What Are the Advantages of a Shower Niche?

Every shower you take starts the same way. You're reaching around a swinging caddy, bumping into a corner shelf, or stepping over bottles lined up on the floor because there's nowhere else to put them. A shower niche sounds like a great addition for your remodel, but you might not be sure whether it’s worth the extra cost.

Shugarman's Bath has completed over 6,000 tub and shower remodels. We've seen how niches hold up, what homeowners love about them, and where they fall short.

This article covers the advantages of a shower niche, including space savings, storage capacity, and aesthetics. We’ll also briefly talk about the drawbacks. That way, you can decide whether one makes sense for your bathroom.

Table of Contents:

• How Much Space Does a Shower Niche Save?
• Shower Niches Look Better Than Many Storage Options
• How Much Can a Shower Niche Hold?
• How Does a Shower Niche Compare to Other Storage Options?
• What Are the Disadvantages of a Shower Niche?

How Much Space Does a Shower Niche Save?

Because a shower niche (also called a nook, cubby, or shower box) is a recessed shelf, it saves you a lot of space, especially in a small shower. It fits between wall studs, so the storage is flush with the surrounding surface.

Corner shelves and tension rod caddies stick out into the tub and shower, taking up the space you stand in. You’ll notice those few inches when you turn around, reach for a bottle, or try not to bump into anything.

A niche sits behind the wall surface. If you’re in a 3-by-3-foot shower, you get storage without giving up space. The niche sits there out of the way.

Shugarman’s Bath offers 2 options:

1. A pre-made niche - a single waterproof unit that drops into the open cavity between two wall studs. The pre-made niche fits between standard studs, which gives you about 3.5 inches of depth. That's enough for most shampoo and conditioner bottles.
   
   
2. A custom niche - they are framed out to whatever size you need, with a solid surface ledge, Schluter trim around the edges, and your choice of backing material.

Shower Niches Look Better Than Many Storage Options

A shower niche looks like it belongs in your shower.

There are a couple of directions you can take for the look. You can match the niche material to your wall panels so it blends in seamlessly. Or you can use a contrasting color or decorative backing, such as a scallop pattern or small hex tile, to make it stand out as a design feature.

One placement choice that’s become more popular is putting the niche on the back wall, which is the wall that faces your plumbing wall, where your shower head, faucet, and trim kit sit. It keeps the space looking cleaner and more open. When someone walks into your bathroom, they're not looking directly at 6 bottles of shampoo.

Shower niche placement could also affect your home’s resale value. A well-placed niche adds to the overall impression of a remodeled shower in a way that a caddy hanging off the showerhead never will.

How Much Can a Shower Niche Hold?

Most pre-made niches have a divider, which gives you 2 separate storage areas in one unit. You can keep your everyday products on one level and less-used items on the other without things getting stacked or cluttered.

A custom niche uses a waterproof insert that comes in 2 heights, 12 and 14 inches, with solid surface material and Schluter trim applied around it. The 14-inch insert fits nearly every bottle you'd realistically use in a shower. The largest bottle that regularly comes up is the one you find at a wholesale club, which is about 13 inches tall. Most standard pump bottles run between 10 and 12 inches.

How Does a Shower Niche Compare to Other Storage Options?

If a shower niche doesn’t fit your budget, there are alternatives like corner shelves, wall-mounted shelves, and showerhead caddies.

Corner shelves run about $100 each (a little more for metal finishes). They're less expensive than niches, but they mount on the wall surface and protrude into the area.

Wall-mounted shelves using suction cups or adhesive strips have the same problem. They stick out into your space, and they're only as reliable as the adhesive holding them to the wall. One failed suction cup, and everything on that shelf is on your shower floor.

Showerhead caddies hang off the shower arm. They're cheap and easy to install. However, they put weight and stress on the shower arm over time.

A niche doesn’t face the issues these alternatives do. It stays put. If you have a shower seat, the right placement means your shampoo is right there when you need it without having to stand up or reach across the shower to get it.

What Are the Disadvantages of a Shower Niche?

A shower niche is a commonly requested add-on, but it isn’t without its downsides. Here are the disadvantages of a shower niche:

Cost. A pre-made niche runs roughly $650 to $850 installed. A custom niche is closer to $1,200-$1,400. If budgeting is a concern, corner shelves might be a better alternative.

Standing water. Water collects in a niche since it has a solid surface floor. If it's perfectly level, you'll notice some water sitting on the bottom after each shower.

This is mostly a non-issue if the niche is installed with a slight pitch so water runs off.

Size constraints. The pre-made niche installed horizontally is only about 10.5 inches tall on the inside. That's tight for bottles over 10 inches. If you regularly buy large wholesale sizes, you'll either need the custom niche or a smaller transfer bottle for daily use.

Added shower remodel install time. A niche adds labor to the installation. The pre-made version drops into a standard stud bay with minimal extra framing, so the added time is small. A custom niche requires framing, cutting, and finishing, which takes longer. Regardless of which option you choose, a standard shower remodel is still completed within a 1-2 day window.

Waterproofing. Installing a niche means cutting into the wall, which introduces a new point where water could get behind the surface if the work isn't done right.

Read more about the disadvantages of a shower niche.

Is a Shower Niche Right for Your Shower Remodel?

A shower niche is a popular add-on for homeowners. They save space and add to the finished look of a shower remodel. They cost more and have their limitations, but the trade-offs don’t often outweigh the benefits.

Now that you understand the advantages of a shower niche, have a look at shower design choices to help improve your bathroom. That way, you can see if a niche fits in with the design you’re looking for.

If you want to see how a niche looks in a finished shower, browse the project gallery. Determine whether it is an add-on you want for your shower remodel.