How Showers Have Become
A Focal Point in Bathroom Renovations

A custom frameless shower door and enclosure encloses this primary shower. The walls are covered with full body porcelain tiles. A combination of a fixed shower head and personal shower provide a choice of showering. The heated shower seat capped with an Alaska White Granite slab provides a place to relax while enjoying the soft spray of warm water.

primaryby Ed Kaplan

It wasn’t too long ago that separate showers were a convenience but not a necessity in the home. Occasionally, a second bathroom was equipped with only a shower, but that was usually considered a nod to limited space or budget and deemed to be a less than ideal solution. A standard tub with a single shower head, even in a primary bath was the norm. Not so any longer.

Today, in luxurious primary baths, a large and imposing shower is often the focal point, with or without a freestanding tub. Things have changed dramatically. And the best of today’s showers are nothing if not dramatic!

The Appeal of Modern Showers

There is virtually no limit to the degree of opulence that a modern shower might attain. From room-sized “wet rooms” to minimalist glass enclosures, exceptional showers are anything but standard fare. Among popular shower features are built-in seating, ledges and niches, windows, clear-glass enclosures, and a huge array of plumbing options.

The walls and ceiling of this custom frameless steam shower are covered with Travertine Marble Slabs. Oil rubbed bronze plumbing fixtures provide a choice of your showering experience. An electrically heated floor and shower seat provide added comfort to this lavish master shower enclosure.

Modern showers have replaced those classic tub/shower combos with something much more exciting and customizable. Not only are they practical in a fast-paced world, but they are healthful and rejuvenating, alternately energizing or relaxing, and beautiful as well.

With options for steam units, overhead rain shower heads, adjustable bars with both stationary and flexible heads, pulsating jets, aromatherapy, even color-changing shower heads and piped-in music, the shower has become the ultimate personal retreat.

There is little room for boredom in bathroom design, especially with showers.

How to Make Your Shower a Focal Point

The design staff at The Buckingham Group works with Tulsa area homeowners to design showers that go beyond the ordinary. In addition to focusing on architectural design, we strive to create a WOW factor. And there are many ways to do just that. Here are some of the best:

• Go big: There is no good reason for a shower to feel cramped and closed in. Glass walls visually expand space, but we suggest making your shower as large as possible.
  Don’t wall it in: With the right design, a shower doesn’t need four walls. Creativity is what counts. With the right design, your shower doesn’t actually need a door, either.
• Eliminate the curb: Do away with the step, and simply slope the shower floor towards the drain to ensure a clean, modern appearance, adding both safety and convenience.
  Install a flush drain: Contemporary flush grates are not only better looking than round drains, but they’re also more effective. Another stunning option is a teak shower floor insert: the non-slip surface complements almost any decor and it’s as durable as the deck of a classic sailing ship.
• Select dazzling tile: Tile is still the wall surface of choice for a shower, but it shouldn’t be boring! Larger squares of marble, granite or other natural stone are trendy, as is glass tile mosaic and hand-painted Portuguese or Italian tile. A more contemporary choice is neutral, matte-finish rectangular tile with a posh European look.
• Add Light: Show off the shower with both recessed ceiling cans and natural light. Add a skylight, frame a private view with a window, or use glass block on both interior and exterior walls.
• Take advantage of the moisture: Create a green wall for plants; they will thrive in the moist environment.
• Add a bench: The addition of a bench, along with in-shower storage for essentials, will turn the shower into an at-home spa. Don’t forget these simple amenities to lift your shower from ordinary to outstanding.

Hidden behind the glass block shower enclosure are the contents of a ten-foot long luxury primary shower experience. This door-less shower enclosure is divided into two sections. The wet or bathing section is complete with strategically located body sprays, a rain shower head and fixed and personal shower heads for two. The drying area is curb-less for ease of access. It is outfitted with infrared heaters in the ceiling and electrically heated shower bench and towel rack.

We would love to share shower ideas with you, whether you’re considering building new or remodeling. The Buckingham Group has a reputation for design innovation and construction excellence. Contact us at your convenience, and let’s schedule a conversation.

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The Buckingham Group  |  4727 S. Memorial Drive  |   Tulsa, OK 74145   |   918-624-2666