Barrier-Free Shower Safety and Elegance

A custom tiled barrier-free shower stall with built-in hand rails, grab bars, and a fold-down shower seat.

I know dealing with a family member who needs a barrier-free shower is already stressful.You may have fallen into one of these scenarios:

  • Mom is not moving around so well. You’re considering having her live with you. You’re not sure how to make your home and bathroom safe.
  • Your spouse got hurt at work. Climbing over the tub to take a shower is an accident waiting to happen.
  • Your son was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident. He’s now in a wheelchair. Life won’t be the same. You need to design a shower which works for him and won’t add to his (already) frustrated state of mind.

Kohll’s Home Modification Team, a division of Kohll’s Rx in Nebraska and Iowa specializes in modifying homes for accessibility to help keep everyone safe.A barrier free shower is a common request and/or recommendation to Kohll’s Home Modification Construction Team.

Let’s review some basic information about barrier free showers.

A regular shower has a raised threshold, the entry of a barrier-free shower is flush with the floor, creating a seamless surface that gives your bathroom a spacious, airy look. More importantly, it's convenient for everyone from kids to grandparents, including people with mobility challenges.

Unlike traditional showers, a walk-in shower doesn’t require a shower curtain or a shower door. This creates more design freedom and an illusion of a spacious bathroom. Another advantage is the continuity of tiles. Because a walk-in shower is on the ground floor, the same bathroom tiles can be placed within the shower area. When installing a linear shower drain, you can now choose large tiles without damaging them. Also cleaning and a timesaving installation due to a one-sided slope is a benefit.

Traditional shower drains are placed in the center of the shower and sloped in four directions towards the drain. Creating this four-sided slope is considerably more time-consuming and can only be done with small floor tiles. In comparison, linear shower drains only require a single slope to work properly, this is easier to construct and takes less effort to clean.

It’s important to waterproof your wet area and additionally your bathroom to avoid any leakage. Most moisture related damages result from an improper installation of liquid sealed sealing membranes. A walk-in shower doesn’t have a shower tray, meaning you’ll be showering directly on your bathroom floor.

Freedom in design is without any doubt the most important aspect when building or renovating the bathroom area. That’s why most modern bathrooms choose a walk-in shower nowadays. Although the size of your shower is determined by the available floor space, you remain your freedom by implementing your bathroom design ideas compared to a traditional shower tray. Additionally, you can choose glass panels for your shower walls. You’ll also have total freedom of choosing any shower head you prefer. 

The walk-in shower completely eliminates the need to step in and out of a bathtub or shower base, there are no barriers or thresholds and you can let your bathroom floor tile reach into the shower. Once, a walk-in shower was considered only as a convenience for those with mobility problems, children or the elderly. Now, it’s a fantastic and future-proof addition to any (modern) bathroom.

A classic shower, like the traditional shower cabin and base, has hard to clean parts and corners where dirt or mold can easily settle. A walk-in shower has opposite characteristics. These spacious showers often have a minimalist design with few places where water and dirt can settle. When installed correctly, a walk-in shower with linear shower drain will drain the water more quickly and efficiently, which means less cleaning and more enjoying!

A walk-in shower offers a lot of shower ideas. You have the freedom to choose any type of shower tile. From ceramic to mosaic. You can choose any type of shower wall such as glass panels or a tiled wall. If you want to keep a minimalist design you can choose built-in wall niches to hide your bathroom accessories. 

An effective roll in, or barrier-free shower is ‘tricked out.’ It looks contemporary and stylish…but will work for anyone. It’s not the impossible design dream. It can become your reality – with the right design.Contact Kohll’s Home Modification Construction Team for any questions, recommendations and/or a visit to your residence.

  • Mom is not moving around so well. You’re considering having her live with you. You’re not sure how to make your home and bathroom safe.
  • Your spouse got hurt at work. Climbing over the tub to take a shower is an accident waiting to happen.
  • Your son was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident. He’s now in a wheelchair. Life won’t be the same. You need to design a shower which works for him and won’t add to his (already) frustrated state of mind.

Kohll’s Mod Squad, a division of Kohll’s Rx in Nebraska and Iowa specializes in modifying homes for accessibility to help keep everyone safe. A barrier free shower is a common request and/or recommendation to Kohll’s Mod Squad.

Let’s review some basic information about barrier free showers.

A regular shower has a raised threshold, the entry of a barrier-free shower is flush with the floor, creating a seamless surface that gives your bathroom a spacious, airy look. More importantly, it's convenient for everyone from kids to grandparents, including people with mobility challenges.

Unlike traditional showers, a walk-in shower doesn’t require a shower curtain or a shower door. This creates more design freedom and an illusion of a spacious bathroom. Another advantage is the continuity of tiles. Because a walk-in shower is on the ground floor, the same bathroom tiles can be placed within the shower area. When installing a linear shower drain, you can now choose large tiles without damaging them. Also cleaning and a timesaving installation due to a one-sided slope is a benefit.

Traditional shower drains are placed in the center of the shower and sloped in four directions towards the drain. Creating this four-sided slope is considerably more time-consuming and can only be done with small floor tiles. In comparison, linear shower drains only require a single slope to work properly, this is easier to construct and takes less effort to clean.

It’s important to waterproof your wet area and additionally your bathroom to avoid any leakage. Most moisture related damages result from an improper installation of liquid sealed sealing membranes. A walk-in shower doesn’t have a shower tray, meaning you’ll be showering directly on your bathroom floor.


Freedom in design is without any doubt the most important aspect when building or renovating the bathroom area. That’s why most modern bathrooms choose a walk-in shower nowadays. Although the size of your shower is determined by the available floor space, you remain your freedom by implementing your bathroom design ideas compared to a traditional shower tray. Additionally, you can choose glass panels for your shower walls. You’ll also have total freedom of choosing any shower head you prefer.

The walk-in shower completely eliminates the need to step in and out of a bathtub or shower base, there are no barriers or thresholds and you can let your bathroom floor tile reach into the shower. Once, a walk-in shower was considered only as a convenience for those with mobility problems, children or the elderly. Now, it’s a fantastic and future-proof addition to any (modern) bathroom.

A classic shower, like the traditional shower cabin and base, has hard to clean parts and corners where dirt or mold can easily settle. A walk-in shower has opposite characteristics. These spacious showers often have a minimalist design with few places where water and dirt can settle. When installed correctly, a walk-in shower with linear shower drain will drain the water more quickly and efficiently, which means less cleaning and more enjoying!

A walk-in shower offers a lot of shower ideas. You have the freedom to choose any type of shower tile. From ceramic to mosaic. You can choose any type of shower wall such as glass panels or a tiled wall. If you want to keep a minimalist design you can choose built-in wall niches to hide your bathroom accessories.

An effective roll in, or barrier free shower is ‘tricked out.’ It looks contemporary and stylish…but will work for anyone. It’s not the impossible design dream. It can become your reality – with the right design. Contact Kohll’s Mod Squad for any questions, recommendations and/or a visit to your residence.