Shower storage is something we all deal with when owning a home. Where can you store your shampoo, conditioner, body wash, face scrub, soap and all the other accessories you may have, so they are easily accessible but out of the way? Sure, there are after-market options such as suction cup shelves you slap on the wall or tension rod shelves you tuck in the corner. But if you’re taking the time and money to renovate your bathroom, you want something that blends in with your shower and fits the design aesthetic while retaining all the functionality you need.

So when it comes to remodeling your bathroom or shower, what storage option will you choose, shelves or niches? Below we outline both options and the advantages and disadvantages of both.

Shower Shelves

Shower shelves are the easiest to install because they are added on the outside of a flat wall. They don’t require much additional work and can blend in with the surrounding tile if the shelving color matches the tile. These shelves can be placed at different heights or locations, including in the corners. You can essentially put a shower shelf anywhere in the shower that makes the most sense for you.

The biggest downside of shower shelves is the shower space they consume. For larger showers, this may not be an issue, but especially with guest or kid’s bathrooms, where the bathroom square footage is typically much smaller, having shelves jut out into the tub area can be an issue.

Shower Niches

Shower niches are essentially shelves, but they are recessed into one of the shower walls rather than protruding out from the wall. A shower niche can either blend seamlessly into the shower design or give your shower an added design element. Either way, they look great while not taking up any additional space inside the shower. Even though they take slightly more time to install and have some limitations, shower niches provide a more seamless and modern look.

Here are some of the considerations when opting to install shower niches:

• Location. A niche can go in any interior wall where there is no plumbing or HVAC lines in the wall preventing the recess. Once you know what walls are available, do you want the niche at your waist, shoulders, head? The exact height and location will depend a lot on the orientation you choose.
• Orientation. They can be vertical and tall with additional shelves, or horizontal and long.
• Design. The tile in the back of the niche is usually either an accent tile that adds a new element to the shower design, or it is simply the same style as the rest of shower so it blends in. Both options look great, it’s just what you prefer. The bottom piece of the niche is usually a solid piece of stone or tile so there are no grout lines where water can pool.
• Trim. There are a lot of options when it comes to the trimming, such as schluter trim, bullnose tile, mitered edge tile, pencil tile trim, or coordinating stone. We will show you all these options and help you select a style that fits your bathroom and niche design.
• Other Considerations. Do you want a niche dedicated to shaving accessories? Do you need space for extra tall shampoo/conditioner bottles? Would you like a separate little niche just for soap?

After completing many bathroom remodels, installing both shower shelving and shower niches, we typically recommend installing a shower niche in your new bathroom. During our design process, we will determine which style of shower storage you would like and exactly how it will look. So no matter what choice you make, we will make it look great.