The Detail That Separates Good Showers From Great Ones
Every shower needs somewhere for shampoo, conditioner, and soap. The difference is whether that storage looks designed or improvised. A recessed niche — a shelf carved into the wall and tiled to match — holds everything at hand height and looks like it was always part of the plan. Compare that to a rusting wire caddy hanging from the showerhead, and you see why niches are on nearly every custom shower we build.
Niche Options
Single horizontal niche. The classic: a wide recessed shelf at chest height, tiled to match, big enough for the whole family's bottles. Simple, clean, timeless.
Double stacked niches. Two niches, one above the other — his-and-hers without the argument. Popular in primary bathrooms.
Vertical niche. A tall narrow recess that runs floor to mid-wall. Striking design statement, and it fits narrow walls where a wide niche will not.
Corner shelves. Triangular glass or stone shelves set into the corner. Less storage than a niche but zero wall surgery — a good option when the wall cannot be opened.
What Good Niche Work Requires
Waterproofing. A niche is a hole in your waterproofing — it has to be sealed like one. We use pre-formed niche units with integrated membrane flanges, fully bonded into the wall system. A niche sealed with caulk alone will leak into the wall cavity.
Slope. The niche shelf pitches slightly forward so water drains out instead of pooling behind your bottles.
Placement. Away from the direct spray line (so bottles are not getting blasted) and clear of studs and plumbing — we plan niche locations before framing, not after tile starts.
A niche added during construction is a modest line item. Cut into a finished shower later, it is real surgery. Plan it now.
Call (407) 434-9297 for a free in-home estimate.
Niche Design Ideas
The niche is a chance for a design moment. Lining the back of the niche in a contrasting tile — handmade-look ceramic, glass mosaic, even a bold pattern — turns storage into a feature. A niche with a different tile than the walls looks intentional and custom; a niche in the same tile looks clean and seamless. Both are right — it is a style choice.
Lighting takes it further: a small waterproof LED strip in the niche makes bottles easy to find and the shower feel high-end at night. We wire for it during construction when clients want it.