We didn’t used to be spoiled, I swear. When we decided to remodel our entire house ourselves, we spent a long time with less-than-ideal living conditions. Open walls, unfinished projects… and, oh. The drywall dust. We’re still finding it everywhere. Before we finished our master bathroom we were showering in a clawfoot tub with — I kid you not — a handheld shower head DUCT TAPED up. Yikes, I can’t believe I just admitted that. Therefore, it’s no surprised we pulled all the stops on our luxury shower upgrades when it came time to plan the master bathroom.
Our Favorite Luxury Shower Upgrades
Of course, just about anything is better than showering under a handheld shower head for a year. (Okay, it wasn’t quite as bad as I’m making it out to be.) But by designing our own luxury shower upgrades, we created an insanely relaxing, spa-like shower experience every time we wash. Here are our favorite luxury shower upgrades.
Black Tile Is A Game Changer
Okay… why the heck don’t more people put black tile in their showers?? Ian was adamant about having black shower tile… for whatever reason. So I went with it. But let me tell you, it’s way better than white shower tile. Black shower tile is one of the major luxury shower upgrades because of two reasons.
- The dark tile + lots of natural light is calming to the senses, and creates a spa-like experience. Something about the darker surroundings is extremely relaxing.
- Black tile hides all of the nasty grime that accumulates visibly in white showers.
Of course, we still clean our shower regularly. But in between cleanings, we don’t see any buildup of mildew, soap scum, rust from forgotten hairpieces, of just the general “off-white” tint as grime accumulates. The beautiful black tile simply feels earthy, calming, and pristine clean.
Multiple Shower Head Options
Maybe having multiple shower heads is a complex that comes from barely having one for so long. Needless to say, multiple shower heads is a staple in the realm of luxury shower upgrades. Waterfall shower heads are somewhat controversial in the world of luxury shower upgrades (more on that below) so we went with the Kohler Hydrorail in case we didn’t end up liking the waterfall shower head. The Hydrorail is a more affordable multiple-shower-head option, and it was perfect for us. We’re not into wasting water & energy by running a bunch of shower heads at once. So having 4 different pressure systems provides just enough variety for our preference. And yes, we usually use both shower heads with every wash — so it’s worth it!
The Niche Is A Necessity
I’m such a sucker for a clean, organized shower. As a goo-hoarder, I tend to collect 95% empty bottles of hair product & scrubs. Having a designated area for soaps & scrubs not only keeps everything more organized, but also forces me to clean out excess bottles from time to time. (Seriously, what causes this complex??) A niche may be the most basic, yet most effective of the luxury shower upgrades.
Don’t Skip The Shower Bench
When it comes to luxury shower upgrades, having a shower bench is probably the first one I would recommend. Ladies, having a shower bench to shave your legs makes the job so much more comfortable. Plus, there are plenty of post-gym days where I feel like drawing a bath in the clawfoot tub, but I’m to lazy to clean it out first. Yes. I can be that level of lazy. This is where having a shower bench comes majorly in handy. If I hit legs a little too hard, I know I can just chill on the shower bench while I shower. I know it sounds minor, but it makes all the difference.
Wide Waterfall Shower Head
Despite a certain dislike for waterfall shower heads in some circles, Ian and I love our waterfall shower head. In fact, we use it more than the regular, higher-pressure shower head. Our plumber recommend skipping it, and we’re so glad we didn’t. (Seriously, no clue why some people don’t like these.) Some claim that waterfall shower heads don’t have the pressure they like to rinse soap out of hair. However, we went with the Kohler Awaken Rainhead, which mechanically creates a momentary buildup of water before releasing it. This creates higher pressure without using more water, and creates the feeling of being totally drenched during a downpour. This advanced technology may be what makes us love this choice in luxury shower upgrades, and why others without it are less enthusiastic.
Toasty Kick Space Heat
Contrary to rumors, our doorless shower is not cold. But before we finished building it, we had some well-meaning friends tell us it might get chilly. To be safe, we put in a kick space heater in case they were right. As it turns out, having a well-insulated & upgraded bathroom means that it stays toasty warm about 80% of the time. But in the dead of winter in Wisconsin, we like to flip on that kick space heater for a sauna-like spa experience. Seriously it got below -30 degrees F without wind chill this past winter. But our showers stayed so wonderfully, toasty warm thanks to this luxury shower upgrade.
These Luxury Shower Upgrades Have Spoiled Us
Like I said, we’ve totally spoiled ourselves with these luxury shower upgrades. By no means do I recommend going out and accruing more debt for these features. Really, we survived plenty long without them. However, if you value tackling projects & reaping the benefits of your hard work like we do, we’ve seen huge payback with these luxury shower upgrades. Every time we shower, we’re reminded of how long we waited, how hard we worked, and how “worth it” the process was.
What are your favorite luxury shower upgrades?
Disclaimer: We’re not professionals or experts on this topic, so all we can do is share our own personal experience in hopes that it helps you in your journey! We always recommend consulting with the pros directly.