10 Steam Shower Ideas to Make Every Day a Spa Day Elevate your daily shower routine. Close Credit: Lugbill Designs / Matt Mansueto Photography Inc Want to experience a spa day every time you open the shower door? Installing a steam shower can transform your daily shower from "get-in, get-out" to something you look forward to every day. Spending a few minutes letting your skin soak in the steam offers a relaxing moment that rejuvenates your entire body. A steam shower is a spa-like experience and an opportunity to elevate your bathroom. Want to start exploring options for installing a steam shower in your home? Here are 10 steam shower ideas that will leave you—and your bathroom—glistening. What Is a Steam Shower? A lot of bathrooms get steamy (just ask anyone who's lived in an old house without a reliable bathroom vent!), but a steam shower is a specific system designed to produce steam within an enclosed space. A steam shower is fully enclosed on all four sides, and it utilizes a system that pipes in water through a steam generator and out of a specially designed steam head. 01 of 10 Install a Sauna Credit: Jane Beiles / SKM Design LLC If you want a complete spa day, install a sauna right next to your steam shower—and make sure it has a clean, minimalist aesthetic. From white tile to simple black fixtures to the pale natural wood in the sauna, this bathroom from SKM Design LLC feels calming and serene. 02 of 10 Add Multiple Shower Head Locations Credit: Lugbill Designs This steam shower from Lugbill Designs makes the most of multiple shower heads by placing them on two separate sides of the shower rather than stacking them on the same side. This means plenty of room for two to shower or enough space for you to enjoy a luxurious and spa-like experience. 03 of 10 Pull Out All The Stops Credit: In Detail Interiors / Greg Riegler If you're going to splurge on a steam shower, why not go all out? Choose a top-of-the-line shower system, body sprays, and throw in a music system. Cheryl Clendenon, owner and creative chief of In Detail Interiors, says this shower was designed to be her client's forever shower, so they pulled out all the bells and whistles. From the function to the form, no detail was left behind. "Down to the shape of the drain matching the shape of the floor tile, we worked to create visual flow with functional difference that truly pushed the materials used to a new level," she says. 04 of 10 Make It a Multi-Sensory Experience Credit: Shani Core Interiors / Horton Photography Stepping into a steam shower is instantly relaxing, but the experience doesn't have to be limited to the calming steam. Shani Core, founder and principal designer of Shani Core Interiors, designed this shower to have multi-sensory properties. "This large steam shower with a wall of chevron glass and marble from Ann Sacks is not only beautiful but therapeutic as well, with a raised penny tile shower floor which provides a massage for the feet and multiple control functions for the steam and water systems," Core says. 05 of 10 Know the Requirements of Your Materials Credit: Anne Rae Design / Jenny Siegwart Natural stone, porcelain, and ceramic all have different requirements for care. "The choice of material may influence both the specifications of the steam unit and the care required for upkeep," says Kristin Kostamo, founder of Anne Rae Design. In this bathroom, she used a linear-cut limestone, along with a mosaic behind the water jet and a chocolate marble bench. 06 of 10 Install a Door With Industrial Panes Credit: Alexandra Peck Design / Andrew Joseph Woomer This steam shower plays off contrasts between light and dark, delicate and strong. Alexandra Peck, owner and principal of Alexandra Peck Design, explains that she created an elegant and calm look by using a Carrara marble basketweave mosaic with Nero Marquina dots. The steam shower is closed off by a door with industrial panes and aged brass hardware, adding some edge to the pretty and bright tile and walls. 07 of 10 Make Budget-Friendly Modifications Credit: Studio Burgoon / Lindsay Brown If installing a steam shower seems out of budget, there are affordable tricks you can do to replicate the experience without the expense. In this project, Ali Burgoon Nolan, principal and owner of Studio Burgoon, explains that the budget didn't allow for a full steam shower system, so they had to get creative. "We designed a fully enclosed glass shower with a grated opening (no glass) above the door, allowing steam to escape to a nearby fan. The result? A steamy shower in minutes, without the added cost." 08 of 10 Choose a Textured Glass Credit: Alexandra Peck Design / Christian Harder Most glass shower doors are sleek and translucent, but this steam shower from Alexandra Peck Design has a subtle look that gives it a fun edge. The shower door has ribbed glass that adds an opaque appearance. "This shower pairs elegant Moroccan materials with elevated architectural detailing to create a sophisticated twist on a classic look," says Peck. The hand-painted terracotta floors in a floral pattern and unlacquered brass fixtures add to the elevated neutral aesthetic. 09 of 10 Build In a Bench Credit: Lugbill Designs / Matt Mansueto Photography Inc Whether you're shaving your legs or need somewhere to set your deep conditioning mask, a bench is a welcome addition to a steam shower. Lugbill Designs built a stone bench running along one side of this steam shower, giving plenty of room for all your essentials—or to sit for a minute and enjoy the detoxifying steam. 10 of 10 Cover the Walls and Ceiling in the Same Tile Credit: Alykhan Velji Designs Steam showers will inevitably damage any drywall that's present within the borders of the shower, so running the same tile up the walls and across the ceiling is not only striking, it's practical. That's exactly what Alykhan Velji, creative director at Alykhan Velji Designs, did in this bathroom with gorgeous variated green tile. "I love the texture that this adds, especially with the marble mosaic floors and brass details creating an elevated spa experience," he says. Explore more: Home Home Design & Decor Bathroom Design Ideas