True to the golden ratio, dividing shelves into thirds tends to look best. When it comes to niches, I'm a firm believer in following this rule.
Tip: Most glass looks slightly green. If you want a whiter glass, choose a low-iron version, like starphire glass.
by Niki Papadopoulos Tip: Most glass looks slightly green. If you want a whiter glass, choose a low-iron version, like starphire glass.
This shelf makes use of three stone shelves rather than glass.
So, which is better? Personally, I like the look of glass. But if a shower niche is getting soaked and taking on soap spray every day, a stone surface will look cleaner longer.
Tip: Make sure the bottom of the niche and any shelves are slightly tipped toward the shower so they drain. Shower niches are super useful, but if they hold water after every shower, they won't look great for long.
by Clark Harris
So, which is better? Personally, I like the look of glass. But if a shower niche is getting soaked and taking on soap spray every day, a stone surface will look cleaner longer.
Tip: Make sure the bottom of the niche and any shelves are slightly tipped toward the shower so they drain. Shower niches are super useful, but if they hold water after every shower, they won't look great for long.
A niche installation often depends on the tile choice and how the edges of those tiles look. Many times we miter the edges of the tile to eliminate the plain edge that many tiles have.
Here's an example of mitered tile corners. The top shower niche was built larger and then divided with a glowing shelf of starfire glass.
Tip: Starphire glass scratches easier than regular glass. Take extra care cleaning and working with this glass.
by John Whipple - By Any Design ltd.
Here's an example of mitered tile corners. The top shower niche was built larger and then divided with a glowing shelf of starfire glass.
Tip: Starphire glass scratches easier than regular glass. Take extra care cleaning and working with this glass.
I think odds tend to look better than evens in showers — groups of three, not two.
The scale of this niche is excellent. Notice how the shower niche has 11 glass tiles on the back. The glass shelf sits on the seventh tile down from the top — almost two-thirds of the way down. Sometimes this doesn't work out when you get onsite, but here the scale is superb.
Tip: Make sure you measure your favorite shower products. A nicely designed shower niche is great, but if your shampoo bottle of choice does not fit, it won't be of any help.
by The Sky is the Limit Design
The scale of this niche is excellent. Notice how the shower niche has 11 glass tiles on the back. The glass shelf sits on the seventh tile down from the top — almost two-thirds of the way down. Sometimes this doesn't work out when you get onsite, but here the scale is superb.
Tip: Make sure you measure your favorite shower products. A nicely designed shower niche is great, but if your shampoo bottle of choice does not fit, it won't be of any help.
If you sit on a bench, you probably want to access to your stuff. Keep things in reach and plan the niche placement to work for you and your kids.
Tip: If you have kids, assume that they will try to climb anything that looks like a ladder, so keep your shelving secure. Installing the glass or stone first in the niche and then setting the tile around it is far safer than siliconing a glass shelf into a finished tiled niche.
by Bill Fry Construction - Wm. H. Fry Const. Co. Tip: If you have kids, assume that they will try to climb anything that looks like a ladder, so keep your shelving secure. Installing the glass or stone first in the niche and then setting the tile around it is far safer than siliconing a glass shelf into a finished tiled niche.
What a feature! This corner bench is obviously the focal element in the shower. When planning your main design points, a shower niche should not compete with your space's design. The use of glass in this niche makes for a subtler look.
Tip: Glass is usually affordable. But make sure you order your niche shelving with other glass items to get the most bang for your buck. If you're using three shelves in a niche, ask your contractor to order four. It's always nice to have a backup in case something breaks.
by Michael Tauber Architecture
Tip: Glass is usually affordable. But make sure you order your niche shelving with other glass items to get the most bang for your buck. If you're using three shelves in a niche, ask your contractor to order four. It's always nice to have a backup in case something breaks.
This is a great use of space. Many of the little things needed in a shower can fit in a small niche. The low glass shelf doubles the footprint and creates extra room for lotions and potions.
Tip: Make sure the glass is tempered so it's safe in case of an accident.
by Reaume Construction & Design
Tip: Make sure the glass is tempered so it's safe in case of an accident.
I love the contrast of this shower niche. This hardworking spot is great for a squeegee. The shorter wall (often called a pony wall) hides the niche from the other parts of the bathroom. Some homeowners don't like to have their shower products on display. Hiding your niche down low like this can be a great solution.
Tip: If the niche ends up on display, then make it a gem!
by RemodelWest
Tip: If the niche ends up on display, then make it a gem!
The large glowing niche in my daughter's bathroom has a one-third split. The smaller top niche won't collect water — it's a great spot for a bar of soap.
Tip: When working with slabs for niches, you will need to specify to the stone supplier that the pieces be double polished, meaning both the top and bottom get polished.
by John Whipple - By Any Design ltd.
Tip: When working with slabs for niches, you will need to specify to the stone supplier that the pieces be double polished, meaning both the top and bottom get polished.
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again a great article however I am missing one very common "edge-solution" in your informative ideabook. So please let me add this solution.
Often the tiles don't have a nice edge-finish like in picture #1 and #2. This is especially the case by ceramic tiles. And it is sometimes not possible or at least very hard to miter porcelain tiles. In such cases it is not a bad idea to go with a prefabricated edge profile. A small range of these edge profiles is available in hardware stores.
For those who are looking for nicer trim pieces they should check out the Schluter®-Edge-Profiles. These profiles are available in different shapes (Round, Square and L-shape), different materials (Stainless Steel, Brass, Anodized Aluminum, and PVC,) different finishes (brushed, chrome and honed) and come in many different colors. It is possible to go with the grout color to make it invisible and also to go with a shiny metal finish to make it as an accent.
► Schluter® Finishing & Edge-Protection Profiles for Walls & Countertops: http://www.schluter.com/139.aspx
Here's another important point:
Be careful when you consider to place a niche on an outside wall. This is often not possible because the walls are just not thick enough. There would be no more insulation where your niche is and this would cause moisture and mold problems inside your wall.
Regards.
3D-Tile-Design - Bertram Tasch
Maple Ridge, BC (Greater Vancouver)
http://www.3D-Tile-Design.ca
Do you understand the "Golden Ratio"? Consider this when you are chopping down that center course of tile.
We have never found a tile we can not miter. It is work. It is hard. But this is why I have an apprentice..... lol Seriously are you serious when you say sometimes it's not possible to cut a miter? I've never seen it.
Most designers I know cringe and the term "Schluter Profile" - yes I know they are needed sometimes but there are so many other ways to tile without them.
I think your project would have looked nicer if the Schluter profiles where install the other way - so that all that shiny metal was less visable on the face of the tile. Perhaps the face of the profile on the inside of the niche would be better.
I also find that a Schluter Profile does not look great unless the cuts have been made with a chop saw and a non-ferrous blade. Even still all the metal in two niches I feel it takes away from the look of the stone or tile.
My thoughts.
JW
“…Most designers I know cringe and the term "Schluter Profile" - yes I know they are needed sometimes but there are so many other ways to tile without them…” I know and I have the same experiences with some designers. I didn't say that Schluter-Profiles are the solution in every case and for everyone however it is another option. And finally it is not the designer it’s our client who is using his bathroom a couple times a day and he should love it - not just the designer!
Everyone has its own taste and style and this is good so, otherwise we all would drive the same car, would wear the same clothes and we would also eat the same food. But what would we do with our spouses? We could not have the same spouse? ☺ I think we should always respect what our clients like and let them decide what they want. A good designer helps the client with his decisions and does not only “stamp” his own style to the home of his clients like a very popular TV-Contractor is doing this with the clients in his show. - Every bathroom and every floor have the same tile pattern.
“…I think your project would have looked nicer if the Schluter profiles where install the other way - so that all that shiny metal was less visable on the face of the tile. Perhaps the face of the profile on the inside of the niche would be better…” I also agree, however in this case it was a rounded profile. (Schluter-Rondec) Furthermore this profile goes all around the perimeter as well as around the curb. So it matches with the other corners.
You are also right about cutting Schluter-Profiles. I never ever used the Schluter-Shear to cut these profiles and I never will. First of all this shear is intended to cut only PVC-profiles and second, using it squeezes the profile together. And when doing miter-cuts they don’t fit very well together. However some tile-setters don’t know about this and cut every profile with this plier like this guy did. - Poor customer.
Cheers Bertram
You can see in the first picture that we cut the tile - made a new micro bevel on the cuts and lined them up so that the grain or veining in the tile runs around the corner. This is not much work and makes for a very polished look.
The other pictures will show some progress and some action shots.
JW
best, Rhoda
The pre-made niches from Tile Ready appear to have this slope and that is nice to see. What do you think about these niches of theirs? I'm not a fan at all of this companies (tile ready) shower pans and have read countless complaints online. We just finished redoing a tile ready base and built the client a customer shower pan after he junked the pan he ordered.
I'm a huge fan of Noble Company but do not like their ready made niche for the same reason. No pre-slope on the bottom.
When building a shower niche it's great to have a topical waterproofing process. This I think makes these ready made niches not so helpful. If you are building to "Code" and not "Industry Guideline" it is easy to bang in a ready made niche between the studs but this is not the best system for your home. If one is going in insist that some vapour barrier or something is done to prevent moisture from exiting the niche or shower wall.
JW
My newest love in tile niches is lining them up with one wall and running them in behind the adjoining wall. In the picture below you can see what I'm talking about. This niche will have some fun features like a side lit LED option.
I will also be using the niche's bottom as a ledge for a wooden board that will span the shower and rest on the lip of the tub deck. This will make for a removable board that can act as a ledge. The client has asked me to make one for the tub as well so it can be a ledge to leave reading material.
JW
All of this tied into the air tubs Chromotherapy system so the room glows as one - in any shade you wish.
JW
And good discussion regarding Schluter profiles. Bertram makes some good points. I used to hate them myself and also felt that they cheapened the look, but I've made my peace with them over the years and have come to value firstly the usefulness in covering and also protecting tile edges and secondly the detail and highlights that come from a well-considered and well-installed profile.
I truly think that most of the bad rap has come from poor installations and sloppy corner cuts. What better way to turn someone off of something than to show them a bad product!
However when considered and installed carefully, a schluter-like tile edge can add truly beautiful detail to a bath or shower, be it in a niche or on an outside corner or simply to end the tiled area on a wall. It's like the period to a sentence in some cases.
So the design is of utmost importance, as with most things, but without proper execution of that design it will be a mess. A great tile installer is absolutely essential, and in the past year I've found the best tiler I have ever met. John, since you are local, I'll give you his name: Petru Adoamnei ("Petrax Renovation") and his work is impeccable. Give him a call at 778.320.4527 to quote on your next project. It's obvious you have a great tile setter but I am super picky (my father was a stone mason and craftsman) and I have never seen work as good as Petru's.
...love the chromatherapy image btw!
Thomas
We are installing some as we speak on a tub deck and I have documented the process to share later here on Houzz.
We do everything possible to remove them from our projects. But sometimes the client just does not want to pay for the extra work of mitering the tile.
JW
Do you have examples of your setters work where these details are factored in. I'm always looking for top quality setters.
My apprentice and I have started tiling our own projects since I can count on so few of my subs to pull of these barrier free projects with the right level of skill and the proper products.
JW
I'll attach another image from our most recent laneway house now that shows Petru's fine work, niche design and attractive tile edging. I would call that one perfect enough! :-)
sales@no-curb.com
Have you seen this idea book?
JW