Showering - Upgrade Guide
Shower Tower Systems: The Spa Upgrade That Skips the Renovation
A shower tower packs a rainfall head, body jets, and a handheld wand into one wall-mounted panel that connects to the shower supply you already have. No opened walls, no re-tiling, no new valve rough-in. Here is how VIGO shower panels turn an ordinary stall into a full spa wall in an afternoon.
ELAN ELLINGTON PANEL - RAINFALL, BODY JETS AND HANDHELD IN ONE COLUMN
At a glance
A shower tower is a complete spa setup in a single wall-mounted panel - rainfall head, adjustable body jets, and a handheld wand run from one control. Because it mounts to the surface and connects to your existing shower supply, it upgrades the whole shower without opening a wall.
THE ONE-PANEL SPA
What a shower tower actually is
Walk into a high-end hotel shower and you will usually find a rainfall head overhead, body sprays at shoulder height, and a handheld wand on a hook. Built the traditional way, that setup means multiple valves, supply lines, and a plumber inside an open wall. A shower tower collapses all of it into one slim column.
A VIGO shower panel is a self-contained stainless steel unit. The rainfall head sits at the top, adjustable body jets are arranged down the face, and a pull-out wand docks near the controls. A single control with a diverter moves water between functions, so you can rinse under the rain head, target sore shoulders with the jets, or grab the wand for kids, pets, and cleanup.
Because everything is engineered into one panel at the factory, the functions are already balanced to work together. You are not designing a plumbing system; you are hanging a finished one.
RAINFALL HEAD RUNNING - CREATOR INSTALL BY @THEPOLOFAMILY
“Walk into a high-end hotel shower and you will usually find a rainfall head overhead, body sprays at shoulder height, and a handheld wand on a hook”
NO OPEN WALLS
Why this upgrade skips the renovation
The reason shower remodels get expensive is rarely the fixture - it is the wall. Moving a valve or adding body sprays the traditional way means removing tile, rerouting supply lines, closing the wall, and refinishing. A shower tower avoids all of it because the plumbing runs inside the panel, not inside the wall.
Installation is surface-mounted: the panel anchors to the finished wall and connects to the shower supply you already have, and its own internal lines distribute water to the head, jets, and wand. For most bathrooms that makes this a weekend project with basic tools rather than a contractor engagement.
That makes a tower a smart choice for flippers who need maximum impact per dollar - and for anyone who loves their tile too much to break it.
- Surface-mounted. The panel anchors to the finished wall - tile, fiberglass surround, or stone all work.
- Uses existing supply. It connects to the water connection already in your shower; no new rough-in.
- Reversible. Because the wall stays intact, the shower can go back to a standard head later if you ever want it to.
“The reason shower remodels get expensive is rarely the fixture - it is the wall”
REAL-WORLD PROOF
If it fits an RV bathroom, it fits yours
The best argument that shower towers do not need a renovation comes from the smallest bathroom we have seen one in. The creator family @thepolofamily installed a VIGO stainless steel panel in their RV - a space where opening a wall is not just inconvenient, it is impossible. The panel went onto the existing surround and picked up the existing supply, and their tiny bath gained a rainfall head, body jets, and a handheld wand in one shot.
Their close-up of the panel face shows why the format works in tight quarters: diverter, jets, and controls all live on one slim column. If a rolling home on campground hookups can run a full spa wall, a standard residential shower certainly can.
BODY JETS AND DIVERTER UP CLOSE - CREATOR INSTALL BY @THEPOLOFAMILY
“The best argument that shower towers do not need a renovation comes from the smallest bathroom we have seen one in”
ALREADY HAVE A VALVE?
Retrofit panels work with your existing shower valve
Most shower towers carry their own control. But if your current shower valve works fine, VIGO makes retrofit shower panels designed specifically for that situation. The Orchid Retrofit and Meridian Retrofit mount around your existing valve and add a rainfall head, two body jets, and a handheld wand to the setup you already own.
Retrofit models are also the value play of the category: because you are reusing your valve, they come in well under the full-control towers. The Meridian Retrofit starts at $254.90 - a spa wall for less than many single rain heads.
Here is how the current VIGO lineup compares at a glance:
CHOOSING YOURS
How to pick the right panel for your bathroom
Start with the valve question. If you want a clean slate with one integrated control, choose a full tower like the Elan Ellington or Davidson Sutton. If your existing valve stays, go retrofit. Then count jets: two jets suit a focused back-and-shoulder massage, while four to six jets wrap more of the body - the classic Mateo tops the range with six.
Finish matters too. VIGO panels come in brushed stainless and matte black finishes that resist spots and wipe clean. Every panel is backed by VIGO's limited lifetime warranty, and free shipping applies sitewide.
Whichever you choose, daily use is the simple pleasure the @thepolofamily wand shot captures: pull the handheld, let the jets run, rinse the enclosure when you are done. It is the rare upgrade you feel every morning.
PULL-OUT WAND OVER THE BODY JETS - CREATOR INSTALL BY @THEPOLOFAMILY
Featured in this story
Shop the pieces
Elan Ellington (VG08013)
4-jet stainless tower with rainfall head, handheld wand, and integrated control.
From $449.90
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Davidson Rector (VG08012)
Streamlined 2-jet panel - focused massage sprays plus rain head and wand.
From $424.90
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Davidson Sutton (VG08021)
4-jet full-coverage panel with a clean, architectural face.
From $449.90
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Elan Bowery (VG08022)
4-jet tower in a slim profile - spa coverage for tighter enclosures.
From $444.90
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Orchid Retrofit (VG08014)
2-jet retrofit panel that pairs with your existing shower valve.
From $284.90
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Meridian Retrofit (VG08016)
The value entry - rain head, 2 jets, and wand around your current valve.
From $254.90
View productShop these categories
Explore the rangeShower Panels
The full lineup - rainfall heads, body jets, and wands in one column.
Shop Shower Panels
Classic Shower Panels
Multi-jet stainless towers with integrated controls, up to six body sprays.
Shop Classic Panels
Retrofit Shower Panels
Spa upgrades built to work with the shower valve you already have.
Shop Retrofit PanelsReference
Questions, answered
Do I need a plumber to install a shower tower?
Many homeowners handle it themselves: the panel mounts to the finished wall and connects to the existing shower supply, so there is no in-wall work. If you are not comfortable with basic plumbing connections, a handyman or plumber can typically install one in a single visit.
Will a shower panel work with my existing plumbing?
Yes - shower towers are designed to run off a standard residential shower supply. Retrofit models like the Orchid and Meridian go a step further and integrate with the shower valve you already have.
What is the difference between a full panel and a retrofit panel?
A full panel includes its own control and diverter, replacing your visible shower hardware entirely. A retrofit panel keeps your existing valve and adds the rainfall head, body jets, and handheld wand around it - usually at a lower price.
Can the rainfall head, jets, and wand run at the same time?
A diverter on the panel lets you switch between functions and, depending on the model, combine them. Water pressure is shared across whatever is running, so most people alternate functions for the strongest spray.
Further reading
Give your shower the spa wall it deserves.
One panel, one afternoon, zero opened walls - and every shower after that feels like a different bathroom. Find the tower that fits your space and your valve.
