We put in tempered glass corner shelves. We couldn’t put niches in because the shower’s two walls are exterior walls.

I like a hidden niche but it looks like you'll have to leave the warm water to get to the shampoo, conditioner, soap, razor, etc. It could get chilly and inconvient.

We put our niche on the wall opposite the shower head. I figured it was farthest away from the water source so hopefully wouldn't have any problems with it. The long wall is an outside wall so I didn't want it there because of needing the insulation in our montana winters. I love the location and look.

Forgot to point out we didn't center it, choosing instead to offset it between 2 studs. I think it works.

Personally I think a niche and a place to sit are essential in all showers. I've used the pole system someone referred to and they get nasty over time. I think the plastic basket idea will look a little tacky in your brand new shower, but that's me.

I didn't want a niche so I bought this and I absolutely love it. I can just take it right out to clean it.

https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/oxo-good-grips-reg-slide-lock-trade-standing-shower-caddy/1042675037?keyword=shower-caddy

Team niche. I’ve been living with shower caddies for years, and I hate them! Even the best ones get disgusting or rusty or whatever. I’m getting a giant one with several shelves put in for my remodel. Big tiled walls are basically useless so why not use that space for something?

Thought I'd mention this...a few times I've installed grab bars that were planned from the start to be used for product storage. Bottles sat on it nicely, they had a little soap dish and razor hooks that hung off of it. It certainly drained well!

I like that idea! And, a quick reminder that grab bars must be securely attached to reinforced studs otherwise they‘re a safety hazard! And, if you don’t need them yet, plan ahead by reinforcing the studs were they will go later and keep track of the location.

I see I am in the minority here but we decided against putting a niche in any of our bathrooms...and we have 4 of them. The decision was based solely on one reason: you have to clean the corners of the niche diligently or else grime/soap scum collects there and we neither have the time nor inclination to clean the bathroom niches every single day for the rest of the 10+ years we intend to live there.

I would say yes to the niche, as large as possible, you could do solid surface (quartz ) with a color that matches your tile

To niche, or not to niche: that is the question! I’m facing the same dilemma. I’m considering shelves as pictured above.

Dragonfly nailed it. The perfect spot AND the perfect size. Your tile Pro should be able to "slope" the niche so that water does not collect OR have a solid surface piece made (with runnels) for the bottom.

We didn’t want a niche, much to the dismay of our contractor. Our shower is large enough for a long teak bench, and that holds all the "stuff".

Wow, seems like there are a lot of different points of view on the Niche - I decided to go without the niche and add corner shelves instead- tnx for the input!

You could do a 4" ledge on the back wall.

Nan, if you decided on corner shelves, I'm sure you know to plan for these accordingly. No right answer as it is what works for you, but planning for proper installation is important. Built in at corners (whichever corner works for you), and might consider using a solid surface for the base (match your countertop material, for example). Tiled surface will be higher maintenance. The Kohler baskets are also a good option (go with quality for many reasons). These come in three sizes and should be spaced vertically based on good planning for your own products. https://www.us.kohler.com/us/Large-shower-basket/productDetail/baskets/426409.htm Attaching picture here of corner built in shelves. Look to the far right. Notice we placed the shelves where they are hardly visible from the outside bath area and out of direct water flow.

And from outside the shower, you are not greeted with the shelves and the products. We designed this with those goals in mind. Good luck with your project.

Thank you Dragonfly Tile & Stone, I like how you placed the corner shelves out of sight- that is what I am looking to do. I like the Kohler Basket Idea as they hold the products in place - it looks like there might be some sort of a bar built into the solid surface corner shelf- i like the idea of solid surface shelf but want a bar to hold products from slipping out.

Simple..no mess

hummingalong2…great, great recommendation. I just looked at the site and I am ordering four…3 for each bath and one for outside shower.

There are some wonderful “problem solvers”. And the little hand held mirror is going in a few Christmas stockings this year. Thanks for sharing.

We put our niche into the half wall as well. (And yeah, the grab bar is great for shampoo.)

You sleek shower looks much less sleek when you have hanging doo dads to hold the stuff you already KNOW you need in a shower.

Just be aware that over time that basket is probably going to corrode and look nasty just like the pole systems. I've purchased very expensive stainless poles and over time the chemicals in the water take a toll on it. I also had a solid marble piece in the corner of my master shower and I never had all of the mildew and pooling issues people are referring to and I had it for over 20 years, but it never provided enough storage space which is why I also used the poles, those I went through several of. I think it strictly depends on placement and angles. In my second bathroom I went with a built-in niche and I love it. It is placed on the back wall and I have no problem with pooling, in fact, the area doesn't even get wet. We did a double niche where the soap and razor go on the smaller shelf below. I still need to buy a soap dish but mine is all marble and clean up has been a breeze because the area does not get wet.

Thanks, https://www.houzz.com/user/erica-mca, I will be getting some of those bottles, they look great!

put it on the back wall where it won't get as wet. place it up a little higher and almost no shower spray reaches it.

just did this one for a client. they just wanted room for the larger shampoo bottles. It's a pre-made niche placed between the studs, so no chance of any leaking. And, when you walk into the bathroom, you can't even see it.

In my own I have two. the lower one holds the ugly stuff. The upper one does not get wet during a shower.

Why would a Kohler bathroom basket corrode worse than Kohler fixtures. I would assume the finish on a Kohler fixture would be equivalent to the finish on other fixtures they sell which are durable.

The Kohler baskets we referenced above do not corrode. There are stainless baskets available from various home stores, etc and those are the problem. We order the following in polished nickel. Worth the few extra dollars: https://www.efaucets.com/detail.asp?product_id=K-1897-SN

I will admit I am not familiar with the Kohler baskets, I can only speak to the stainless steel poles with baskets which I had, and I can tell you that it did not matter whether I bought cheap ones or expensive ones, eventually they all developed issues. I am just suspicious that they will eventually develop problems, and it will certainly depend on the water in your area. I have also had to replace faucets for the same problem. It seems to primarily develop around the base and in the case of one faucet it was a single handle and it developed issues around the ball area where the handle pivoted, and I've seen it on screws. I believe that basket screws in. I don't know how long you've had the baskets installed but I'm just very doubtful they will still look good after 20 years like my marble shelf did.

The pole/ basket in our shower is at least 10 years old and has not corroded at all. Worst case would be spending a hundred bucks every decade or so. Where as if you have a problem with your niche you’re stuck with it for the life of your shower.

For our remodel, a friend recommended placing the niche in the least visible part of the shower. It means you can walk into the bathroom and not see some plastic bottles, etc. arrayed in your shower. Makes for a cleaner look. Another suggestion is to have the niche "floor" angled very, very slightly outwards to keep water from pooling in the niche.

Well, this is everything I could've said.

Since you have a pony wall, you can have a huge niche-shelf that'll allow you to store all your stuff ... yet it won't be visible from the bathroom itself. Win-win.

Note that most of the niches in the pictures shown here show only a tasteful couple bottles into which shampoo's been decanted ... I don't have time for that, and I doubt you do either. You probably have a big purple squirt-top bottle of shampoo, don't you? I know I do.

Two small thoughts:

If I were doing this again, I'd be sure to include a spot in the niche(s) for bar soap.

You asked whether to use your (more expensive) accent tile in the niche. If you put it in your pony wall, no. Skip the accent. It won't show anyway. On the other hand, if you put the niche on the back wall, where it'll show, do use the accent ... but keep in mind that you'll be covering up that accent with your shampoo bottles.

They are not meant to hold EVERYTHING, they are meant to hold a couple key items. I put my soap, shampoo and conditioner in acrylic decorative pump jars and place them in the niche. Everything else gets hidden away in cabinetry, no one wants to see all of your personal stuff.

Nope, nope, nope. We don't live in the same world. Why would I want to store part of my shower goods in a cabinet? I'd get into the shower, then remember I needed the shaving cream ... and drip water across the floor as I go to retrieve my things? Nope, nope, nope. Function trumps a spot in Bathroom Beautiful.

The pole/ basket in our shower is at least 10 years old and has not corroded at all.

Ours corroded. As did its replacement. We did away with them, and we were surprised at just how much space that nasty pole was hogging in our shower.

we should start a topic "show us your filled shower niches" lol

Mine:

following, we put in a small niche, hubby said afterwards, if he knew what a pain it was to tile it- we used the same tile as the rest of the shower- he would not do it again. it in the main bathroom as the master bath will only have a free standing tub.

No niche here ..I have a Tacky as someone said hook on rack on the slide bar of the shower !

I love our shower niche. It is located midway up the wall opposite the shower head. The niche is divided with a tall space for bottles and a smaller shelf on top for a soap dish and razor. If you are concerned about the way bottles may look, you can find matching plastic pump bottles very inexpensively online, which is what we did.

The pole/ basket in our shower is at least 10 years old and has not corroded at all. Worst case would be spending a hundred bucks every decade or so. Where as if you have a problem with your niche you’re stuck with it for the life of your shower.

All I can say is you are extremely lucky. Perhaps your water has less minerals in it or it doesn't get very wet. Mine NEVER looked good after 5, let alone 10 years.

We love our full length niche. We are planning on doing our 2nd bathroom the same way.

Love my niche and bench. I do not find it hard to keep clean at all.

And since this is a niche crazy thread..... here's one we did in a more contemporary shower in line with Audrey's full length niche. It's all personal preference but most of our clients request them. Make sure they are planned for and professionally installed.

dragonfly, beautiful work!!

nice work dragonfly. Do you have any examples of niches with glazzio bubbles moonstone. We are thinking of doing the floor and niche. I choose everything for our first bathroom. So the heat is on for our second bath

Audrey, we have not used that. Here's one niche with it (not our work).

We just completed the new shower with glazzio bubbles moonstone. Just need the shower doors

A badly constructed niche is a bad idea, a well made one that is waterproofed and pitched correctly is useful. Personally I don't need much in the shower and a simple shelf works well for me. I also like that it doesn't penetrate the CBU. I usually go for the simplest solution to any problem.

You are so right. This is the second bathroom we have had done like this. same tiler was meticulous. He also did our curbless shower with a linear drain.

I'd go with a niche. I have never had trouble with cleaning it, as I clean my shower weekly. Not enough buildup in a week to be a problem. It matches the shower, and I don't have a shower caddy taking up space. Plus, shower caddies can get gunky too.

I like a niche which is out of the water stream. Even then, it must have a very slight (1/16-1/8”?) tilt for drainage.

My contractor wanted to remove a PVC window in a bathroom renovation, but I told him it was just like a niche, so we waterproofed it and lined it with cultured marble. It lets nice light into the bathroom and is also a place to put shampoo.

Definitely do a niche and not the organizers hanging off showers or poles. Great if niche could go in pony wall. About shower benches. They can be great but have to ensure they are done so water does t pool. I find most benches just end up being “catch all’s” for bottles etc. , so prefer just a small corner shelf if need something to put foot on for shaving legs. The other issue with a bench is that they are too far away from the shower head so if you indeed sit on it you get cold. Not a useful idea if you have someone who has medical need to sit on bench for shower. Better to have a lovely moveable one you can place closer to water source.

If I need a bench I’ll just get a teak one. I like the idea of having flexibility to move the bench/seat around.

I just finished a remodel of my bathroom and installed a shower which follows the footprint of the tub/shower combination what I took out.

I had a bench installed and it is one of the BEST parts of my remodel. The niche is over the bench.

I have two hand held shower heads - one next to the regular shower head and one close to the bench so I can use it when I am on the bench.

Prior to my remodel I had the experience of needing a shower seat after an operation and it was extremely awkward. It was not was comfortable as the bench and was an obstacle for cleaning. It took up floor space and if you didn't want it in the shower/tub, it had to be stored someplace.

We found we never used the shower seat, it was just used as one big shelf and got filled with clutter. In our remodel, we took it out and put in his and her niches, each with a tall portion, and a smaller portion above it separated by a glass shelf. For shaving, we installed a corner foot rest for shaving. If I ever have a medical need to sit in a shower, a portable seat is what we will use . Shower seats can be cold and slippery.

Hu 98030,,,,stop spamming your stupid shower caddies all over this site. this post is 7 years old! go away.