Most bathroom renovations start with Pinterest boards and tile samples, but how do you know what your new bathroom needs to fit your life?
While aesthetics matter, the most functional spaces begin with a simple question: How do I want to feel in this room? When your bathroom environment aligns with your wellness priorities, you create a space that enhances your daily well-being.
Whether you're looking for stress relief after long workdays, glowing skin, faster workout recovery, or comprehensive daily wellness routines, your ideal setup depends on what you want to achieve. Steam is not one-size-fits all. That's why MrSteam offers products designed to help you put wellness first while creating a beautiful, steam-focused bathroom.
Best Practices for a Bathroom Redesign
To ensure your steam shower functions perfectly and provides the benefits you're looking for, you'll need to consider a few essential elements:
- Enclosure and Materials: Your steam shower must be fully enclosed with sealed doors to effectively contain the steam. For all internal surfaces, select non-porous materials such as acrylic, glass, porcelain, or ceramic tile.
- Space and Ceiling Height: Steam showers can fit into spaces as compact for an individual bather, or a larger area designed for multiple bathers and enhanced comfort. The ceiling should be between 7 and 8 feet high and completely tiled.
- Steam Generator Installation: The steam generator, which produces the steam, can be up to 60 feet away from the shower. Often, the generator is placed in an attic space, basement, or nearby closet or vanity. Keep in mind, it requires access to electricity, water supply, and drainage.
- Steam Head Placement: Position the steam head at least 12 inches above the floor, opposite the steam control and bench for accurate temperature control, usability, safety and comfort.
If you're unsure about sizing the correct unit for your space and chosen materials, the MrSteam website has the Virtual Spa sizing tool or a MrSteam dealer can provide expert guidance.
Design for Your Wellness Goals
Once you have the essentials planned, you can customize your steam shower based on your primary wellness goals. When you identify your "why" before choosing finishes, you create a space that serves your lifestyle, not the other way around.
- For Stress Relief and Mental Clarity: To create a calming escape, integrate features like chromatherapy lighting with warm, soothing tones (amber, soft blue) and an aromatherapy system for essential oils like lavender.
- For Skin Health and Beauty: Steam may be a wonderful way to cleanse and hydrate dry and damaged skin.
- For Workout Performance or Recovery: To prepare or soothe sore muscles, steam offers a muscle-relaxing balm to help refresh and prep for activity and recovery.
- For Holistic Wellbeing: If you want it all, an integrated system like MrSteamâs iSteamX and Bliss package with steam therapies and shower systems is ideal. You can program and save custom presets that combine chromatherapy lighting, aromatherapy, and audio for different needs.
At MrSteam, we know your perfect bathroom won't look like anyone else's. Our product line includes solutions for every wellness style that supports relaxation and recovery.
Additional Considerations for Wellness-Focused Design
When designing a wellness space, it's important to incorporate thoughtful elements that enhance functionality and comfort:
- Proper insulation in walls and ceilings to heat efficiently and maintain temperature
- Layered lighting with bright lighting for grooming and dimmable lighting for relaxation
- Strategic storage for towels, robes, skincare products, and wellness tools
- Quality materials that improve with age and regular use
- Appropriately sized generator to ensure effective heating and therapeutic benefits
- Proper shower enclosure to prevent steam from escaping and maintain efficiency
- Proper placement of steam heads, controls, and seating to ensure performance, control and comfort
- Post-steam considerations like space for cooling down, drying off, and applying skincare
By addressing these considerations, you can create a functional, long-lasting wellness space that meets both technical and therapeutic needs.
Turn Your Plan Into Reality
MrSteam's approach helps you match wellness goals to specific features and products. Our decades of experience in residential steam systems ensure you get solutions that deliver the benefits you're seeking.
Start by taking the "What's Your Steam Style?" quiz to confirm your wellness priorities and get personalized feature recommendations. Then, download our Wellness Renovation Guide for detailed planning information, including layout requirements, generator sizing guidelines, and feature comparisons.