@scottie mom we are at the concept stage so no detailed drawing yet, but I am trying to fit a lot in a small space. I agree that I would prefer a niche on the wall opposite the bench, but that wall will become a space for possible body shower jets and a pocket door. Maybe corner shelving is the best option for this space.

I thnk that you will struggle with a niche with that tile - even if you use a Schluter system - the varying thicknesses will create visual discontinuity.

I'd go with the simplle wire basket to match your fixture finish.

@M Riz I am thinking solid surface to match bench if a niche is possible. I have the tile sample I have tested and it seems very easy to clean, perhaps because it is glossy. I think the designer is sensitive to my concern about grout maintenance because I have been so unhappy with a sink backsplash we had installed back in 93.

As for a cleaning service, that will not be in the budget after this remodel 😱😉

@jck910 I'm starting to think that may be most practical for this tight space. Would solid surface work as well as glass?

@scottie mom I rather like the soap dish attached to the grab bar. Here is a photo of the real thing installed.

Exactly, the hardest part to clean is always the grout, so eliminate it and make sure its pitched for drainage. You would only have to worry about caulk then. Either way that you fo it, having a place for all of your things make for a neater shower. good luck

thats a really beautiful tile

I have a niche as well as corner baskets from Kohler. They are both very functional.

The Kohler basket comes in a variety of finishes and a medium and large size. The basket can be added easily after the shower is completed and doesn't take up space either physically or functionally.

My niche isn't particularly difficult to keep clean as it is used to store bottles so there isn't anything particularly sticky or messy that gets on the bottom.

@maxbuys yes to solid surface. I used glass because I found it blended and was less noticeable

@maxbuys Oh the bar makes more sense in that photo, where you'd be seated in a tub. Assuming you're standing in the shower, that soap would be really low, as would the grab bar. Also--bar soap is probably the worst offender when it comes to making showers difficult to clean. And I feel like a bottle would get knocked over too easily there.

It just seems like there are a lot of gizmos in this small space. And that was before I saw the idea of the body sprays and pocket door 😳

Credit to you for thinking through the details and reviewing what you don't like from the past. That said, grout has come a long way since 1993.

Niches do not need to fit between the studs. They get framed out to whatever size you want, just like a medicine cabinet would be. We do them all the time. If you frame the niche in a solid material - not tiles, then it is very easy to maintain. The only place we do not put niches would be an outside wall .

Good luck

I have a niche which is located so it doesn’t get much water, and it drains well. The shower has been in daily use for six years and cleaning the niche is not an issue. The glass is far more of an issue.

Your bottle of liquid shower soap is not going to fit very well in that soap dish. You WILL want to switch to liquid because bar soap creates scum that then leads to mold If you are not vigilant about cleaning the shower. They make nice moisturizing liquid soaps (I use Dove with hyaluronic acid) and simple (Trader Joe’s body wash) ones, too. The other thing I dislike about the rail with soap dish is that as a disabled person, I have never found those angled bars at all helpful. It really won’t serve a purpose in your shower.

I like my solid surface shelves and where they sit in my shower. Head height. When we bend over, the shelves are always above us. We have never bumped into them. We have no small persons living here, so I did not have to consider their reach. If this is a master bath, go with high shelves. Mine are in both back corners and are around 3” deep and 8” long. They are attached with only caulk, but have not wiggled a millimeter in the three years they have been there.

Another option that will give you space for a few items AND a safety grab bar is the corner shelf I have near my floor. It is a solid grab bar along the chrome edge, with a plastic white plate that lifts off to clean the interior shelf. I rest my foot on it. You can use it the same way I did, or put it at a handy height as a hand-hold. Either way, it holds around three bottles. Here is a link that shows other Invisia grab bar/shelf combos:

https://www.vintagetub.com/bathroom/bathroom-accessories/grab-bars.html

You can get another hidden grab bar into your shower by getting a bar for your hand held shower head that is a grab bar. People will grab them if they lose their balance, so you may as well have one made for that job. Mine is from Jaclo, and they have a lot of different styles. When shopping for your shower fixtures, see if you can get a hand held set that doubles as a grab bar. They do make them.

Whatever you do, plan for it before the walls go up so that you can install 2x6 supports between the shower studs.

Another vote for a niche! We are in middle of smaller bathroom remodel and it is possible to do a niche in just about any size you like, our contractor cut our wall studs and framed out the niche in the size I requested, no big deal..... easy for them.... I absolutely love mine! And I agree with you - the shelf may get in the way! Below is a sample picture of a niche with wavy tile.. Goodluck!

In our en-suite reno done 1 1/2 years ago, our contractor recommended using 12” X 24” tiles in the shower. One tile forms the back of the niche, and it is edged in quartz to match the top of the shower bench and top of the curb into the shower. The niche is located over the shower bench. Everything is both convenient to use and easy to clean.

@just_janni I suspect this is where the designer is coming from. Thanks for the feedback.

Nancy in Mich Thanks so much for your helpful post!

How do you tag a user in a reply?

Best wishes on your bath reno! Some thoughts…

1. Safety first…a grab bar will be too slippery to grab if a melting bar of soap is attached to it. Put grab bars where you are most likely to reach out if falling. Some hand held shower bars are also certified as grab bars to reduce the number of grab bars you need. Do 1 big piece on the bench seat and consider upgrading to a “leather” finish for less slippage than a matte finish. Soap and shampoo make shower floors slippery so on shower floor use small 1” or 2” matte finish tile with lots of grout lines for best traction. Keep a wet- rated recessed light over the shower.

2. Shower size…51” by 33” shower is very narrow, the tub may have been 33” wide but the shower to replace it can be a few critical inches wider to 36” minimum, please ask your contractor. Consider a corner bench or flip down bench for more standing room.

3. Product storage…Niches are recessed into the wall - they don’t stick out like a basket - and a niche will give you more elbow room desperately needed in a narrow shower. Don’t put the niche where it can be seen as you enter the room - you probably don’t want your shower products on display, inspo photos “stage” the niche with candles, plants, a sponge, etc.

4. Design…a small room feels bigger by repeating just a few materials. With your tile in a grid pattern, I think 1 long horizontal niche across the 33” wall will provide enough storage and look good with the grid. Let the grid pattern and new plumbing fixtures - not the product-filled niche - create the visual interest. Niche may be outlined in pencil tile or schluter strip, and use the same material to cap off all the tiles for a consistent look. Not really sure if you will even see the wavy tile on the wall with the plumbing or grab bars, consider using a gloss plain tile for shower walls and the wavy tile for the vanity backsplash?

5. Plumbing…the wall jets can be on a different wall from the shower head, and can face the bench and niche because your body will block the water from hitting the opposite wall. If you have a hand held shower head on a slider bar, really think hard if you actually need a fixed shower head - or if it is just what you are used to seeing before we had hand held shower heads.

6. Cleaning…the wavy tile looks good but may be be harder to clean than flat glossy shower wall tiles if this bathroom is used daily. Use big pieces of tile inside the niche for few grout lines and easier cleaning, maybe a glossy white subway tile; niches are imperceptibly slanted down so the water runs off. Buy a squeegee and Glass Surface Protector Spray to keep soap and shampoo scum from etching shower glass door/panel.

My contractor had a great idea for my shower instead of a niche. He took two 2 by 4's and secured to the wall and then covered with tile. He built two of them, one higher than the other. I love the look and they are very functional.

An add to my post. They are about 10 inches long and of course are 4 inches wide.

We bought a "Kohler Pilaster Shower Locker" which has a rounded interior (no corners to clean!), and removable frosted safety glass shelves. It is slim and fits even between narrowly-spaced wall studs. We are so happy with it, we are putting it in the other bathrooms we are currently remodeling. See photo. I believe it comes in 2 finishes but this one (matte nickel) works well with our brushed nickel fixtures.

I have a marble shelf in my shower that I love.

Nice shower^

I dislike niches, they are a bit fussy for me. In a recent tub + shower remodel, I installed two corian corner shelves at shower end. They are great, easy to use and clean, plus you can install however many you think you need. I have additional area for bath stuff at the end of the tub, so two worked for me (one for bar soap, one for shampoo and conditioner). Go with what you like.

RE: the grab bar/soap dish combo -- looks like a recipe for leg bruises. Visualize showering with out glasses and water in your eyes. I also question how helpful it would be while trying to sit down or stand up. Seem akward to me. It's cool looking but . . . I highly recommend real grab bars -- there are many that don't look at all institutional and are very practical. Good luck with your project.

The soap dish on the grab bar is in such a position I would think your bar of soap would get wet just from showering - thereby causing it to lose soap faster. My MIL has a guest shower and the soap dish sits about there. The amount of suds from the bar of soap when showering and not using the bar is amazing to me. I prefer my bar of soap to sit out of the water's way. Plus the point someone made above about an angled grab bar - it sound like they use theirs and the angled ones aren't actually useful.

I've never used a shower niche but I would assume a well designed one would be easy to use and clean. Take the bottles, etc that you currently use and work with your designer/contractor to create space for them.

Also, the best shower cleaning method I've tried so far is to take one of the kitchen dish soap scrubbers (the soap's in the handle) and store that in the shower. (Yes, I put dish soap in the handle, sometimes with some vinegar.) While the water is heating up or my conditioner is setting, scrub away! Whatever cleaning method you will do regularly is the one that will work the best.

Our current shower is 33" wide x 48" long and I can't imagine dealing with a shelf that effectively reduced the 33" width to 29". We'd constantly be knocking the shampoo on the floor.

Kohler Choreograph

We just had our primary bath and shared hall bath both remodeled. Before we had NO storage in our shower and everything was on the floor. We have niche with a shelf for shampoo, etc., and a small “foot” niche. Both are on the same wall as the shower head, so they do not actually get hit with much water. I also had two niches installed in the shower/tub combo in the hall bath. We’ve had no cleaning issues. I’m surprised you’re being steered away and I think you’ll miss the niche.

I recently had a total remodel done in our master bath and did not do a niche. I like a simple, minimalist look and did 2’x4’ tiles, stacked, along one entire wall, which part of is shower. I had two shelves (out of countertop material) installed on either side of the shower head, at around 5’ high. Love them…they are not in the way, don’t get wet, are easy to clean and keep the look I wanted. I did nix using bar soap and would have liked that grab bar/soap dish combo you are thinking about.

Check out the “no drilling required” line of bath accessories. Easy to install and dishwasher safe for cleaning! Check https://www.nodrillingrequired.com/11-Double-Shower-Caddy-p/dk240-chr.htm for a start. We’ve had some for ten years with no problem! Good luck with your choice.

I did a very small, handicap friendly shower in 2020. My shower is smaller, only 32”x52”. Went with a ledge, not shelf or niche, because I like the look and function way more. I find ledges easier to clean. Positioned the ledge opposite the shower head to minimize the water that it would collect. For the husband, I put a spring loaded Simplehuman basket system in the front corner. Husband sits on a portable shower bench. It didn’t make sense to have an attached bench in such a small space. The bench sits outside the shower in between uses. See pics.

Entire bathroom is only 8’x8’, except for an 8” bump back for the toilet. We converted an office area into a second, main level, laundry on the other side of this bathroom. I went from a jetted tub and 6’x8’ to this new bathroom. We love it!

Important things to consider:

1) My ledge is only 4” deep. I think 6” is better.

2) My front curb is 2” high. I thought the shower pan had a 4” curb when I purchased it from Lowe’s. Note the splash guards I had to install.

3) My ceiling luckily was reinforced in the corner to accommodate the spring loaded basket system.

4) I love, love, love the solar light added to the shower stall!

5) I’m glad I have just the short run of glass tile. The irregular surface makes it hard to squeegee.

We're putting these in our master remodel.

@chedanemi that's a novel idea! When I look at everything going on in my small space, I'm thinking I will probably need to go with a corner option or maybe some ledges close to the handheld like @Bonnie Opdyke mentioned. @Bonnie Opdyke do you have a photo of those on houzz?

@Cathy thanks for the photos! The shelf would be my choice over a niche; I just don't have a space where that would work 😕but it's interesting to read you would have preferred 6" depth. where is your solar light installed?

@BeverlyFLADeziner I see I missed this earlier--it's the same thing @chedanemi mentioned, very nice-looking. Unless I get rid of the body jets on the wall opposit the bench, I don't have a space for a shelf that long. Nice photos!

@User That's what I am thinking too...

@Bonnie Opdyke I like your idea of placing shelves on either side of the shower head, out of the way of water spray. Do you have a photo? Thanks!

Click on the third picture to see it in full. The solar light is in the ceiling of the shower. I purchased it from Lowe’s. They aren’t inexpensive, but if it’s in your budget, I highly recommend checking it out. They run $600-1000 with installation. My contractor had prior experience with installing them. I love the natural light when I’m showering.

The ledge is different than a shelf. It doesn’t stick out like a shelf, so you don’t have to worry about bumping into it. It’s not a box recess like a niche. It’s part of the wall which I think was framed with 2”x4” in that area because I wanted a ledge. I got the idea from my daughter who’s contractor finished her shelf 6” deep. She put in a new bathroom in the basement, so they were dealing with covering up a foundation ledge. But I think it looks and functions better if 6”. That’s just my opinion.

Niche or ledge, you can only install on inside walls because they need insulation, unless you live in the tropics.

I am all about function and ease of cleaning these days with anything I remodel, especially since I plan to age in place.

I also designed this bathroom with future sale of the house in mind. That’s why I opted for a Simplehuman basket system in front that can be removed for staging purposes later.

@Bonnie Opdyke I like that! about how high from the floor are these placed?

They are at five feet maxbuys. I like them also also.

@Bonnie Opdyke appreciate all the info and photo, thanks!

@Cathy thanks for the additional photos 👍🏻

Here's the photo that should have uploaded. Kohler Shower Locker

Bonnie O, what is the shelf material and how is it secured to the tile? Thanks!

We were originally going to niche but ended up using the Kohler Choreograph shelves and safety bar. We love it! The pic makes the shelves look tilted but they are level. They make different lengths of the shelves and the safety bar

We were also going to build in the tub bench but like being able to move this around

^Cute little stool!

Hi mercurygirl. The shelves are the same quartz as the vanity countertop. The wall tile was cut-out to fit them in and I believe they used epoxy to secure them to the wall, then chalked around the edges. They fit so tight, hardy any chalk was needed.

Thank you, Bonnie!