A custom tile shower is the one place in your home where good design pays you back every single morning. You step into it half asleep, and it should feel right: the water where you want it, a place for your shampoo, a bench if you want one, and tile that looks as good in ten years as it does on day one.
At River City Flooring Pros, we build custom tile showers in Evansville, Indiana — and the design choices you make before we start are what turn a good shower into your shower. Here is how to think through them.
Start With the Layout, Not the Tile
Before anyone picks a tile, we look at the space. How big is the shower? Where do the water lines come in? Where does the door or opening go? A well-planned layout makes a small shower feel generous and a big shower feel effortless.
A few layout questions we work through with every homeowner:
Walk-in or enclosed? A walk-in shower with a fixed glass panel feels open and modern. A fully enclosed shower with a door keeps steam and splashes in. Both work — it depends on your bathroom and your habits.
Where does the showerhead go? It should not spray straight at the door. A little planning here keeps cold water off you when you first step in.
How much room do you really need? A comfortable shower is at least 36 inches wide. If your bathroom allows it, 42 to 48 inches feels like a real upgrade — room to turn around, room for a bench, room to breathe.
Good layout is free. It costs nothing extra to put the valve where your hand naturally reaches or to angle a bench into the corner where it belongs. It just takes planning before the walls close up.
Curb-less Showers: The Step-Free Upgrade
A curb-less (or zero-entry) shower has no raised lip to step over — the floor flows straight in. It looks clean and modern, and it is the easiest shower to get in and out of, which matters for kids, older family members, and anyone with a bad knee.
Curb-less showers take careful work: the floor has to slope gently and precisely to the drain so water never wanders into the rest of the bathroom. Done right, they are the most comfortable showers we build. If you are remodeling for the long term, a curb-less entry is one of the smartest choices you can make.
Built-In Niches: Storage That Disappears
A recessed niche is a shelf built into the wall of the shower — tiled, waterproof, and flush with the wall. No bottles on the floor, no rusty caddy hanging from the showerhead, nothing to knock over.
Plan your niches early, because they go in while the walls are open. Think about:
Height: Eye level is right for most people. If the shower is shared, a taller niche with two shelves works for everyone.
Size: Big enough for tall shampoo bottles, with room to spare. A niche that is too small is just a decoration.
Placement: On the wall opposite the showerhead, so bottles stay dry and within reach.
One well-placed niche is usually enough. Two is a luxury. Either way, it is a small addition during a build and an expensive afterthought later.
Benches and Seats: Small Comfort, Big Difference
A built-in tiled bench turns a shower from a place you rush through into a place you enjoy. It is a spot to sit under the hot water, to shave your legs, or to rest while the steam does its work.
Benches work best in the corner opposite the showerhead, and they pair well with a handheld showerhead on a slide bar — easy rinsing, easy cleaning, and easy reach from a seated position. A corner bench or a small floating seat fits most showers without eating up standing room.
If you are planning to age in place, a bench plus a curb-less entry plus a handheld showerhead is the combination we recommend most.
Tile Choices That Set the Style
Tile is where your shower gets its personality. A few combinations our Evansville homeowners love:
Large-format porcelain on the walls — fewer grout lines, a clean modern look, and easy to wipe down.
Subway tile — classic, timeless, and it works with almost any bathroom style. Run it in a herringbone or vertical pattern for a fresh twist.
Mosaic tile on the floor — small tiles grip better underfoot and follow the slope of the shower pan. Pebble and penny-round mosaics add texture and spa character.
A feature wall or accent stripe — one wall in a bold color, a patterned tile, or a natural stone look turns the whole shower into a focal point without overwhelming the room.
Whatever style you choose, we will be honest about upkeep. Natural stone is beautiful, but it needs sealing. Glossy dark tile shows water spots. Matte porcelain hides them. The right choice is the one you will still love when you are cleaning it.
Fixtures: The Details You Touch Every Day
Fixtures are the jewelry of the shower. A rainfall showerhead, a handheld sprayer, a thermostatic valve that holds your temperature steady — these are the parts you feel every morning, so they are worth choosing well.
Our advice: put the money into the valve and the showerhead first, and match the finish to the rest of your bathroom. Matte black, brushed nickel, chrome, and oil-rubbed bronze all pair beautifully with tile — pick the one that fits your home, not the trend of the month.
What a Custom Tile Shower Costs — and How Long It Takes
A custom tile shower from River City Flooring Pros typically runs $7,000 to $8,000, and most jobs take about one week from tear-out to finished tile. That includes the full build — layout, waterproofing, tile, niches, benches, and fixtures — designed around your bathroom, not a kit from a box.
A free estimate gives you the exact number for your space. We measure, we talk through your options, and we give you a straight price before any work begins.
Your Shower, Your Way
The best custom tile shower is not the fanciest one — it is the one designed around how you actually live. A curb-less entry if you want easy access. A bench if you like to linger. A niche where your hand reaches without thinking. Tile that makes you smile when you walk in.
That is what we build: showers designed for the people who use them, built to last for decades.
If your shower is tired, cramped, or just not the shower you want anymore, we would love to take a look.
River City Flooring Pros builds custom tile showers in Evansville, IN — one-week installs, $7,000–$8,000, built to last. Call or text (812) 454-1631 for a free estimate.
