Simple yet stylish shower hardware ideas to transform your space

When it comes to the components in a shower, most will focus on the shower head and rightly so, as the feature that so significantly influences your everyday experience. But, as you'll soon see, it is just one component that plays a part among a myriad of products that can be used in all sorts of interesting ways.

A great shower can have a transformative effect, disconnecting you from the hectic stresses of the real world to a place of bliss. A large rainfall shower head is the perfect piece of bathroom hardware to help you achieve this with its soft, enveloping coverage. Mimicking the flow, sound and feel of gentle rainfall, it creates a nature-infused ambience that relaxes the body and mind, leaving you truly refreshed and rejuvenated.

Related article: How to choose a shower head — a step-by-step guide

The shower hinges and handles on your glass shower doors aren't often seen as anything other than mechanical parts to most. However, in the right hands, they have the potential to impart style and sophistication, adding highlights and accents that help give definition and depth to a space. There's a wonderful array of styles and finishes to consider including polished nickel, brushed nickel, polished brass, aged brass and gun metal grey (to name a few), allowing you to personalise your choice to your liking.

Nearly all showers these days are enclosed by glass shower panels of some description but not all are created equal. There's a huge range of options including traditional glass, frosted and fluted as well as types like framed, frameless or semi-frameless and, with respect to shower doors, mechanisms like pivot and sliding to consider. High-quality products will stand apart in terms of clarity, strength and maintenance so prioritising trusted suppliers is key. Once you've done that, it's just a matter of choosing something that suits your space, whether it's a frameless fixed panel that accentuates the airy open feel of your bathroom or a framed fluted door that combines style with privacy.

If you're renovating a bathroom or starting one from scratch, one of the first decisions you'll need to make is the type of shower you install. The traditional box shower enclosure is the most common option as a reliable, cost-effective solution but there's something just a little bit special about the alternative walk-in shower. Not only do they look luxurious and designed, but they make the showering experience feel luxurious as well, allowing you to seamlessly move into the shower with no effort or obstruction. It's an important quality when trying to create a relaxed environment and walk-in showers personify and encapsulate that perfectly.

A shower tray is another example of a functional feature that is rarely seen for its design potential making it an opportunity few take advantage of. In fairness, most are of the standard acrylic or stainless steel variety which are perfectly acceptable for but have a more subtle impact on styling. A tile over shower tray, turns that idea on its head, allowing you to opt for a tiled shower flooring solution that can add plenty of visual interest. Furthermore, it offers excellent water resistance, sturdy construction and ease of maintenance to its appealing list of traits.

Related article: A guide to different types of shower trays for your bathroom

Matte black has been one of the most popular types of bathroom finishes for taps, mixers, shower heads, hinges, handles and more in recent years and is a quick way to create a contemporary look in a space. It's a bold, eye-catching colour that adds an element of contrast and depth. On top of this, the matte finish doesn't show fingerprints as obviously as traditional chrome or stainless steel making it an easy option to care for too.

If you live in a busy household that includes children and pets, you'll understand how precious convenience and versatility are in any feature around the home. A handheld shower head is one that offers both, able to be used like a traditional shower fixed to a shower slide or in the hand thanks to its detachable head and flexible hose for targeted cleaning. It's a great solution for modern living, giving your shower a great deal more functionality, making your life that much easier.

While functionality is great, sometimes nothing beats a bit of indulgence, and a steam shower offers the purest experience of exactly that. Like having a sauna in your own bathroom, a steam shower is an enclosed unit that generates steam for a soothing, high-humidity environment offering a plethora of health and well-being benefits. It's an absolute luxury but if your goal is to create a dream bathroom with spa-like vibes then this is the perfect choice.

Space comes at a real premium in the shower and a space can quickly become cluttered in a big household with multiple toiletries to accommodate. A built-in shower niche is a great shower storage solution to consider, utilising unused space in the wall cavity to provide ample storage for all your essentials. As a permanent fixture, it also helps gives the look of a designed interior, enhancing a bathroom's aesthetics as well as its functionality.

Related article: Stylish shower storage ideas to enhance your lifestyle and transform your space

If you're after more of a quick-fix shower storage solution a shower shelf that can be easily screwed onto a shower wall is often all that's needed to do the trick. While they seem like humble additions on the face of it, the latest products actually feature sleek, innovative designs with holders for razors and toothbrushes as well as soap dish spaces, slots for drainage and more.

One of the more recent trends to emerge in the world of shower upgrades is the installation of supplementary sound and lighting systems, both of which add a new dynamic to the showering experience. With LED lights, one can increase the clarity in the shower cubicle and create an atmosphere of one's choosing, with many colour-changing LED lights available. An integrated shower system allows you to play the showering soundtrack of your choosing, allowing you to unwind to your favourite tunes.

A recurring theme of this article is showing how modern designs and solutions have changed traditionally utilitarian features with shower channels and grates being a perfect example. Unlike a standard drain, channels and grates have an incredibly sleek aesthetic, enhancing the look of a bathroom rather than detracting from it. They are very effective at preventing pools of water and also facilitate a lower profile shower floor which again adds to the sleek aesthetic. This also makes them easier to clean which is handy in the long term too.

Everyone has their own preferences for what they want and like in a shower and when that shower is shared among a few, trying to find a single shower head that accommodates everyone's needs can be challenging. That's why the dual shower head has become such a popular option as it features two shower heads, typically a handheld and a rainfall, which you can easily switch between with a tap or lever. This allows everyone to choose the type of shower they want to have making it a quick and easy win for all.

Your shower walls present a great opportunity to make an impact, especially when using decorative shower tiles. Bathroom tiles are a fantastic option for a shower space on their own practical merit given their strength, durability and water tightness. As most will know, they can also be very appealing to the eye with some beautifully decorative tiles like mosaics and patterned tiles that can be a wonderful focal point and make a real statement of style.

Related article: Stunning bathroom tile ideas from beautiful homes in New Zealand

With a mix of different ideas to refresh your shower, you should hopefully have enough inspiration to improve this small but important space in your home. Whether it's a blissful rain shower head to make you feel closer to nature or a bespoke lighting and sound system for a full sensory experience you've plenty of options to consider and more you'll no doubt discover yourself as part of this journey.