Is a shower ledge better than a shower niche? I asked bathroom experts why this storage option reigns supreme

It's the small details that really matter when it comes to planning your new bathroom design. Whether that's the colour of the grout, the size of a shower head or the amount of storage you have for your shampoo and conditioner, these tiny details will frustrate you every day if you get them wrong.

So when it comes to planning your shower storage ideas. you'll likely be weighing up a decision between a shower ledge vs a shower niche. Depending on the layout of your bathroom design plus the size and lifestyle habits of your household, one of these options might be better than the other for your shower ideas. We spoke to bathroom design experts to figure out which is best.

Shower ledges vs shower niches

You might be wondering what exactly the difference is between a shower ledge and a shower niche - it can be confusing, but it lies within the differences in bathroom and shower layout.

If you have a bath with a shower head within it, you'll likely already have a ledge rather than a niche, which is a purposefully carved out area within a wall. While bath/shower hybrid set-ups naturally lend themselves to shower ledges, they're also commonly found within wet room ideas.

A shorter wall commonly helps to break up a wet room design so this naturally creates a ledge which is perfect for storage. Alternatively, if you're undergoing a bathroom renovation then you can bump the bottom half of the wall forward to create a ledge that runs the entire length of a walk-in shower length - but this of course will require more work.

Pros and cons of shower niches

Shower niches are what we commonly see in more contemporary bathroom renovations. They're perfect for tiled walls as you can create a nice little niche where the tile pattern is continued inside, creating a visually striking look.

From an aesthetic standpoint, niches will provide a hotel-inspired look where clutter is kept to a minimum and the thoughtful design of a shower shines through. However, hotel bathrooms aren't made for everyday life, which leads us nicely into the cons of a shower niche.

'Just bear in mind that lit niches work best when they’re styled with intention. A few well-chosen bottles or accessories go a long way to making it look curated rather than cluttered,' warns Hayley Bowman, design manager at Frontline Bathrooms. In short, a shower niche might not be best for a family bathroom where clutter is guaranteed.

'From an installation standpoint, niches require more planning and precision. You’ll need to factor in wall depth, waterproofing, and tiling transitions. They're best included at the design stage or in a full renovation. That said, when done right, a niche can be a real design feature, especially if you add integrated lighting,' Hayley adds.

For a shower niche, you'll want to have this in mind during the planning stage and therefore ensure you have plenty of bathroom storage ideas planned elsewhere in the design. This means you shower area can remain a sanctuary with only the few necessary products, with mess tucked away in cupboards.

Pros and cons of shower ledges

As we mentioned with the issue of clutter, Keeley Sutcliffe, design manager at BC Designs, echoes that 'Ledges, on the other hand, offer a more generous surface area and are easier to clean. They’re especially useful in family bathrooms where multiple bottles tend to accumulate.'

Shower ledges offer much more space for multiple products, but if you're prone to letting clutter build up then sometimes it's best to remove the possibility with a smaller niche.

A ledge however will be easier to add into a design. 'Shower ledges, can be built out during a refurb and don't require structural adjustments, making them more flexible for last-minute decisions,' explains Hayley. 'We’re seeing a rise in ledges clad in the same tile as the wall behind, which creates a seamless, built-in look with far less hassle behind the scenes.'

Conclusion

So, with those pros and cons of shower ledges vs shower niches in mind, which is best? Well we would argue, a combination of the two.

'If you’re looking for the best of both worlds, a large niche that runs the full length of the main shower wall can be a great compromise,' explains Keeley from BC Designs.

'It gives you the sleek, built-in look of a traditional niche, with the practicality and space of a ledge, plus it creates a strong horizontal line that can work really well visually in the space.'

This gives you the sleek aesthetic quality of a shower niche without losing too much storage space. It's the perfect solution and will still work to keep clutter to a minimum. Ultimately though, a shower niche is definitely a big bathroom trend that we don't see going anywhere - it looks super chic and boutique-hotel inspired.

Which side of the debate do you sit on? Shower niche or shower ledge? Let us know in the comments below.