Bathroom storage decisions to make before choosing tile

Why storage comes before tile

Storage decisions set lines the tile has to respect. A recessed shower niche changes where tile cuts fall. A recessed medicine cabinet needs a wall cavity that is free of pipes and vents. A vanity with drawers changes where the sink drain can sit. Once the walls are waterproofed and tiled, adding or moving any of these usually means opening finished work.

So the useful order is: list what you store, decide where each group lives, ask which walls can take recessed storage, and only then choose the tile layout. The waterproofing questions for niches and seams are covered in bathroom materials and layout; this article is about deciding what the storage needs to be.

Take a storage inventory first

Empty the current bathroom's shelves and cabinets onto a table, or photograph them, and sort the contents by where they are used. Count bottles and note the tallest one in the shower group, because that is what a niche or shelf has to fit.

Note who shares the room. A hall bathroom used by children and guests needs different storage from a primary bathroom used by two adults, and a bathroom used by someone who sits to bathe needs shower storage within reach from a seat.

In the shower: niche, shelf or caddy

• Place shower storage where it can be reached without stepping into cold spray, and, where someone bathes seated, within reach of the seat.
• If you want a niche, ask early. Plumbing, vent lines, framing, an exterior wall or, in a two-family house, a wall between units can rule out a location, and some walls may carry fire-separation or insulation requirements that the designer has to check.
• Ask how the niche's sill and back are finished so water drains off rather than sitting on a flat surface; the method belongs to the installer and the waterproofing manufacturer's instructions.

At the sink: vanity, drawers and the medicine cabinet

• Drawers or doors: drawers keep small daily items visible; doors hold taller items such as spare paper and cleaning bottles. Ask what drawer layouts are possible around the sink drain and supply lines, which take up space inside the vanity.
• Counter space: decide what stays out on the counter every day, and whether the sink size leaves room for it.
• Mirror cabinet: a surface-mounted cabinet needs no wall cavity; a recessed one does. Ask which wall behind the sink is free of plumbing, vents and wiring before you choose a recessed model.
• Corded tools: if hair dryers or electric toothbrushes live in a drawer or cabinet, outlet locations and any in-cabinet power are electrical decisions for a licensed electrician, made before the vanity is ordered.

Medicines may not belong in the bathroom at all. The FDA notes that improper storage, such as a damp bathroom cabinet, can contribute to medicines becoming less effective, and that it is better to store medicine in a cool, dry place, with care taken to prevent access by children. Check each product's label for its own storage instructions, and plan a cool, dry spot elsewhere if the bathroom cabinet was going to be the medicine shelf.

Cleaning supplies, children and visiting relatives

CPSC advises keeping chemicals, medications and cleaning supplies stored in a locked cabinet or box, out of the reach of children, and keeping medicines and household chemicals in their original, child-resistant containers. If young children live in or visit the house, decide now whether one vanity drawer or cabinet should take a lock, or whether cleaning supplies will live outside the bathroom.

• Choose the locking drawer or cabinet before the vanity is ordered, so the hardware fits.
• Keep everyday items within easy reach without climbing or deep bending, especially for older household members.
• Keep towel hooks or bars clear of the door swing and the path into the shower.

Moisture and ventilation affect what you can store

EPA's guidance on mold says the key to mold control is moisture control. It recommends running the bathroom fan or opening the window when showering, and keeping indoor humidity below 60 percent, ideally between 30 and 50 percent. Storage choices interact with that: open shelves near the shower collect moisture and soap film, closed cabinets hold damp air if the room isn't ventilated, and wet towels need somewhere to dry.

• Keep spare towels and paper away from direct spray and steam, or in a closed cabinet outside the shower zone.
• Plan enough hooks or bars for every towel in daily use, spaced so they can dry.
• Ask whether the planned fan and its control suit the room before relying on it to dry the storage; fan sizing and venting are covered in bathroom materials and layout.

Questions to settle before choosing tile

1. What does the inventory say the shower must hold, and how tall is the tallest bottle?
2. Which walls can take a recessed niche or medicine cabinet, and which are ruled out by plumbing, vents, wiring, an exterior wall or a wall between units?
3. How will any niche be waterproofed as part of the shower system, and will the tile layout align with it?
4. What drawer and door layout does the vanity need, given the drain and supply lines?
5. Where will medicines, cleaning supplies and spare towels live, and does anything need a lock?
6. Are outlets or in-cabinet power needed for the tools you keep at the sink?
7. Is each storage item, including niches, shelves, a recessed cabinet and any lock hardware, listed in the estimate rather than assumed?

Storage items such as niches and custom vanities show up in the budget; see what drives bathroom remodel cost for how they compare with plumbing and shower choices.