Bathroom lighting is notoriously unfriendly. You can soften harsh overhead light with gentle wall sconces and lamps around vanities and on shelves, but this isn’t an option for showers. You can solve the problem—and gain shower storage—with Schluter-Kerdi-Board-SNLT, a shower niche with integrated LED lighting.

The shower niches come in 12-in. by 12-in., 12-in. by 20-in., and 12-in. by 28-in. sizes and can be integrated into the Schluter-Kerdi waterproofing system, which includes a tile substrate and building panel. Each SNLT niche includes an LED light strip that inserts into an aluminum mounting profile, a metal connection box with a cover, and a self-adhesive patch that prevents mortar from getting into the connection box. The system is designed for a vertical installation where the LED light can be installed either in the center or the rear of the top part of the niche. 

There are a couple of options for the power source. The first is the Liprotec-ECX ($300), an all-in-one driver and dimmer with three different face-plate covers to match different wall colors. Alternatively, the Liprotec-ECD dimmable driver ($200) is hardwired into your electrical system and compatible with other dimming switches, but it is bulky; you will likely need to find an appropriate place to conceal it, which may necessitate a longer-length cable. 

Pricing for the Kerdi-Board-SNLT shower niche starts at $300 for the 12×12 size.

—Lana Melonakos-Harrison, digital editor

Photos: courtesy of the manufacturers

From Fine Homebuilding #322

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