If you’ve been keeping up with our recent home renovations on Instagram, you know I’ve been knee-deep in construction everyday. And guess what? We finally hit a major milestone last week and have officially completed the brick installation in our shower. Now with the tile firmly in place, I’ve been working on wrapping up all of the details for the final design of our modern shower niche.

Designing the perfect shower niche is a game-changer when it comes to elevating the look and functionality of your shower. Beyond just being a spot to stash your shampoo bottles, a well-designed niche has the power to completely transform the way you use your bathroom. It’s a big detail that often gets overlooked, and trust me – it can make all the difference.

Today I’m breaking down everything you need to know to design the perfect shower niche. Consider this your go-to guide for adding that extra touch of style and functionality to your bathroom. You’ll definitely want to save this one for future reference!

Where We Started + The Shower Niche Plans

Let’s take a peek at where we started with the original niche in our primary bathroom shower. While it has served its purpose well, there are a few issues that need addressed:

For starters, the larger part of the niche isn’t tall enough to accommodate any big shampoo bottles. I’ve resorted to placing any substantially sized items on our shower bench. This isn’t a huge deal, but it has created wet spots on the bench top that have been hard to remove. Thankfully, we’ll be replacing that soon.

Additionally, the abundance of grout lines make cleaning up a nightmare. Soap scum tends to collect on the tile underneath the smaller niche which drives me absolutely crazy! So, taking these issues into account, I got to work sketching out a preliminary design in SketchUp. Here’s what I came up with:

I’m going to reuse the existing niche opening as the height and location work perfectly for us. I do really love having both a small and large niche, so I’m keeping this element but swapping their locations. I’m hoping that by doing this I will be able to mitigate that amount of soap scum that is able to build up on the wall. I’m also increasing the size of the large niche to about 12″ in height to accommodate bigger shampoo bottles.

Next was addressing the grout line issue. Instead of carrying the brick into the niche, I decided I want a smooth, seamless surface. You know I’m all about easy maintenance, so having minimal grout lines is going to make this a breeze to clean.

For the final material, I’m planning to use the same marble tile as our floor to create a cohesive look that contrasts beautifully with the brick. Plus, with the niche visible from the hallway outside of our primary bedroom, I’m hoping it will inject a bit of personality and cleanliness into the final design.

It’s not too far of a departure from what we originally had, but I do think it’s going to make a world of difference.

The Installation Details

I’ve been working super closely with our crew to figure out the best approach for bringing my vision to life. We had to work out a few kinks (like matching the thickness of the bricks with the tile) but it looks like we’ll be able to make this design work!

We decided the best route to go would be to install the brick around the niche while leaving some overlap. See where we’ve outlined and marked off the tiles to be removed for the final placement of the marble?

I want the brick to fit snug against the marble for a seamless finish. And since we’ve carefully planned every step of the install process, we felt comfortable enough to start making precision cuts to the brick.

Can you see where I’m going with this? Right now nothing is grouted. But, once it goes in, I think this is going to feel really clean and tidy!

How to Design the Perfect Modern Shower Niche

It goes without saying that a well-designed shower niche enhances the organization and style of your shower space. But did you know that planning a niche takes a bit more thought than just cutting a hole in the wall and adding tile? Below I’m outlining how to think like a designer when it comes to designing a shower niche for your next bathroom project.

1. Plan Your Layout: Consider factors such as plumbing fixture location, height, and overall placement within the shower enclosure. By taking time to map out these details, you will ensure that your shower niche fits seamlessly into the space and meets your functional needs. Ask yourself: How many bath/shower products need to be stored here? Will more than one person be using this shower? If so, do you need multiple niches or an extra large niche?
   
   
2. Choose the Perfect Location: Ideally, your shower niche should be placed at eye level and within easy reach while showering. Avoid installing the niche directly above or below plumbing fixtures to prevent interference with water flow and drainage. The ideal height of your shower niche is going to be between 48″-60″ on center. This means that if you take a tape measure from the floor to the center of your niche, it should fall into this dimension range. Where you place the niche on your shower wall will also be determined by the location of your studs. Studs (on average) are placed 16″ apart, but can go up to 24″. Try to keep your niche situated in between existing studs to make the construction process easier. Knowing whats behind the wall will also influence the total depth of your niche. Ideally, you need 3.5″-4″ of depth to nicely store most bath products.
   
   
3. Determine the Size: The size of your shower niche will depend on your storage needs and the available space within your shower enclosure. Consider the dimensions of your chosen shampoo bottles and toiletries to ensure that the niche is large enough to accommodate them comfortably. One easy way to do this it to measure your largest bath product first. Then, draw up different niche arrangements to accommodate your biggest items. And don’t forget to scale the final design with the size of your shower!
   
   
4. Select Your Materials: When it comes to materials, there are numerous options to choose from, ranging from ceramic and porcelain tiles to natural stone and glass. Consider the overall aesthetic of your bathroom and select materials that complement the existing design elements. For a cohesive look, opt for the same tile used on your shower walls. You could also choose a contrasting material to create visual interest. Contrast is always a good thing, in my book.
   
   
5. Consider Functionality: Think about how you plan to use the shower niche and tailor its design to accommodate your specific needs. If you have a large family or frequently host guests, consider installing multiple niches to provide ample storage space for everyone’s toiletries. Additionally, consider incorporating built-in shelves or compartments within the niche to organize different items effectively.
   
   
6. Finishing Touches: Pay close attention to the finishing details to achieve a polished look. Consider using bullnose or mitered edge tiles to finish the edges of the niche. This will provide an incredibly clean and well-thought out detail.
   

Final Thoughts

Pretty good, right? We just need to grout and clean up some of the edges and we’ll be finished!

With these guidelines, you should have no problem designing your own modern shower niche. I get so many questions on this topic, so I hope this is a useful post. What other topics would you like to learn about? Should I do a “Think Like a Designer” series?