The revival of the Nib Wall & how it can create a functional statement in your bathroom.
Stunning nib wall in the shower recess creating both a fabulous feature and practical shelving – bathroom renovation by Master Bathrooms & Kitchens.
As renovators who have been in the bathroom and kitchen renovation industry for over 30 years, it never fails to surprise us to see the revival of old trends. Albeit, most such trends are somewhat re-invented and improved upon, though still a twist of a trend from years gone by just the same. One such trend is the nib wall. Incorporating a nib wall in the bathroom has become so popular and successful in fact, it made many appearances in the bathrooms on The Block 2019.
Nib walls were once built to create a partition in the bathroom. From the year 2000 onward, we spent many years demolishing and removing nib walls from customers bathrooms, typically between the shower and vanity or the modest half walls built to hide the toilet suite in the bathroom. Removing these walls had an instant opening and spacious effect upon the bathroom. These walls were somewhat a standard for shower recesses built prior to the 1990’s to create a water tight area. With the improvement of waterproofing systems and the addition of using toughened glass for shower screen, the necessity of a nib wall to protect the outside area of the bathroom, particularly the vanity, became redundant. Remember the old wired glass shower screens from years back? They may have been a huge step up from the shower curtain, but they did absolutely no favours for the aesthetics of a bathroom, so having a tiled nib wall was preferable to a large wired screen.
That said, nib walls have always had a place within the interior of the home and are particularly useful in the bathroom. With a few tweaks to its placement, the nib wall has become an option many homeowners are choosing to create a contemporary design that is functional yet a fabulous feature in their bathrooms. See our article on Creating a Feature in your Bathroom for some easy ways to make a feature in your bathroom. As previously mentioned, nib walls were once used in bathrooms primarily as a partition for either the shower or toilet built at a right angle from a wall. Today’s reinvented nib walls are not used to partition at all, but are built to essentially bring out a single wall, or part thereof at halfway height, to serve as practical shelving and a clever way to house plumbing such as in-wall cisterns while becoming a decorative statement.
Gorgeous ensuite bathroom with nib wall built to accomodate the in-wall cistern while providing decorative shelving – bathroom renovation by Master Bathrooms & Kitchens.
Not all bathrooms have a large area to work with and some bathrooms are extremely limited in their space that every inch is required to create a functional design. So in some cases, the addition of a nib wall is just not practical. It is imperative to place function first so as to not overcrowd the bathroom.
How to make a nib wall work in your bathroom:
Nib walls are a fantastic option for the shower recess where they act as a shelf for shower toiletries replacing traditional shelving that incur bumps and scrapes.
In-wall cisterns are extremely popular and create a clean, seamless design in the bathroom. Not all bathrooms have a wall cavity deep enough to house the plumbing for an in-wall cistern. Where this is the case, a nib wall is a clever solution to this problem and creates decorative shelving at the same time.
When a nib wall is tiled with a either a feature tile or a contrasting coloured tile to the rest of the walls, it becomes a feature in itself adding depth and character to the bathroom.
Freestanding baths are absolutely beautiful although, many designs have little room if any to place items used whilst bathing. A nib wall set behind the bath provides shelving for your candles, book and glass of wine and when tiled in a contrasting tile, becomes a stunning feature that really makes your freestanding bath stand out. Read our article on Choosing a Freestanding Bath for more information about the many different varieties available today.
Tess & Luke’s winning bathroom from The Block 2019 with nib wall built behind the freestanding bath.
A nib wall is certainly something to think about for your bathroom renovation though, it is not a design that suits everyone and as previously mentioned, may not work in your bathroom layout. Perhaps a niche is more suited to your bathrooms design? See our article on Bathroom Niches which are always a fantastic way to create a standout feature in the bathroom whilst providing practical shelving in the bathroom.
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Master Bathrooms & Kitchens is a bathroom and kitchen renovation company that is family owned and operated. We have been renovating homes beautiful since 1995 and offer advice and expertise that only comes from years of experience. Be sure to peruse our website for more renovation inspiration or simply call us on (02)9899-9330 for a quotation today!
Watch our video below of just some of our beautiful bathrooms:
