Published October 4, 2026 · By Top Design Tile, Port St. Lucie
| Decision | Options | When it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | Curbless or low curb | Curbless needs a recessed floor; a low curb works on any slab or condo |
| Drain | Center or linear | Center suits mosaics; linear lets you use one large tile |
| Storage | Niche, lit niche, shelf | On a wall you face, at reach height |
| Seating | Floating or built-in bench | Floating reads lighter and is easier to clean |
| Glass | Frameless, framed, fixed panel | Chosen with the fixtures so the hardware matches |
Size and entry
Start with how you'll use it: one person or two, a seat or not, a door or an open entry. An open, door-free shower needs enough length that the spray stays inside.
Mark the footprint on the floor with tape before you commit. Standing in it tells you more than a drawing does.
Curbless or a low curb
A curbless shower needs the floor recessed so it can slope to the drain. That's possible on many slabs, but not all, and often not in condos.
A low curb works everywhere, keeps water in, and is still an easy step.
Linear or center drain
A center drain slopes the floor four ways, which suits small tiles like mosaics. A linear drain along one wall slopes the floor one way, so you can use large tiles and keep the pattern unbroken.
Brass and matte black drain covers can match the fixtures; tile-in covers nearly disappear.
Niches and lighting
Plan the niche at the height you'll reach without bending, on a wall you face. Make it long enough for every bottle you own, not the three you wish you owned.
A light strip in the niche turns it into the room's night light. It has to be planned with the tile layout so the light line lands exactly on a grout joint.
Bench and glass
A floating bench reads lighter than a built-in box and is easier to clean under. Either way, it's waterproofed as part of the shower, not added after.
Glass comes last but is chosen first: frameless, framed or a single fixed panel, with hardware that matches the valve and the drain.
Behind all of it
None of the visible choices matter if the waterproofing fails. Every walk-in shower gets a sloped pan and a continuous membrane on the floor and walls before tile, with the corners, niche and bench sealed into it.
Planning one? Walk-In Showers with Top Design
