In many old homes you’ll often see a wall niche built into a wall as a focal point in a room as a showcase for a favorite piece of art or plant. The traditional design has a curved top with a recessed back, often a shell design, and a base shelf. The niche is custom-made of plaster or wood as an integral part of the wall. A wall niche in newer homes is often made of lightweight urethane or wood in rectangular designs with one or two shelves, sometimes with beadboard backing and ready to install. Both types of niches fit into the space between wall studs. Some niches are mounted flush to the wall and don’t require any carpentry to modify the wall….