When we did our remodel last year it was suggested we get both and we did. We had a custom (not a standard box) niche built that was large enough to have a glass shelf in the middle, and then we had a corner shelf put in as well. We each get a shelf in the niche. Usually, I keep our squeegee out of the way on the shelf.

I have both.I wouldn't want just one or the other, I had to have both, and it works out great. The niche is bottles, and the shelf for bars of soap and razors.

I have the shower niche in one bathroom and corner shelves in another bathroom. I like the niche better. The bathroom with the niche also has a slide bar with a little soap thing - so having that small platform to put soap or in our case, the squeegee - is useful in addition to the niche. The corner shelves - we end up with bottles in front of other bottles. Plus the bottom shelf always gets water settling in it - which ends up getting gunky.

Here are pictures

Corner shelves with crowded bottles and water settled on bottom shelf
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Can't quite see but the shelf is on the bottom of the slide bar
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I was thinking of a 6" deep shelf to run the width of the shower (3')

I think the niches look nicer. Also, I had a guest break our ceramic corner shelf once by dropping the shower head (hand-held). I recommend that you put in more niches than you think you will need (two, not one), especially if the bath is for a teenager. Neither my husband nor I use a lot of bath products, but I still like having "my" niche.

Niches... is my choice and I agree with astridh install more niches than you think you will need, you will need them.
some niches have a shelf inside so you have room for the soap and all the small bottle.

I have both.I wouldn't want just one or the other

That seems to be the popular "thing" now. In fact I just got home from finishing a shower that had both-- 2 corner shelves and a niche:

I had corner shelves in my old shower my DH added to an existing shower then we added a few more for a total of 3 it was still not really enough they were ok certainly better then having everything all over the floor which got icky and down right gross. But the new shower will have one really wide niche under the window that will hold a ton of stuff and a really tall skinny one that will have shelves installed to hold things like extra wash cloths razors bars of soap. I put it on the side wall so you really don't see it all when walking into the room, but will look very graphic when you see the wall straight on.

When we had our cultured granite shower installed, we opted for a double-height insert (niche) and a double-height corner unit.

I've found the corner unit more useful. The insert isn't big enough to hold much more than one bar of soap and a couple of moderate-sized shampoo bottles. My DH and I use different bath stuff - the corner unit holds everything else comfortably.

The cultured granite is non-porous so a swipe of the sponge cleans off any scum or gunk. Very simple to maintain. My DH says this is the single best item in our last round of remodeling back in 2003, when we updated the kitchen and both bathrooms.

Thanks for all of your replies. I've looked at lots of pictures of niches and corner shelves on this site and one thing strikes me. Everyone has shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, soap, etc on their shelves or niches. I have not seen one bottle of daily shower cleaner. Doesn't anyone use these with their new showers? I also can't figure out where people hang their wash cloths. Maybe they don't use them either?

The cleaners are usually kept out of sight, but as for hanging the washcloth, that's a good question. I've suggested many times in a ceramic shower, using a ceramic towel bar, and cutting the bar down to maybe between 8-10" in length. Very few ever liked the idea, so I stopped recommending it.

We haven't gotten to the point of using a daily shower cleaner - for now just using the squeegee. In the past, we kept the cleaner in one of the tub corners. In regards to washcloths - I still tend to put over the shower - used to that from growing up. We've used towel bars along the bathroom wall for the kid's washclothes before (along with towel) before we did the bathroom remodel. After the remodel, we have a towel bar on the wall opposite the shower controls.

Our shower cleaner is in a spray bottle which sits on the floor of the shower - out of the way but handy, and no mistaking it for anything else, LOL (my DH and I are legally blind without our glasses!).

My DH uses one of those net 'puffs' which has a hanging cord; we use suction cup hooks on the glass enclosure. When I need to use a washcloth I hang it over the top of the shower glass; that way I remember to put it back on my towel rack, which is separate from DH's towel rack.

Jkom51, I'm trying to decide on our master shower... really want tile, but it was suggested to look at cultured marble or granite as it is much easier to keep clean. Would you mind posting a picture of your cultured granite shower.. I would love to see it. It sounds like you are really pleased with it.

Hi, not sure if this is still active or not. We are wondering what you used to secure your glass shelf (picture by minac from 2010). It looks great! How has this held up for the past year. Did you install the shelf post tile, or grout it in? Also, do you find you get much splash back with the niche being behind the shower head?
Thanks very much.
Jenny

I know this is an old thread but wondering what folks think of the schluter corner and shelf-w shelves? I am remodeling my bath and I don’t really have anywhere to put a niche. The wet wall will be 34” wide but it will have the valve, shower head and wand. I feel niches would be crammed in there. The 54” long wall is on an exterior wall and I’m not willing to remove insulation for a niche. think I’m going with 2 if the schluter shelf-w rectangular shelves and one corner shelf.

@Charlie Baum we considered doing a schluter preformed niche but nixed it in favor of two schluter corner shelves (that match our drain pattern :)). I had been concenred that it wouldn't be enough space, but my husband and I each get one shelf and they're just the right size for our products. they were a snap to install, we put them in when we grouted - and they are amazingly stable/secure. We've been happy with them so far.

@thisisnotadrill Thank you so much for the good review. I was a little worried but now I think my plan of 1 corner shelf and 2 rectangular shelves is a good one. my wife and I use the Costco sized shampoo bottles so the shelf needs to hold some weight. I called schluter and the rep told me that they can actually stand on the shelves in the show room So I don’t think some shampoo will be an issue. We are also doing the floral pattern to match 4” square drain.

@Charlie Baum that's the same pattern we did :) I haven't tried standing on the shelves but they certainly do hold some weight. I have a bodywash bottle that has a pump on top and i was nervous to just pump it while on the shelf but the shelf is really in there solid. We also thought about using the straight shelves but we ended up going for a more minimal look. Plus we have a bench so we can put something there if needed. They aren't cheap, but I think you'll be pleased with them.

I was just coming on here to ask about the Schluter shelves. I'm so glad to hear you like them.
I have had a niche in the past and really don't like cleaning them. Are the ones you got the stainless steel? Has there been any issues with rust?

My issue with the niche is placement but also I worry about my ability to tile it. That is some intricate work I don't have a ton of faith in myself to do. Plus I like the clean, minimalist look of the shelves. I might even put a small rectangular one closer to the floor for my wife to put her foot for shaving her legs.

We were worried about that too. Our wall tile design is large format and very minimalist so I didn't want slivers of tile or something that looked very busy. We used to have a niche in our previous shower and it just seemed to always get mildewy and need scrubbing. We got the shelf-es in stone gray like the photo. No issues.

@thisisnotadrill Ahhh you’re killing me now. I was set on the triangle corner shelf but that looks good too. Maybe two of those and I won’t need the rectangle ones....maybe.

@Charlie Baum haha. We cut out pieces of cardboard in the exact dimensions of the shelves we were considering and put them up on the wall to see how they'd do. Try that, you might be surprised! my one shelf holds 2 mega sized bottles of shampoo/conditioner, and a bodywash pump and a razor.

@thisisnotadrill That is a great suggestion that I just did last night and it saved me $20 and maybe my marriage! I cut out both the rectangular, the quadrilateral as well as the triangle shelf and the other corner shelf that is triangular but more squared off. Everything will fit on two of them. I almost ordered the quadrilateral one but the wife prefered the shelf-E with corner/squared off one. Plus, I am putting one of the triangle corner shelves at the first grout line 24" high for her to put her foot on to help shave her legs.

Nice! glad you sorted it out. I like how the shelves are less obvious - I didn't want to be looking straight on at a niche full of bottles when i'm standing in front of the shower!

And I don't like the look of the ceramic corner shelves you can embed into the wall either. To me at least, they look dated. Thanks again for the suggestion.