Tile Recessed Shower Shelf Ideas

Featured Image: Pietra Italia White 24 x 48 Porcelain Shower Wall Tile   & Chevron Silver Polished Mesh in Recessed Shelf

Storage space in a home is always important.  Whether in the kitchen, living room, or bathroom, storage space is necessary just about everywhere, even in the shower.  When creating a bathroom design for a new home or renovation, make sure to consider a recessed shower shelf for your shampoos, body wash, and shaving supplies.

Functional Design

Functionality is key to most designs, especially in a kitchen or bathroom where you store many items that you use from day to day. Having space for your personal belongings and ensuring that space is functional will simplify your daily routine. One space you shouldn’t overlook is your shower. It’s possible to create a more functional shower with recessed shower shelves that look great too.

Image: Fantasy Brown Satin 12 x 24 Marble Shower Wall Tile with Recessed Shower Shelf from Arizona Tile

Tile Shower Shelves

To get the most from your recessed shower shelves, assess approximately how many products you will store in your shower oasis. Once you have this number, you will have a better idea if you need one or multiple shelves to hold everything. If there is enough room on the wall, you may want to consider adding more than one shelf to separate your items: shampoos and conditioners on one shelf and soaps and body wash on the other, for example. Also, if the tile shower will be on an exterior wall, including a recessed window with shelf may be a delightful addition to the custom design.

Placement of Recessed Shower Shelf

Once you have a sense of how many shelves to incorporate, it’s important to decide where to place them so they will be the most functional. Ideally, any recessed shelf should begin around waist-height of an average adult (or three feet up from the shower floor), and not extend above shoulder height. Anything outside of these bounds would create a noticeable reduction in convenience.

Shower Shelf Size

If your custom shower is a remodel, it is likely that each recessed shower shelf will need to fit within the existing studs of your wall, so planning on a shelf around 12” wide and 3.5” deep could be expected. However, if you’re designing a whole new build, designing the new shelves with your contractor could provide you with larger shelving spaces as the structure can be built to accommodate these functionality needs.

Image: Ivory White Honed Quartz Recessed Shower Shelf from Arizona Tile

Materials    

Marble, quartz, porcelain, and limestone are all beautiful in their own right and work well for a shower depending on your preferences and family lifestyle. It is important to note, to prevent alkaline and soap scum build-up in shower areas, use a squeegee after each use. It is also recommended to periodically seal all stone, particularly when installed in wet areas.

Image: Calacatta Gold Polished 4 x 16 Marble Shower Wall Tile, Basketweave Bianco Marble Bathroom Floor Tile & Calacatta Gold Polished Marble Dome Liner 3/4 x 12 from Arizona Tile

Marble

Marble is a stunning natural stone that offers timeless beauty but does require a bit more care. It is recommended that a sealer be applied soon after installation and re-sealed every six months. It is a hard, durable stone that will last a long time with proper maintenance. Keep your natural stone looking its best by wiping it prior to cleaning it with a pH-neutral cleaner or warm water.

A few marble tile options to consider include Fantasy Brown, Chevron, and Calacatta Gold. Incorporate Chevron into your design for the perfect accent, as a border along the shower wall or inside the recessed tile shower shelf. Accented areas offer interest as well as a sense of dimension to the space. For the shower walls, Calacatta Gold offers a luxurious creamy white background with taupe/gold veins, while Fantasy Brown is a beige marble with brown detailing. Both offer a 2 x 2 Mosaic Mesh and 2 x 2 Hexagon Mesh option, which are excellent choices for shower floors. The two selections pair wonderfully with Chevron accents.

Image: Chellah Grey 12 x 24 Limestone Shower Wall Tile with Recessed Shower Shelf from Arizona Tile

Limestone

Like marble, limestone is a natural stone that has been used in many famed structures across the world. Used as a stunning accent or on its own, limestone features natural beauty and organic textures that will be sure to stand out in your recessed tile shower shelf. Chellah Grey would be a great option to add to such a design. Its soft features give a neutral look that would pair well with a variety of styles.

Given limestone is natural and more porous than man-made material, caring for it will require a little more effort. Compared to more dense stones like granite and quartzite, limestone is lower on the hardness scale. This means limestone requires some extra attention to make sure it’s not damaged, scratched, or stained. Sealing the stone periodically is necessary for its longevity, and it’s best to avoid abrasive and acidic cleaners to keep it looking beautiful for years to come.

Image: Tru Marmi Extra Matte 4 Inch Hex Porcelain Floor Tile & Ivory White Honed Quartz Shower Wall Tile with Recessed Shelf from Arizona Tile

Quartz

Della Terra Quartz consists of 94% quartz which is one of the hardest minerals in nature. Quartz is easy to maintain, simply wipe it down with any pH-neutral cleaner or gentle soap and water using a damp cloth or paper towel. It is important to note that you should never use strong, abrasive cleaning products or harsh sponges. Quartz doesn’t require a sealant and is resistant to scratches and chipping, as well as highly resistant to staining. Ivory White Honed is a creamy white-colored quartz with diffused white detailing which gives the natural appearance of stone. Its soft and faint details would make this beautiful quartz a quality addition to your shower.

Image: Themar Bianco Lasa Polished 12 x 24 Porcelain Shower Tile & CS-Bianco Venatino Honed Marble Penny Round Mesh in Recessed Shelf from Arizona Tile

Porcelain tile is an incredibly durable non-porous material that is resistant to abrasions, stains, heat, and water. It’s a great choice for showers and a recessed shower shelf that’s easy to maintain, and simple to wipe clean. Be sure to use a pH-balanced neutral cleaner and warm water and do not use scouring powders; these products contain abrasives that may scratch the surface of the tile. Also do not use vinegar or any cleaners containing acids or strong alkaline agents.

One of the great things about porcelain is that with digital print technology, it can take on the appearance of concrete, glass, wood, and even marble. With five different colors and vein variations, Themar porcelain tile offers an array of design options, taking on the appearance of some of the most sought-after natural stones.  With five different colors and vein variations, this series pairs beautifully together as accents to one another or displayed all alone.

To help make the best decision for your design preferences, visiting an Arizona Tile store location or previewing our online slab yard will help you select the tile and natural stone you love. Once you’ve found some amazing options, use the Just Imagine® visualizer tool to see how your selection looks in your space before committing.  And as always, never hesitate to contact our helpful, knowledgeable, and friendly staff of tile, stone, and quartz experts with any questions.