Shower accessories are dead, long live the brick storage. Now when I say brick storage I am referring to the use of bricks to create a shelf or ledge in a shower area. The reason this has become more and more popular is the constant frustrations for people who have had a rusty shelf or two. What about ceramic soap dishes? No… Often with the older shower accessorises water or chemicals in the water damage the metal shelving’s and over time look like a rusted out car on the front lawn of “that” house in the street.

All this is to say that more natural options are coming back into fashion. I have spoken at length about nib walls and shower boxes and will briefly cover them below. The last option which we seem to be doing a lot lately is the ledge at the base of the shower that is used as a footrest. It’s important to note that the more brickwork you have the more difficult the tiling is.

1. Shower Shelf/Recess/Niche

The location of a shower niche is space and use-dependent. Shower niches can reduce clutter while adding a new feel and dimension to your shower space. The latest trend is moving away from tubs while creating a larger shower space. Shower caddies are useful but usually lack aesthetic appeal. Built-in shower wall niches can be as functional as they are striking. Niches can hold a wide range of items, including shampoo bottles and candles for ambience.

So once you had decided you are having the niche the next step is to decide whether or not you want it to be the feature of the room. Often the shower is the first thing you see when you look into a room so the box will often draw your eyes to it. The recently completed bathroom renovation below that is located in Canning Vale, Perth WA is one of the nicest finished boxers we have ever done.

2. Nib Wall

Do you ever have that one spot between your shower screen and vanity that you can’t quite get too? For many of our clients it can be the most frustrating part of their bathroom as a lot of the time poor design and incorrect installation combined with lack of space results in this common issue. This brings us to the Nib Wall or that wall in the shower, that some people referred to it as.

The nib wall is a bricked and tiled wall that goes between the space of the vanity and shower. It is built to the height of the vanity and just slightly short of the width to allow for the shower screen trim in most cases. The reason it is done to the same height is to create a seamless look, often tiling the nib wall in the wall tile so it almost looks invisible. You can build them as high as you like but the purpose we recommend it for is one of being practical not a feature. The nib wall allows for a custom screen to go over and down the wall eliminating the pesky gab previous spoken about.

Below is examples of our design

*Note – This is a brick wall that’s twice as big and creates a more hidden shelf within a shelf. This is not the most popular design due to the thick nature taking up space in the shower.

The second option is the wall with niche inside

3. Foot Rest/Low Shelf/Shower Seat

A footrest is designed for shaving your legs, Often you will see people install with only a metal bar across from one wall to the next in a corner. The reality is both options are work the same the only difference is what you can use the bricked footrest for. The examples used in the bathroom renovations below in Dianella and Southern River WA are both long footrests built around 300mm high and 600mm wide. The cons of doing something like this is the position of the showerhead is effected as you can’t stand as close to it.

Extra Idea – Wall to Wall

Wall-to-wall shelving is the extreme level of trying to gain shelving in the shower area. Over time it has become increasingly requested. This style is the most expensive of all the designs as it impacts everything from the vanity plumbing to the depth of the showerhead.

CLICK THE IMAGE BELOW FOR THE FULL BREAKDOWN

It’s important to note that all our advice is general in nature and all bathrooms are unique so always speak to your local qualified tradesman for the best advice. At on the ball bathrooms we love feedback so let us know what you think with a comment below or if you are looking for a bathroom renovation quote and live in Perth, Western Australia contact us on 0419964678 or email us at info@ontheballbathrooms.com.au

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