Will you be able to access candles easily? I assume you will have to stand in tub? I wonder if candles would leave smoke marks on wall? I love candles myself, but little tealights would probably only last for one bath, and need to be replaced each time.

Visual weight of this would be much lighter/less than wooden shelves. What will be on other walls? What would you put on shelves? Where will your bath products go?

I say put something safe on the wall next to the tub. I have, an almost, falling story:

I was staying with my son and his family for a week. They have a charming bathroom with an old claw foot tub with a shower setup. I was trying to maneuver my way out of the rather tall tub and lost my balance. I grabbed what ever was around. In these moments one doesn't think, just reacts. I grabbed the display shelving that was near the tub and pulled it off the wall. It brought down a lovely small pharmacy bottle collection DDIL had displayed. They broke. I was unharmed as my other arm must have grabbed the side of the tub or something.

So my lesson is that what ever is near a tub needs to be safe and secure, in case it becomes an emergency grab bar.

Glad you were unharmed enduring! Based on your experience, I think the wall candle display is better. lol.

The tub will get very little use. We are replacing a larger jetted jacuzzi tub that got ZERO use in 4 years. We are not bath people but wanted to put a tub for resale. If I go with the candle thingy, I'll probably put those faux LED candles rather than real ones. If I go with the floating shelves, I'll probably put towels and some decorative candles.

At first I was thinking oh LED tealights, how smart! But then, you still have to stand in tub, and reach and turn them all on, and then stand up again (this time in wet tub), and turn them all off! I'm going for an Zen inspired look in my next bathroom, and came across photos of old screen panels used in BR's. Perhaps something like this with a spotlight or picture frame light shining on it, that could be put on a dimmer? You'd get a similar effect as that piece with the candles, but without the hassle/danger of having to stand up and turn them on/off.