17 Doorless Shower Ideas for a Modern Bathroom Look

Turn your bathroom into a spa-like retreat with these timeless design ideas.

white tiled shower and bath combo
Photo:

Ann VanderWiel Wilde

Doorless showers are the latest bathroom innovation that's here to stay. Unlike a classic shower, this type doesn't require a door or a shower curtain and, depending on its size contains one or more shower heads and a graded floor for easy drainage. There are many benefits—both aesthetic and practical—to a walk-in shower, and we've curated a collection of our favorite doorless shower ideas to inspire your bathroom renovation.

Include bold tile choices and architectural details in your doorless shower to amp up the style of your space. It also helps keep the space open visually, allowing for plenty of light. Practically speaking, a doorless shower is also easier to clean. It cuts down on the amount of cleaning, as there isn't necessarily a door to scrub. Doorless showers also allow for easy access, making them a smart choice for homeowners of all ages. Whatever the size of your bathroom, a doorless shower can add a touch of luxury, comfort, and style.

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Keep Your Doorless Shower Simple

white marble walk-in shower

Werner Straube

For ultimate luxury and a contemporary-style doorless shower, opt for clean lines, quality materials, and a streamlined design. Gorgeous slabs of gray-veined marble form this shower's walls, ceiling, and floor, the only accents being minimalist polished chrome hardware. When you use a material this beautiful, make it the focal point of the room by using clear glass paneled walls for an unobstructed view of the walk-in shower. A built-in shelf and floating bench maintain the look of straight lines, while raised edges around the base of the floor is a doorless shower idea that's a practical way to keep water contained.

02 of 17

Add an Accent Wall

walk-in shower with flower wall

Werner Straube

One of the main aesthetic benefits of the doorless shower is that it allows your tile to be the star of the show. Add drama to your walk-in shower by creating a statement wall like this black and white floral accent wall that stands out against a contrasting marble floor, ceiling, and walls. It has an artwork-like quality that instantly elevates the whole space. Brass wall fixtures bring in warmth and contrast beautifully with the black-and-white color scheme of the tile.

03 of 17

Incorporate a Grid Shower Wall

boho styled walk-in shower

Adam Albright

While they don't need to be completely enclosed, incorporating a glass black grid wall is an easy doorless shower idea to make sure water doesn't end up all over the bathroom. A clear glass door is functional while keeping the open feel of the shower, and the black grid design adds a pretty architectural element and a bit of contrast. Paired with all-white floor and wall tile in this bathroom, this framed wall is a modern fixture that makes a statement in a walk-in shower.

When working with a limited color palette in your hard finishes, add color, warmth, and texture with furniture and accessories. A rustic wood ladder-style shelf breaks up the sterility of a white wall, provides lots of storage space, and ties in a slatted wooden bench in the shower. A vintage-style area rug replaces a traditional bath mat for an unexpected design choice and a splash of color.

04 of 17

Bring in Calming Earth Tones

tan tiled walk-in shower

Kritsada Panichgul

Create a calming space by using neutral tones in the bathroom. Two small windows help maintain privacy while allowing natural light to stream in, and a built-in bench provides comfort and a spot to store your favorite bath products. A ledge spanning the whole length of the walk-in shower holds potted and fresh-cut plants that emphasize the earthy, relaxing look of the space. Placing plants in a humid bathroom environment doesn’t just support their growth, but it also helps connect the indoors with the outdoors, giving a doorless shower an outdoor paradise-like feel.

05 of 17

Make Use of Small Spaces

white tiled shower

Ellie Lillstrom

Just because your bathroom is tiny doesn’t mean you can’t add a doorless shower. In fact, it can help you pack a lot of function and style into the minimal square footage. The small-scale hexagon tile in this bathroom is a clever design trick; visual continuity helps create the illusion of a larger space.

When working with limited square footage, make your stylistic choices count. Brass fixtures and a unique nautical window add sophistication and a designer-like feel, while a frameless mirror and a tiny white sink make good use of a wall that doubles as one of the doorless shower walls.

06 of 17

Embrace Slanted Walls

white tiled shower room

Tria Giovan

Instead of viewing slanted walls as a design challenge, embrace them by making them an integral part of your doorless shower design. By covering the slanted area with the same tile as the walls and the ceiling, this walk-in shower nook feels visually complete and uniform without looking boring.

Slight tonal variation in the off-white squared tiles provides just enough depth of visual interest and pops against a contrasting black marble floor tile. Raised edges around the shower floor ensure that the bathroom doesn’t flood, and traditional-style shower hardware and a simple shower head on the ceiling add a touch of classic sophistication. A small window brings in lots of natural light, and because the shower is doorless, it allows for all this beautiful light to fill the whole bathroom.

07 of 17

Go Green

lisa bathroom dark cabinets and green tile
John Granen

Bathroom tile is an excellent way to bring bold color into a room. Here, a wall of horizontal emerald green tile enlivens this modern bathroom. Using the same tile on the entire wall creates a continuity that’s enhanced by including an understated glass half-door. A minimalist corner shelf in the shower continues the clean lines and contemporary simplicity. Polished nickel hardware stands out against the saturated color of the wall tile, and its cool tones complement the charcoal gray flooring. 

08 of 17

Create a Nook

white tiled shower and bath combo

Ann VanderWiel Wilde

You’re not limited to a shower head and flat tiled floor for doorless showers. For the ultimate relaxing bathroom nook, add a freestanding tub. An arched opening surrounded by classic white subway tile leads the way to a bright walk-in shower that features a tub with brass hardware matching the wall-mounted shower heads.

Three recessed lights keep the space clean and uncluttered, and penny tile on the ceiling and floor adds dimension to the larger-scale subway tile. A rustic stool provides an element of warmth and is a practical spot to hold clean towels while you take a relaxing bath.

09 of 17

Make It One

Doorless shower and tub

Edmund Barr

Take one small bath area and turn it into a hugely relaxing space by eliminating the barriers between shower, tub, and vanity. This bathroom, wrapped in water-resistant stone floors and rock-tile walls, situates the showering station on the wall opposite the streamlined tub. A toiletry niche, a handheld shower spray, and a wood bench make the most of the wall space. A ceiling-suspended rain showerhead enhances the spa appeal and directs water away from the room's other fittings.

10 of 17

Play Every Angle

Doorless shower alcove

Tria Giovan

Think about who will be using the shower when designing a doorless shower interior. This shower takes advantage of a windowed dormer but places the rain showerhead at the alcove's highest point to accommodate bathers of all heights. A handheld spray mounted on the wall near the entry prevents overspray from reaching a fabric-dressed window, which takes center stage on the far wall. Polished rectangular wall tiles reflect natural light and coordinate with contrasting hexagonal floor tiles to boost interest in the monochromatic scheme.

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Draw the Eye

Shower tile

Michael Partenio

Direct attention to a doorless shower's entry with a high-impact feature. This focal-point tile treatment grabs attention, sums up the bathroom's palette, and provides a transition to the white-tiled shower alcove on the left. A marble ledge keeps bathing necessities within reach and provides a spot for resting a foot when shaving legs.

12 of 17

Light It Right

Inset bathroom shower

Brie Williams 

When you have no window in your shower, take a lighting cue from this period-style bathroom design that employs an interior transom to brighten and ventilate its doorless shower. The shower's raised threshold, low-lying shower pan, and rain-style showerhead allowed creative homeowners to contain overspray within the narrow inset in the wall of a small bathroom.

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Divide and Define

Blue shower with partial wall

 Edmund Barr

Raise pretty borders that won't block the light. A partial wall and switch-ups in materials turn this doorless shower into a standout feature. Water-hued wall tiles match the vanity cabinet in a deeper shade. The shower's floor tiles mirror the bathroom's main flooring but in narrower forms set in an opposing pattern. The partial wall and the rain-style showerhead, which directs water downward, ensure that spray stays inside the shower.

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Promote Privacy

Bathroom

John Granen

Create a degree of separation between the doorless shower and other bathroom fixtures. Tempered-glass partitions signify a transition between the vanity and tub area and a commode closet on the left while providing privacy to the doorless walk-in shower on the right. A wide doorway allows easy access, set apart from the main room by a short step down and a shift in flooring material.

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Streamline Views

Shower alcove

Anthony Masterson

Showcase architecturally interesting profiles by leaving showers undressed. No need for a door here. The placement of the showerhead and the high curb keep water from spilling out. White subway tiles on the shower floors and walls brighten the interior, amplify the sense of space, and enhance the bath's vintage charm.

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Stage a Serene Scene

Bathroom shelves

Edmund Barr

Opt for a neutral color scheme and, for a seamless look, repeat materials found in the main bath inside the doorless shower. Using large stone tiles results in fewer grout lines, which keeps the view uncluttered and the mood peaceful. Add a built-in bench on the wall opposite the showerhead so you can relax in the spray. This stone bench is topped by a comfortably contoured wooden seat constructed from moisture-resistant wood.

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Embrace the Unusual

Doorless shower

Werner Straube

Think outside the box when planning a doorless shower. Looking beyond what's expected results in this distinctive design packed with pampering fittings and handsome tile treatments. Mosaic tiles create vertical stripes that contrast with the room's curves, underscoring the wall height. An arched doorway and curved bench mirror the hall-like shower's bowed geometry.

Bathroom Decor Ideas to Add Style

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