Whether trying to find extra room in a small bathroom, or trying to keep things right at hand in the kitchen for cooking, the use of a niche can be a big help. Planning for one can increase space function and tile design at once.
What is a Niche?
A niche is a box recessed into the wall, between the studs, which is then tiled with the coordinating wall tile. Niches come preformed in many sizes, ready to install, or can be built by the contractor on site to fit a custom sized space. Once installed, the niche makes a great place to keep toiletries, decorative elements, or oils and spices in the kitchen.
Places a Niche Can be Utilized
While niches can be installed anywhere in the home, there are some places that can benefit from them in particular. Shower niches are a great way to make the most of a small shower, and keep toiletries right on hand. A shower niche can hold shampoos, soaps and other items, keeping these items nearby, but without baskets and shelves that may take up too much space.
Niches can also be placed next to a mirror on either side of a bathroom sink to help give extra space for placing items in a small bathroom. A niche tiled above a cooktop in a kitchen backsplash is a wonderful way for busy cooks to keep frequently used items close by.
Larger niches can be installed in home offices to help keep binders and books nearby and up off of a desk. Niches also make great ways to include home decorations in rooms where tables and other surfaces are at a minimum.
Tiling a Niche
While a niche can be tiled seamlessly into the rest of the wall tile, with only a bullnose on the edges to help incorporate it, niches make a great way of adding some extra design to the space. Try tiling the back of a large niche in a different pattern of the same tile as the surrounding wall tile. Laying subway tile in a herringbone on the back of a niche, or square tiles in a diagonal pattern can help highlight the space.
If using a border or accent tile in a different color than the field tile, consider tiling the back of the niche in that color. This works particularly well for spaces using mosaics as an accent. Filling the back of a niche in with glass or polished stone mosaics can make for an interesting pop of color in the design.
Another way of highlighting the niche is to use slabs for the top, bottom and sides, while tiling the back. If there is a countertop in the room, or a threshold, on the floor, consider using the same material for the sides, top and bottom of the niche. This also helps to frame the niche without use of a bullnose tile or molding.
Large niches can also be tiled in a coordinating color of the field tile. For instance a blue tile backsplash may have a niche of the same tile, but in green to accent the space and pull more color into the room.
Tile niches can be found at many tile retailers, or built to fit. Speak to a tile sales person about the use of a niche when planning a bathroom or kitchen design to add extra style and functionality to the space.
Sarabeth Asaff - Sarabeth Asaff is a freelance writer and artist with a passion for cooking and good food. Growing up in the kitchen of her Lebanese ...
