Shower accessories are often an overlooked and poorest performing part of a shower system. And when people realize their accessories are a pain in the rear, it’s usually too late to make changes (unless you call buying cheap plastic ‘add-ons’ from the Dollar store a solution!).
So, if you’re remodeling an existing shower, converting a tub into a shower or building a new home and are desperately trying to get the details right this time, and make sure you ARE NOT a victim of the biggest complaints about shower accessories, the challenge is what can you do to ensure your accessories perform well AND look good?
Read below the 11 biggest complaints about shower accessories and solutions so you can use to make sure these problems don’t ‘creep into’ your new shower.
Shower accessory complaint #1 – Your metal shelves or niches have rusted due to your hot, humid showers
There’s a lot of cheap metal shower shelves and niches on the market. So how can you make sure your shelves and niches DO NOT become a rusted pile of junk a few years later?
One idea is to make sure the metal corner shelves, or recessed niches are made of a high-grade stainless steel (‘err a metal which doesn’t rust).
Shower accessory complaint #2 – You have grab bars hanging on by a ‘thread’ (A.K.A. a suction cup) which are (literally) an accident waiting to happen
No matter if you buy an ugly ‘truck-stop-esque’ grab bar – or a stylish grab bar which provides ‘safety in plain sight, without looking ugly,’ their number #1 job is to prevent falls.
And any grab bar held on with a suction cup is a BAD, BAD, BAD idea. So, what can you do to eliminate this seriously flawed design?
First make sure there is wood BEHIND the grab bar for support. Second, make sure there’s a strong anchoring system which comes with the grab bar you purchase. After all, grab bars SHOULD BE all about safety.
Shower accessory complaint #3 – You hate cheap plastic shower accessories which give you that ‘wonderful’ (sarcasm intended) Dollar Store feeling!
There’s nothing which says ‘tacky’ as much as a dollar store purchased plastic shower caddy which hangs over your shower head. And the reason many people are forced to buy this junk is the woeful lack of storage ‘built into’ cheap fiberglass one piece surrounds the builder installed to save money when the home was built (which have now turned a disgusting yellow color with dirt stains on the bottom – YUCK!).
And if you’re taking out this ugly one piece shower, now’s the time to ramp up your ‘accessory’ game.
Instead of plastic shower accessories consider solid surface shelves or cultured granite corner caddies. And while both options will perform (and last) – I’m a fan of the solid surface corner shelves because the cultured granite corner caddies look like they’re built in a mold (which they ARE!).
Shower accessory complaint #4 – The tension rod for your shower curtains gives you stress!
Tension rods can be smart as a low-cost option to use between the time the shower is built and the time you’ve saved enough money to afford a glass shower door. However, if you’ve had your tension rod up for years, you may also know how frustrating it can be to see it’s fallen …..AGAIN!
For my money – I’d ditch shower curtains altogether (unless your budget requires you to have them or you need access for a caregiver to assist a family member to shower) and opt for a glass shower door. The quality of shower doors has improved immensely from the cheap framed doors builders put in production homes. Today you can get thick frameless sliding glass shower doors which DO NOT have the ugly metal track at the bottom which collects the ‘tasty stuff’ from showering which can turn your stomach (and have you actually ever seen a turned stomach???).
Shower accessory complaint #5 – The inside of your tile shower niche is SCARY!
Your tile shower niche looked perfect when the remodeler finished the job. However, as years have passed the grout joints are now moldy and a pain to clean. And you’re wondering what you can do about it.
Shower accessory complaint #6 – Your fixed shower head isn’t practical for a family member who needs to shower in a seated position
In a perfect world your shower head would work for you (and all members of your family) the entire time you’re living in the home (so you wouldn’t be forced to replace it). However, this is seldom the case because most fixed shower heads – which work fine for those capable of showering standing up, don’t work for those showering while seated.
And if this is your reality choose a shower head on a slide bar – or one which has a flexible hose which can be moved and used like a hand-held shower.
Image Credits: JTEK Solutions Group
Shower accessory complaint #7 – Your shower accessory finishes DO NOT match – even though you bought them from the same manufacturer!
If you’re ever ventured down the slippery slope of buying brushed brass fixtures (which are hot design trend today) and they don’t match, believe me you’re not alone. And you can even experience this problem when buying fixtures from the same supplier (now that’s a Ripley’s Believe it or Not situation I’ll be you didn’t likely expect).
And if non-matching fixture finishes will drive you nuts, my recommendations are:
Don’t use brushed brass. They’re a pain to match.
Use chrome, brushed nickel or matte black which are hard to see variations between different manufacturers.
Use ‘mixed metals’ with multiple hardware finishes so ‘matchy-matchy’ isn’t a concern for you.
Shower accessory complaint #8 – The pre-molded shower seat(s) are gobbling too much space
While it can seem (at first) that a shower surround with a pre-molded seat(s) is a good thing (it’s one less thing you have to buy), in most cases it’s a nightmare. And the reason it’s a nightmare is these seats take up a lot of room – and can also be at the wrong height.
A better option is using a fold down seat. Fold down seats are more stylish, can be put anywhere you want them, and there’s a lot of stylish options.
Shower accessory complaint #9 – The pressure from your shower head is ‘wimpy’ – especially if you bought a rain head.
There’s nothing worse than rushing to get ready for work and ‘attempting’ to wash your hair ‘lickety-split’ (and does anyone use this term anymore?) and with the wimpy water pressure from your shower head the soap just isn’t coming out of your hair fast enough to work with your tight schedule!
You need a solution for this before you pull your (already thinning) hair out.
And a way to solve this problem is to choose a shower head with an air-infused pressure system.
Image Credits: Amazon
Shower accessory complaint #10 – Your accessories are in the wrong place.
Imagine you’re a 6’6” guy and your wife is 5’0” and uses a wheelchair (this is exactly the scenario for a couple who are friends of mine….and yes, I do have friends!). Then imagen your shelves, niches, and shower heads are in the same location for both people. That ‘ain’t gonna work!’ Showers (and the accessories which come with them), just like the people who use them, are not a ‘one location fits all’ proposition.
It’s for this reason I recommend not only buying your accessories before you start your project – but also plan where they’re going onto (or into) the walls so they’re ergonomically smart for EVERYONE using the shower.
Better planning will make a shower you love. With poor (or no) planning you’ll suffer the consequences for years to come.
Shower accessory complaint #11 – There’s no place to hang your towel(s)
If you’re like me you hate the look of towels draped over glass shower doors! They’re ugly. But where can you put towels to dry off and still have your shower look good?
One option is to include a small shower hook inside the shower (and yes, don’t go for one of those ‘suction jobs!’). Or another option is to add a decorative ‘grab bar/towel bar like you’ll see below) which can do ‘double duty’ for you.
So, which of these shower accessory complaints are you itching to get rid of? Do you need help selecting accessories or a complete shower kit?
I know doing a shower remodel can be mind-blowing. You not only need to figure out the best shower pan, wall panels or a tile surround, and glass shower door – but NOW (after reading this article) you’ve learned how shower accessories can be yet another thing to make your remodeling (or new construction project) a living hell IF you don’t have a game plan.
And while I know choosing the wrong accessories can be the pain which keeps on giving in a poorly-designed shower – I also know our team can help you with shower accessory selections (as well as shower base, wall panels and glass doors), so you don’t repeat the problems you’ve lived with in the past.
President of Innovate Building Solutions a nationwide supplier and regional (Cleveland and Columbus) remodeling contractors. Some of our product lines include glass counters, floors, backsplashes, glass blocks and grout free shower and tub wall panels
