This Controversial Design Idea Proves Bigger Isn’t Always Better (Especially When It Comes to Shower Storage)

A video on shower niches took over social media a few weeks ago when design account @studio_74_decor advocated for elongating them by creating a full shower shelf along one wall. 

Rather than having a small square cut into the wall of your shower (typically taking up the space of a single tile), this designer recommended giving it a much longer niche—with the height you’d expect but instead spanning the length of an entire shower wall.

It’s a genius idea in theory—not only does it make your shower look larger, more elegant, and more akin to the spa luxury bath aesthetic everyone is drooling over right now, you’ll also get plenty of extra storage space in your shower. And if you’re a hair and skincare fanatic, this is a huge bonus for you.

But as good as this feature looks, people in comments weren’t entirely convinced. 

“You need to build [a] 4” deep empty wall to be able to achieve this look,” advises one top comment on the post. “The walls are filled with 2x4s, plumbing, and electric lines.” 

The main issue with shower niches in general (and why they’re usually so small) is that the plumbing for your shower is generally hidden behind the walls—so if you’re already eager to start a shower DIY, think again before you start planning any big renovations.

Additionally, shower walls often house 2 by 4-inch studs; and another pitfall of this design idea that was mentioned in the comments was the shower wall could be load-bearing, supporting the structural integrity of your shower or bathroom. As you can probably imagine, knocking a couple of those tiles out at random could be disastrous. “Not that easy with 2×4 construction,” agrees another top comment on the post.

Showers with longer niches don’t have plumbing behind the wall the shelf is built into, so you’d need to find a completely empty shower wall in order to add a longer niche. 

But plenty of commenters still think that the luxe shower shelf is worth it.

“I wish I did this. Elevated look, also elevated costs, but worth it for the finished product,” one user wrote.

Because it can be complicated to install a longer shower niche, you’d need to call in the professionals to have it done. But if you’re truly dedicated to chasing the spa oasis dream, it might be worth it for you. 

“I have one,” reads another comment. “Best decision I made…Would not change it for the world.”

This user also added that they didn’t have the same plumbing or load-bearing issues others could have when knocking out part of a wall to create the niche. 

If you’re lucky enough to have a shower that can already easily be converted to house a long shelf, consider going for it. The luxury trend doesn’t seem to be dying out anytime soon—and who doesn’t love a little extra space for their products?

Just make sure you double-check with a professional to ensure your shower’s structure before contracting this project. This definitely isn’t a weekend DIY renovation—unless you want to flood your entire bathroom.