A tile shower niche does more than keep shower essentials organized. It can also become one of the most interesting details on the wall. Subway, mosaic, penny, hexagon, ceramic, and stone tiles offer plenty of possibilities, whether the niche blends into the surrounding tile or stands out with a contrasting color, pattern, or texture.
Luxury Walk-in Shower with Glass Tiled Accent Wall
A well-designed tile shower niche can feel like part of the wall instead of an afterthought. Here, the coastal drift gray blue glass subway tile continues around the recessed storage niches, letting the blue, gray, and beige tones of gray blue glass shower wall tile BA5565 stay visually connected across the entire shower. The niches break up the linear pattern just enough to add depth while still keeping toiletries neatly tucked away. Brushed gold fixtures warm the cooler glass, and the thick white marble bench brings in stronger gray and gold veining.
Ocean Blue Glass Wall Tiles with White Recessed Niche
The shower niche stands out by switching tile patterns instead of disappearing into the surrounding wall. Layered aqua, sky blue, and white tones from the ocean wave blue glass subway tile cover the main shower surface, while small white mosaic tiles inside the recessed niche create a crisp contrast against the linear format. This mix of scale is a smart detail to borrow for tile shower niche ideas, especially when you want built-in storage to become a subtle design feature. The glossy and textured finish of shower wall tile product number BA5563 gives the blue wall extra depth.
Tile Shower Niche
Building niches in showers is the best option to gain some space. Of course, there are some other solutions such as shower caddies, bathroom containers, storage racks, etc. But they are not long-term solutions. They tend to rust, cause pockets of mildew. You may like to have a stylish design that completes your bathroom. You can have a variety of options for it. The most popular one is the tile shower niche! Having niches in your showers for a long-term space saver solution is the best idea for your stylish bathrooms. Are you ready to dive into stunning tile designs? Scroll down and find stylish storage solutions to get rid of the messy shampoo bottles!
Nothing is better than having a relaxing shower after a long day and having a stylish shower is the best thing, of course. However, to achieve an organized look, you may need some storage options and the treatment on one of the shower enclosure walls can help you to elevate your shower! From classic white subway tiles to tiny penny tiles, eye-catching patterned tiles to luxurious stone tiles, there are plenty of different options to create a tile shower niche for your design. Keep reading and find these different alternatives to give a stylish look to your shower design!
White Glass Metal Mosaic Tile Shower Niche
Subtle texture from the white glass metal kitchen backsplash tile creates a refined focal point in this bright modern bathroom. Used here as shower wall tile product number BA1183, the small square mosaic combines white glass with silver-gray metallic accents for gentle contrast. Large white marble-look wall tiles surround the inset feature, while a white hexagon mosaic floor, frameless glass enclosure, and polished chrome fixtures keep the bathroom crisp and contemporary.
White Marble Subway Shower Wall with Arched Niche
The arched marble niche gives this bright shower a softer architectural detail among the clean lines of the surrounding tile. Across the upper wall, the large white marble subway backsplash tile is arranged in a horizontal pattern. The soft gray veining of white marble shower wall tile BA8035 sits above large-format marble panels with stronger movement. Frameless glass keeps the shower open to view, and the herringbone floor, greenery, and wooden stool finish the contemporary bathroom with subtle pattern and natural texture.
Decorative Mosaic Tiles
White Glass Metal Shower Niche
In this white walk-in shower design, the wide recessed niche gets a subtle decorative finish from the elegant modern white glass metal backsplash tile. Used here as shower niche tile product BA1138, the white glass and metal mosaic gives the niche more detail while staying close to the bathroom’s light, neutral palette. White hexagon mosaic flooring continues the crisp look underfoot. Frameless glass panels and brushed nickel shower fixtures suit the streamlined contemporary style.
Can you tile shower niche?
We’ve finished our designs and it’s time to see the results! Now we can tile our shower niches! Before choosing the material, we need to pay attention to whether it is for the shower or not. Shower wall and floor tiles are rated differently, for this reason, to be sure check them independently. You can choose tile ready shower niche or a custom built-in shower niche. They have both advantages and disadvantages.
Tile-ready shower niches provide you to get results quickly since they are pre-made designs but they also limit your design. A nice advantage is that it is a ready-made material for waterproofing, so you will not have any difficulty in tiling the shower niches. A custom built-in shower niche creates much more freedom because you can have alternatives in size. The disadvantage of this one is that you have to be careful in terms of waterproofing while tiling your shower niches. In conclusion, whichever your choice is you can tile your space saver shower niche and create amazing designs!
Contemporary Tub Shower Combo with Gray Mosaic Tiles
Long horizontal lines give this shower niche a wider, more integrated appearance. The gray marble glass kitchen backsplash tile runs across the wall behind the bathtub and recessed niche with both reflective and textured finishes. Because glass and marble shower wall tile BA1037 continues through the surrounding surface, the niche stays connected to the linear composition. Matte black shower fixtures sharpen the cooler palette, while the gray floating vanity, white countertop, and vessel sink continue the modern look.
Modern Bathroom with Blue Glass Mosaic Shower Wall
Small shifts in direction give this shower wall its character, with the blue hand painted glass mosaic tile arranging rectangular pieces in varied orientations. The recessed niche sits directly within that geometric surface, keeping glass mosaic shower wall tile BA5515 visually continuous around the built-in storage. Matte black fixtures provide a sharp counterpoint to the softer blues. Outside the shower, the light wood floating vanity, white quartz countertop, vessel sinks, and pale floor tiles keep the modern bathroom bright and balanced.
Textured Blue Herringbone Shower Wall Tiles
Here, the recessed niche sits within a full wall of blue textured glass herringbone mosaic tile, so storage feels like a natural part of the overall pattern. The glossy and textured surfaces of glass herringbone shower wall tile BA5507-LOT-A respond differently to the warm light around the niche. Brushed brass shower fixtures warm the cooler blues, and frameless glass panels keep the tilework unobstructed. Neutral beige stone flooring, a built-in bench, and natural greenery give the contemporary design a lived-in feel.
Glass Mosaic Tiles
Arched Recessed Niche with Blue Herringbone Tiles
An arched shower niche can soften the straight lines of a tiled wall while providing useful recessed storage. In this bathroom, the arctic blue glass herringbone tile covers both the shower wall and the niche interior and allows the blue, gray, and silver pattern flows continuously through the curved opening. Rather than separating the niche with another material, glass herringbone shower wall tile BA5525 uses its reflective texture and directional pattern to define the recess naturally. Warm beige stone around the shower balances the cooler glass, while brushed brass fixtures, large-format beige floor and wall tiles, a frameless enclosure, built-in ledge, and greenery reinforce the Mediterranean-inspired palette.
Rose Gold Metallic Tiled Shower Niche with Glass Shelves
A tall recessed niche can be more than a storage solution, especially when the interior is treated with a contrasting finish. Here, the modern rose gold metallic backsplash tile lines the niche in slim vertical pieces, introducing warm metallic tones against the surrounding beige stone-look wall tiles. The reflective texture of rose gold metallic shower wall tile BA6206 catches the light across the full height of the recess. Glass shelves in the recessed vertical shower niche provide aditional storage.
Textured White Chevron Shower Wall with Arched Niche
Curved details can make a shower niche feel more distinctive, especially when the tile pattern follows the shape rather than competing with it. Here, the white modern marble chevron tile with multiple textures stretches across the upper shower walls and into the arched niche. Varied surface finishes give marble chevron shower wall tile BA631613 extra dimension. Below, large-format white marble slabs with gray veining cover the lower walls and built-in bench. Brushed brass fixtures, frameless glass, and a simple wooden stool finish the elegant contemporary look.
Blue Rustic Glass Shower Wall with Illuminated Niche
An illuminated built-in niche is a smart way to bring practical storage into a shower while drawing attention to the surrounding tilework. In this contemporary bathroom, the blue rustic glass backsplash tile covers the shower wall in rich blue and smoky gray tones, with vertically arranged rectangular pieces. Shower wall tile BA6204 pairs with brushed brass fixtures, while the niche lighting highlights the darker mosaic nearby. The warm wood slatted vanity with a white solid-surface countertop softens the deeper blue shades, while frameless glass panels and geometric white floor tiles keep the overall design bright.
Tile Styles for Shower Niche
You know the form of the design but when it comes to style it is all up to your imagination! You may wonder about the tile styles for the shower niche. The style of the tile is the main element that helps you to create your very special design. Materials, textures, colors, there are tons of things to think about, right? Modern or eclectic? Contemporary or vintage? Farmhouse? What are the lines and colors of those designs and what do you feel about them? You may like to use subway tiles with a contemporary design style or a farmhouse style, or penny tile shower niches with a minimalistic look. Let’s see a couple of examples!
Subway Tile Shower Niche
There are tons of things to choose from when it comes to designing a place. One of the saver materials from these things is subway tiles of course! They have great harmony in almost every aspect of the design elements. They can be combined with colorful elements, different materials, etc. Do you want a farmhouse look? Yes, you can use the subway tile shower niche. Do you want some eclectic touches? Yes, choose whatever color you want to use with subway tiles. White color and the subway tile design lines have endless combination alternatives!
Coastal Bathroom with Pacific Blue Glass Shower Wall
In this coastal bathroom, the pacific blue glass subway tile mixes smooth and textured reflective pieces in a classic running-bond layout. This glass subway shower wall tile BA5530 adds depth without separating the niche from the rest of the wall. This is a useful approach to tile shower niche ideas when the surrounding tile already has enough color and variation. The navy shaker vanity carries the deeper blue tones into the rest of the bathroom. Brushed brass fixtures add a warm touch to the palette.
How to tile a shower niche?
Is the place of the niche ready? If it’s so firstly we are going to start with a custom-built shower niche. For this one, we will need some equipment such as a notch trowel, a quarter inch is enough for most shower tile and mosaics. The size depends on the material thickness. So if you have a quarter-inch tile, a quarter-inch notch trowel works pretty well.
Start with the sill as in windows, then sides and finally the top. So when the water hits it, it all runs down over each other. Thin-set back of the walls so you can place your tiles. Then back butter your sill and be careful about the backside of the tile. You must make a tiny angle, slope the sill towards to front because we do not want water to sit on the back. A small angle is perfect for both shampoo bottles to sit and water to run off. If there are two niches on the wall a laser level is a must to keep all the tiles level with each other.
After embedding the tiles by hand and then embed them fully in the thin-set with the grout float. The factory edge should face the exterior of the niche. In this way when you use the pencil trim or a Schluter metal profile you will have a great-looking grout joint. Yes, all these were about custom-built shower niches. However, the main difference between these two alternatives is in the first one you prepare the wall in the second one you prepare the wall and buy a tile-ready niche.
Cloud Blue Glass Shower Wall Tiles with Mosaic Floor
The spacious recessed niche sits neatly within the soft blue shower wall, with the cloud blue glass subway tile continuing around it for a consistent finish. The subtle reflective textures of glass subway shower wall tile BA5560 give the surface gentle variation. Brushed brass fixtures bring warmth to the cooler glass tones, while the natural wood vanity and white countertop extend that balance beyond the shower. Frameless glass keeps the tiled wall visible, and woven accents with small blue floor tiles round out the relaxed contemporary look.
Mosaic Tile Shower Niche
Some design materials never vanish. They change and evolve into different things. Mosaic tiles are one of these materials. Their fashion combines with another style and they create new things! They can be used in farmhouse designs, modern looked designs, vintage designs, etc. Let’s see how a mosaic tile shower niche can change the atmosphere of a bathroom interior!
Red Beige Mosaic Shower Accent and Recessed Niche
A narrow strip of red beige glass ceramic mosaic tile gives this bright contemporary shower a warmer, more detailed focal point. Small squares in red, amber, beige, brown, and gold tones form the vertical accent, with glass ceramic shower wall tile BA1105 continuing inside the recessed shower niche for a coordinated finish. For the rest, large-format white wall tiles and hexagon floor tiles allow the colorful mosaic to stand out even further!
Arctic Blue Herringbone Tiled Shower Wall with Niche
Keeping the same tile across the shower wall and recessed niche gives this bathroom a more seamless, built-in look. The arctic blue glass herringbone tile continues uninterrupted into the horizontal shower niche, so the icy blue, silver-gray, and white pattern remains consistent even as the wall gains extra depth for storage. Thanks to the eye-catching texture of the blue glass shower wall tile BA5525, the herringbone layout itself provides enough visual interest. Marble-look floor and wall surfaces balance the detailed glass mosaic, while the light wood floating vanity, brushed gold fixtures, frameless glass panel, and freestanding white tub soften the cool blue palette.
How big should my shower niche be?
The size of the shower niche depends on the size of your shower wall. It would look odd if you put a tiny shower niche compared to your shower wall. Installing a niche that’s at least half of the width of your shower wall would be good. Except these the most popular shower size is 12” wide x 28” height x 3-1/2” deep. The second most popular size is the 12” x 12” niche.
Charcoal Shower Design with Blue Rustic Glass Tiled Niche
This bathroom has a beautiful light thanks to the daylight coming through the windows. Using natural lighting for the dark interiors like this makes them look more natural. The large black tiles surround the entire space and add a stylish appeal to the bathroom. Dark gray shower walls make the wide recessed niche stand out, especially with the blue rustic glass backsplash tile with deeper blue, charcoal, and smoky gray tones. Used as shower niche tile product BA6204, the glossy rectangular glass mosaic gives the niche a handcrafted texture and subtle shine against the large-format charcoal surfaces.
How do you grout a shower niche?
Yes, tiles are all installed and ready to be grouted. Before you start check all grout lines if there are squeezed through materials. Make sure you can clean them with some sort of sharp tool. If it is so close to the surface, you do not want that because it might show through on your grout. Then it is super useful having two small pails each with its sponge. One pail is for all the cleaning so it will be pretty dirty and the second one is for the final wipe to get rid of any residue that was left on the tiles. You should change the water as it gets dirty so you don’t disperse the dirt.
Prepare your grout and put it on the surface of the grout float but do not take it too much. Start with a small area. Take it up to the wall and kind of work it into the joints. A quarter inch is enough to will that grout.
After with the sponge – it must be as much as dry- the same as what you did with the float. Work diagonally across lines and softly make circles while cleaning it. Try to get the bulk of it off and smooth over the joints. Rinse your sponge, once the water coming out of your sponge is going to be fairly white with the glue or the adhesive and you probably see the water is already milky. If you are not going to be cleaning very well and it is just time to change the water. Yes once you finish your first step of cleaning, you can get to the next step with another clean sponge to make the final touch to the tiles.
Contemporary Shower with Blue Tiled Accent Wall
Lighting changes the way this recessed shower shelf reads against the patterned wall. A warm glow runs along the niche, picking up the reflective surfaces of the blue textured glass herringbone mosaic tile. Across the wall, shower wall tile BA5507-LOT-A gives the niche plenty of visual interest. The beige stone bench and large-format neutral floor tiles soften the cooler blues and keep the contemporary bathroom balanced.
White Walk-in Shower with Rhomboid Mosaic Accent Wall
Geometric tile gives this shower plenty of detail without relying on strong color. The elegant shell glass marble rhomboid mosaic tile covers the bright feature wall in soft white tones, mixing shell, glass, and marble surfaces. Within the pattern, the illuminated recessed niche provides built-in storage while keeping shower wall tile BA62046 as the main decorative element. This is a refined option for tile shower niche ideas where texture, shape, and lighting are used to draw attention to the niche.
How to tile edge of shower niche?
To tile edge of shower niche, there are a couple of ways such as using bullnose tile, tile profiles, framing tiles, or frame marbles. All of them have a unique approach to the design look and you can match them with your walls or other design elements.
Hexagon Tile Shower Niche
Hexagon tiles are creative children of the interior design world. Once they are started to use, they create masterfully designed interiors. You will be in love with the hexagon tile shower niches and create amazing designs for your bathrooms. When it comes to niches, hexagon tiles put a contemporary and lively look.
Contemporary Bathroom with Picket Glass Shower Wall
Warm integrated lighting draws attention to the recessed niche within the white marble look glass picket mosaic tile. The elongated shape of glass picket shower wall tile BA5504 emphasizes the vertical lines of the shower wall. Among tile shower niche ideas, this design shows how lighting can define built-in storage while keeping the same tile throughout the surrounding wall. Brushed brass fixtures echo the warmth of the niche lighting, while the natural wood fluted vanity and thick white quartz countertop soften the crisp white palette.
How to cut tile around shower niche?
If you are not going to use a corner material such as tile profile or bullnose tile, you should cut the ceramics in the niche according to the wall around the niche. This means that you will either combine the inside and the outside at a 45-degree angle or leave the ceramics that form the frame on the shower wall a little longer so that it covers the inner foreheads. To cut a ceramic there are machines but be careful when you use them. At least ask a person who can cut a ceramic. If you are going to use profiles or bullnose tiles, framing tiles, or frame marbles, you should first place them and cut the tiles around the niche according to their size so that the tiles fit cleanly.
Bright Walk-in Shower with Calacatta Gold Picket Tiles
The arched shower wall gives the recessed niche a distinctive setting. With the glass Calacatta gold marble look mosaic tile extending across the surface and around the built-in storage, this walk-in shower looks stunning! Soft gold and gray veining of the shower wall tile BA6702 keeps the niche visually connected to the rest of the wall. Chrome fixtures introduce a cooler metallic detail against the warm veining. White marble mosaic flooring, a built-in plaster bench, and potted greenery complete the serene Mediterranean-inspired bathroom.
White Hexagon Glass Tile Shower Niche
The arched recessed niche breaks up the crisp geometry of this shower wall with a softer, curved detail. Surrounding it, the white hexagon marble look glass mosaic backsplash tile forms a clean pattern of marble-inspired glass with delicate gray veining. The subtle variation in hexagon glass shower wall tile BA5509 gives the white surface enough depth to remain interesting. As tile shower niche ideas go, combining an architectural arch with a small-scale geometric tile is an interesting way to play with contrasting shapes.
Tile Materials for Shower Niche
Shower niches help us to save space and put different design choices for us, we know that but when it comes to materials there is a huge world out there with tons of materials for them. Tile materials for shower niches are the most used ones. They have a wide variety of products and there are many alternatives to choose from according to your dream design. Let’s see some of the beautiful ones from this huge material world for shower niches!
Porcelain Tile Shower Niche
Porcelain tiles have always won the hearts of designers with their diversity. When it comes to a shower niche, there are tons of colors, textures for them, and you can create beautiful designs with them. For long times their authority in the design industry was undeniable. You can create stylish and elegant bathrooms with a porcelain tile shower niche! Saving some space is a plus! There are different ceramic tiles for every design style so do not hesitate to use ceramic tiles for your special design. Let’s see how we can use porcelain tiles for the shower niches!
Beige Porcelain Mosaic Shower Wall with Brass Fixtures
Built-in shelving becomes part of the architecture in this minimalist shower, with a travertine-look recess and wood shelves providing storage beside the tiled wall. The modern long beige porcelain mosaic tile uses slim vertical pieces to draw the eye upward. The soft beige color of beige porcelain shower wall tile BA4501 keeps the overall palette quiet and cohesive.
How to frame a shower niche without bullnose tile?
To frame a shower niche without a bullnose tile we can use a variety of ways such as profiles, marble frames or you can create a frame from the tiles around the nice. Sometimes it is useful to use pencil moldings. Bullnose tile softens the edges and puts an aesthetic look to the shower niches but you can create other designs with different materials.
Beige Travertine Mosaic Shower Wall with Recessed Niche
Recessed shelving feels especially considered when lighting is worked directly into the shower design. In this bathroom, the beige travertine with glass backsplash tile covers the feature wall in a detailed geometric arrangement of warm beige stone and small glass accents. The varied surfaces of travertine mosaic shower wall tile BA1043 give the area around the illuminated shelving subtle texture and contrast. Large beige stone-look tiles continue along the sides, joined by a built-in bench and brushed brass fixtures.
Does a shower niche need a lintel?
If you have solid brick walls, yes your shower niche needs a lintel. Whether it is small or big over time the brick above the niche will move and we do not want this.
Stone Tile Shower Niche
Using stone material in an interior always brings to mind naturalness and simplicity. Also, it gives a rich look to the interior. They can provide beautiful stylish patterns from nature and can help you to have a simple but elegant look. You can build a stone tile shower niche for your showers with a diversity of color options and have styles from farmhouse to contemporary!
Beige Travertine Mosaic Shower Wall with Illuminated Niche
The multicolor light medium travertine subway mosaic tile surrounds the entire wall and illuminated recessed niche to create a focal point for this beige shower design. Slim linear pieces give travertine shower wall tile BA1024 its layered appearance, with subtle variations that suit the calm, spa-inspired setting. Large-format beige stone-look tiles along the side walls continue the warm neutral palette. The built-in bench adds another practical element to the shower, and the frameless glass enclosure keeps the tiled surfaces visible.
Marble Mosaic Tiles
Rustic Slate Mosaic Tile Shower Niche
Not every shower niche needs to blend into the wall. In this bathroom, the recessed storage area is treated as a small stone accent, filled with rusty brown slate mosaic tile in an earthy mix of rust, brown, and gray. The brick-style layout and natural texture of shower wall tile BA1063 stand apart from the soft beige walls, giving the niche more definition without introducing a bright color. Brushed brass fixtures suit the warmer shades in the slate perfectly.
How do you keep a shower niche clean?
Having a solid stone as a bottom or shelf always makes it easier to clean the shower niches. It has a solid surface and natural look and this keeps the clean look anyways.
Shower niches are storage for shampoo bottles, conditioners, soap, body wash, etc. If you built your shower niche away from the shower’s direct spray you can prevent moisture and leak. This moisture and heat in an enclosed recess make it the perfect breeding ground for mold and other microorganisms. If you wipe down the recess after every shower with a squeegee or an absorbent towel you can keep clean your shower niche from these problems.
Using a surface-approved, spray-and-rinse cleaner is very useful to reach the deep corners of the niches. Overzealous cleaning and harsh chemicals remove waterproofing and damage the grout line for this reason we do not recommend these.
White Marble Chevron Tiled Wall with Recessed Niche
Pattern takes care of the detail in this bright shower, so the recessed niche doesn’t need a contrasting tile to stand apart. The white modern marble chevron tile with multiple textures covers the feature wall to give the white surface depth around the illuminated storage recess. Soft gray veining keeps marble chevron shower wall tile BA631613 from looking flat, while the niche lighting draws out the differences in texture.
