Reclaim Your Shower Space with Savvy Tile Niche Ideas

Is your shower cluttered with bottles, razors, and soaps that never seem to have a designated place? Do you find yourself constantly picking up fallen shampoo bottles or placing wet items on the slimy corner shelf? We have a stylish solution to reclaim your shower real estate - tiled-in niche shelving.

This savvy storage hack lets you neatly tuck away all those bathing essentials, while adding a decorative focal point to your shower walls. Read on as we run through the ins and outs of planning, designing, installing, and styling your own custom tile niches.

Rethink Your Shower Storage

First, let's examine why tile niches are superior to traditional corner caddies and protruding shelves:

• Maximize space: Recessed niches don't intrude into the shower, allowing for a less cramped feel.
• Increase safety: Smooth, flush walls prevent bruising and leave no edges to stub toes.
• Enhance aesthetics: Seamlessly blended with surrounding tile, niches become a decorative feature.

Niche Placement Considerations

When planning your niche location, consider convenience and visual balance.

Avoid placing directly behind shower heads, where you'll be blasted by water! Measure carefully to center between grout lines or where tiles intersect.

Determine Dimensions

First, tally up products you'll store inside. Then, size your niche accordingly. Standard depths range 12-14 inches. Heights span 15-48 inches. For widths, common sizes include:

• 24-30 inches: Fits multiple tall bottles plus razors, scrub brushes.
• 14-18 inches: Holds essentials like shampoo, conditioner, body wash.
• 6-12 inches: For slim storage of razor, soap bar, loofah.

Select Complementary Tile Materials

From gleaming subway tiles to multicolored mosaics, mixing and matching shower tiles livens up your niche. But before picking feature tiles, decide if you want to:

• Match existing tiles for cohesion.
• Contrast with brighter hues as an accent.

Then determine tile size - smaller mosaics allow for more intricate patterns. Check that your design aligns neatly with surrounding courses. Finally, select complementary listello strips or bullnose edges to smartly frame your niche.

Calculate Grout Carefully

Grout color impacts the overall niche aesthetic. For a subtle look, match grout to tile color. Or make it a shade darker than the tile for definition. For maximum contrast, choose a lighter grout that enables tiles to pop.

Fabrication and Mounting

Once you've selected the perfect niche tiles, it's time for installation. Carefully measure and mark the niche location with painter's tape. Use a tile saw fitted with a diamond blade to precision cut border tiles.

Before setting niche tiles, properly waterproof the cavity and integrate courses with the rest of the shower wall. Test fit as you go for proper alignment. Finally, grout and seal for watertight functionality and clean lines.

Beyond keeping soaps handy, trick out your niche with bonus features:

• Lighting: Add LED strips to illuminate products.
• Charging: Install a discreet, waterproof USB port.
• Shelving: Try open glass shelves for improved drainage.

tiled shower niches are spa-worthy and have smart dimensions. Simply follow our tips to carve out an elegant, functional built-in that reclaims your shower real estate.