Whether you’re renovating your bathroom or designing one from scratch, there’s one design aspect you’ll want to consider (other than great tile, of course): a shower niche!
What’s a shower niche?
A shower niche is essentially a recessed shelf or cubby for your bath and shower products. Not only is a shower niche highly functional, it’s also more aesthetically pleasing than a shower caddy or corner shelf. A shower niche tends to look less bulky and it’s usually easier to clean and maintain. There are also plenty of ways you can infuse your personal style through tile shapes and colors.
3"x8" Subway Tile - 12W Blue Bell
Photography by Marissa Cramer
Things to Consider
If you’re ready to add a shower niche to your bathroom, you’ll want to think through a couple of technical questions while mapping out your design. You’ll not only want to take into account how much space you have to work with, but you’ll also want to assess how many shower and bath products your shelf will need to hold. Sorting through these questions will help ensure that your shower niche is an effective storage spot.
- How tall is your favorite shampoo bottle?
- How about body wash containers?
- Do you share the shower with someone else?
- How many products do they need to store?
Choosing Tile
Now for the fun part: Picking tile! First and foremost, do you want your shower niche to stand out in contrast to the rest of your shower? Or do you want it to be the same pattern throughout? If you’re looking to add a contrast with your shower niche, mix and match different tile shapes, patterns or colors to help your niche stand out. In this example, the homeowner used our Large Moroccan Fish Scales in Sea Mist in their shower niche to complement the feature wall in the bathroom. This contrasts the rest of the shower, which uses a classic white subway tile.
Large Moroccan Fish Scales - 1017E Sea Mist.
Photography and Interior Design by Construction2style
1. Stick to the Theme
A shower niche can also help unify the theme of a bathroom. In this bathroom the homeowners used the same navy subway tile for the shower niche that they used around their tub. This created a subtle and sophisticated nautical theme.
2. Add a Pop of Color
You can also rely on your shower niche to add a pop of color to your bathroom. We love this example where the homeowners used our Medium Moroccan Fish Scales to introduce a splash of color to their sleek, bright bathroom.
Medium Moroccan Fish Scales - 33 Vivid Blue, 1015E Caribbean Blue, 1064 Baby Blue, 60 Silver Lining, 77E Grey.
Photography by Andrea Rugg Photography
Design by Kate Roos Design
3. Consider Trim: Schluter
Lastly, you’ll want to pick a trim to complete your shower niche. Schluter trim provides a clean line finish to the edge of your tile, and you can pick from a variety of metals that complement your style and the rest of your bathroom finishes.
Medium Diamonds - 11 Deco White.
Photography by @nsbuilders
4. Consider Trim: Bullnose
Bullnose edging is another option if you want a more subtle finish. Bullnose edging is made by curving and glazing the exposed edges of your tile. It looks best in a traditional or minimalist bathroom.
3″x8″ Subway Tile, 3"x8" Bullnose – 12W Blue Bell.
5. Consider Trim: V-Caps
Finally, V-Cap pieces use diagonal cuts along the outside of your shower niche. You can keep it simple and classic, or use contrasting color to create a frame-like edge to your shower niche.
3/4"x6" V-Caps, 3"x8" Subway Tile, - 23 Sapphire Blue.
Photography by Pencil Shavings Studio.
Feeling inspired? We’re here to help get the ball rolling on whatever project you have in mind, from a shower niche to a kitchen remodel. Tell us more about your project for a free quote.
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