerheads deliver clear, clean sounds in all genres. Wirelessly connect your music-playing device to the wireless showerhead speakers, and you’ll be rocking out in no time!

Special Considerations

Universal Design

Universal design is a design principle that maximizes the use of a product or environment for as many people as possible. A universally designed shower improves accessibility for those with various ability and mobility needs. This prevents slips and falls and leads to an overall safer shower environment.

Universal design modifications for the shower include:

• Built-in shower seats
• Barrier-free showers (no shower doors or thresholds)
• Storage units with integrated shelving
• Handheld showerheads
• Thermostatic mixing valve (limits hot water temperature)
• Grab bars

Water Conservation

Approximately 1.2 trillion gallons of water are used for showering in the United States every year, according to the EPA. Using a low-flow showerhead (2.0 gallons or less of water per minute) could save the US more than 260 billion gallons of water and more than $2.2 billion in water utility bills annually.

When shopping for a water-efficient showerhead, look for a WaterSense label. WaterSense-labeled products are 20% more water efficient than average products, enabling you to achieve substantial water savings.

One of the best ways to pick out a shower is to tour a bath & kitchen showroom. Visit a Crawford Supply Group showroom, located in Illinois, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, and view our wide assortment of shower fixtures, enclosures, accessories, bases, and more. You can also set up a free Showroom Consultation with one of our knowledgeable team members.