Summary
- Choose your bathing layout before choosing finishes.
- Compare walls, doors, storage and fixtures as one design.
- Plan for cleaning and access, not just the photograph.
In this guide
Choosing a bathroom design is easier when you know what you want to change. The hard part is deciding which walls, doors and accessories will make the room work better—and which will just add to the bill. A shower that looks great online can still leave you with an awkward door or nowhere to put your shampoo.
Our local Bath Fitter Fam teams help homeowners plan and install tub and shower updates. The Mullikin family’s franchise group has served homeowners since 2003. We focus on the bathing area, so we will also explain where a whole-room remodel or a different material may suit you better.
Below, you’ll find a practical order for choosing the layout, walls, enclosure, storage and finishes. By the end, you should have a short list of priorities to bring to a consultation, rather than a collection of photos that are hard to turn into a plan.
Start with the decision that changes your routine
Keep a tub if your household uses it for bathing children, soaking or another practical purpose. A shower may be a better fit if the tub rarely gets used and stepping over its side is inconvenient. Neither is automatically the right answer for resale or every family. Our walk-in shower versus bathtub guide walks through the tradeoffs.
Make a short list of what bothers you today: the entry, cleaning, cramped storage, dated walls or an awkward door. Rank those concerns. A design that fixes your top three problems usually delivers more daily value than copying every feature in a showroom.
Choose walls by appearance and upkeep
Solid-color walls give the bathing area a simple backdrop and let fixtures stand out. Marble- and stone-look finishes add movement; tile-look patterns add definition. Check a physical sample beside the floor, vanity and room lighting before deciding. A finish can look warmer or cooler than it does on your phone.
Bath Fitter offers acrylic wall options, including styles that suggest tile or stone. These are not the same materials as individual ceramic tiles or slabs of natural stone. Compare both the look and the care requirements. Acrylic and tile each have advantages, and a custom tile installation may suit someone seeking a design outside the available acrylic range.
Match the enclosure to the space
Clear glass can make the bathing area feel more connected to the room. It does not create extra floor space, and it adds glass to your cleaning routine. Sliding doors can be useful where a swinging door would interfere with another fixture. A pivot door needs a clear opening path. A curtain remains a flexible option when budget and simple access matter more than an enclosure.
Ask how the enclosure affects the usable opening, not just the overall width. If two people use the room at the same time, consider where each person stands and whether the open door blocks the walkway.
Glass is worth choosing for how it works, not just how it looks. In our October 1 operations conversation, Aaron Bishop put the limit plainly: “Your shower curtain isn’t waterproof. A door isn’t going to be waterproof.” The enclosure is there to contain spray; ask how the proposed opening, seals and layout do that in your bathroom. Water escaping where it should not is something to raise with the installer, not ignore.
Give every everyday item a place
Count the bottles and items that actually stay in your tub or shower. Choose shelf positions around those items and the people reaching for them. A shelf that looks tidy but cannot hold the tallest bottle will not solve the storage problem.
Keep frequently used controls, a handheld shower and any seating within practical reach. Discuss grab bars and seating during design so mounting and placement are planned properly. A towel bar is not a substitute for a support bar.
Bring finishes together without making everything match
A consistent fixture finish can help the bathing area feel intentional. You can also keep an existing vanity or lighting finish and use the new shower as a complementary element. Hold wall and fixture samples together rather than judging each separately.
Before adding another upgrade, ask whether it improves use, reduces a frustration or simply changes the appearance. All three can be worthwhile; knowing which one you are paying for helps you spend deliberately.
Where should you spend first?
Start with the features that fix a daily frustration: the entry, usable opening, controls or storage. Then choose the wall finish and enclosure you enjoy. Decorative upgrades can be worthwhile, but they should not crowd out a feature you need to use the shower comfortably.
Ask for the same design priced two ways—for example, your preferred walls with a curtain and with an enclosure. Use our pricing guides for planning, then compare the actual selections in the written proposal. That makes the extra cost of an option easier to judge.
See the choices in a finished bathroom
Our Oklahoma City conversion shows white walls, corner storage, a grab bar and a curtain rod in a completed shower. It is a useful example to compare with a glass-enclosure design. The project page includes the original tub and demolition photos, so you can see more than the finished surface.
Compare options with real projects
Browse our wall styles, doors, shelves, fixtures and safety accessories. Then visit the before-and-after project gallery to see how a bathing-area update fits within an existing room. Product availability, dimensions and installation suitability need to be confirmed for your home.
Bring two or three inspiration photos, your must-have list and your main concern to a consultation with your local team. Ask for the selected products and included work in writing, along with the total package price. Our project price ranges help with planning; a package quote does not necessarily give every accessory its own price. You do not need every optional feature to end up with a bathroom you enjoy.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
Can I reuse my existing shower door with a new bathing system?
Do not assume it will fit. Have the consultant check the actual dimensions, opening, mounting and compatibility with the proposed base and walls. If keeping the door matters to your budget, raise it before the design is priced.
Does choosing a different fixture finish change the whole project price?
It can change the package price. Ask the consultant to compare the same design with the two finishes you are considering. Keep the walls, enclosure and accessories consistent so you can see the effect of that choice.
Can an inspiration photo show products you do not offer?
Yes. Use it to explain the look or feature you like, then ask which available product comes closest. A photo of natural stone, an unusual enclosure or a completely level entry does not establish that the same design can be installed in your bathroom.
This guide applies to: Bath Fitter Augusta, Bath Fitter Columbia, Bath Fitter Little Rock, Bath Fitter Memphis, Bath Fitter Oklahoma City, Bath Fitter Tri Cities, Bath Fitter Upstate SC/Western NC.