What is the Proper Height to Install a Shower Border?

Question: From a design standpoint, what is the proper height to install a tiled shower border?

Decorative tile borders set the tone for your entire design. This is a very good question since the border makes or breaks the tile design. Border tiles are the most exciting part of a design. They add the finishing touch to the shower, and it is very important that they are installed at the right height based on the look you are trying to achieve. 

Eye Level:

If the tile is not being carried throughout (meaning tiling the wall or chair rail) then the border should be installed at eye level.

Eye level ranges from between 59 and 64 inches. Installing the border in-between these numbers will give you a healthy height. 

Carry Chair Rail Throughout:

If you are installing the same tile in the shower as you are using to create a border on the wall, consider one of these options.

• Continue the chair rail through the shower. This will keep the room open, without interrupting the flow. Your space will look and feel larger than it really is.
• Select a border tile that is appropriate for wainscoting or chair rail. (Proper height for wainscoting or chair rail is between 30 and 36 inches. This method is exciting and unexpected. Doing the application in this manner will really open up your space.)
• If you wish to stay away from this style, feel free to use mosaic or any other type of accent tile. Make sure that if you choose this route, cut tile sheets so that the border height is at least 3 inches tall. Too thin of a border style strip will get lost in the rest of the room; since it is lacking a three-dimensional depth to set it apart from the wall tile.