Pony walls are the design secret bathroom pros swear by for a practical small bathroom layout – here's why

Finding a way to incorporate a walk-in shower idea in a smaller bathroom is no mean feat. While it feels like a space-saving idea to reduce shower walls, they're often more common in larger rooms where you can avoid splashes.

However, there is one shower feature that is perfect for small bathrooms - the half-wall design.

The half-wall, sometimes known as a pony wall, is exactly what it says on the tin. A half-height shower wall with the top half left open or filled with glass, to add light to a shower design and make a small space feel larger.

Here's why you should consider it for your wash space.

Shower designs can be tricky. Full glass enclosures are practical for small spaces but can often feel lacklustre and uninspiring, but walk-in shower ideas often require a larger floorplan for it to be practical.

'A half wall is one of those clever bathroom ideas that earns its keep. It gives the shower enough separation to feel like its own zone, but still lets light and space travel through the room,' explains Grazzie Wilson, head of creative at Ca’ Pietra.

Half-wall designs are lesser seen bathroom features that deserve a lot more appreciation than they get. Balancing practicality, space, and style opportunities, it's hard to go wrong.

The biggest benefit of opting for a half-height wall in a bathroom is for the added light it allows. Natural light can be hard to come by in a bathroom, and blocking off a shower further with full-height tiled walls only makes this worse.

Half-height walls also provide the option to leave it open or add glass. If you have a small floorplan and you're worried about splashes, then glass creates practicality without losing light. However, there are ways around this, too.

'An oversized shower head positioned too close to the opening will send spray straight into the room, so I would always look at where the water will land before deciding on the size and projection of the head. In many bathrooms, a slightly smaller head set deeper into the shower gives a far better result,' says Keeley Sutcliffe, design manager at Tissino.

As is evident from the beautifully tiled bathrooms shown in these photos, a half-wall shower offers many more surfaces to decorate with colourful and pattern-packed designs.

'The trick is to make the tiling feel like part of the design, rather than something added simply to make the layout work. Using the same tile across the shower walls and over the half wall will give you a lovely sense of continuity, especially in a smaller bathroom,' Grazzie continues.

'That does not mean every surface has to look identical, though. Turn the tile in a different direction on the outer face, introduce a stripe, or use the wall as a small pocket of pattern. It is a good place to be a little braver because the area is contained,' she adds.

Although a half-height shower might seem like it fixes many of your bathroom frustrations for you, it's important to get the small design touches right so that your bathroom remains truly practical.

'Do give the top edge proper attention. It needs to be waterproofed and angled gently back towards the shower, then finished with a bullnose, trim or stone cap. Also ask your tiler to plan the grout lines before laying begins, because a half wall puts every cut and corner on show,' Grazzie recommends.

Keeley adds, 'Think carefully about the controls too. Placing them near the entrance means you can turn the shower on without stepping underneath it, but the wall must be deep enough to accommodate the valve and pipework. Before anything is fitted, stand in the space and reach for where the controls will be; drawings rarely tell you whether they will actually feel comfortable to use.'

Shop shower accessories

Looking for more ways to update your bathroom without as much of an investment? These are the M&S towels that have recently caught my eye for an easy trend refresh.