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Hypothesis: A shower niche (aka a tiny carved-out shelf for shampoo bottles and other toiletries) is the height of bathroom luxury. Whether one is covered in shimmering tiles or coated in Mediterranean-inspired plaster, the tiny nook just feels utterly chic. For one, it also gives you a place to display your pretty products—so long, shower caddy. Plus, building one into your bathing space can make you feel like you’re living in a hotel (housekeeping not included). Convinced yet?
If you’re renovating, it’s a pretty easy add that’ll make even the most cramped showers sing. The challenge isn’t how to implement it; it’s narrowing down the styling options out there to just one look. We pulled a few bathrooms currently inspiring us.
Try a Two-Toned Look
Two types of zellige are better than one, as proven in the dreamy bathrooms in L.A’s Firehouse Hotel. Here, designers Sally Breer and Adrie Costanza played around with scale, incorporating both white and lilac tiling for a truly unique display of tiny toiletries.
Go Big or Go Home
Who says nooks have to be miniature affairs? In this Moroccan bathroom, the arched cutout is as big as the tub it sits on top of, making it a home for both bath-time necessities and the odd decorative trinket (just be sure it’s waterproof). The rich-hued tiles help, too.
Play Up a Retro Vibe
With its ’80s tiles and curved edges, this shower niche looks like a much cooler version of your high school locker room. Designed by Utkan Gunerkan, this stall makes the case for softer edges.
Make It Monochrome
The easiest way to go about this look is by coating it in the same finish you use on the rest of the area, but Studio DIY’s use of vibrant emerald makes this space anything but boring. Major bonus points for the color contrast with the millennial pink bottles.
Contrast the Tiles
Speaking of contrast, we love this idea from Mary Anne Smiley. She used not only different shapes in the stones themselves, but also opposing color wheel hues to make the inside of this vignette really pop.
Pull Inspo From the Greek Islands
Fact: Eleanor Horwell Design’s blue and white plaster bathroom instantly transports us to the Cyclades. If you don’t have room for a full-size body wash bottle, take cues from this corner and add in some plants for a verdant finishing touch instead.
Pay Homage to Your Geometry Class
The symmetry in this pink shower by Yellow Cloud Studio is almost too perfect—not only does the grid-like pattern strike a bold note, the fact that the little nook flawlessly lines up with it is especially visually pleasing.
Don’t Be Afraid to Go Bold
Calling all maximalists: Take a page from this Beverly Hills home and choose an eye-catching print that not only covers the walls and niche, but also goes all the way down to the floor. Simple black hardware finishes off the look.
See more bathroom design ideas: The Home Union Founders Retiled Their Bland Bathroom in Less Than a Week This Once-Popular Design Feature Is Gaining Momentum Again Small Bathrooms Can Have Architectural Character As Well