Have you been thinking about renovating your bathroom but are struggling to decide on bathroom tiles? Are you looking for inspiration? Believe us, we know it can be hard to make up your mind as to which direction to go. Fortunately, we turned to Décor Aid interior designers to come up with 17 bathroom tile ideas to consider for a bathroom and backsplash refresh.
Whether you’re looking for bathroom floor tile ideas or bathroom tile designs for the walls, never fear; we’ve got a trove of failproof ideas which will look stunning in your bathroom.
SCALLOP/SHELL TILES
These are super cute and give any bathroom a Mediterranean vibe. They come in all sorts of colors, and you can go from a bold and vibrant look, to understated and sophisticated.
If you are opting for a bold color, choose just one wall as they can be overpowering – however, they’d look great in the shower or around the bath.
RETRO COLORS
Pink, blues, and greens accompanied by statement black border tiles are popping up all over the place at the moment. Retro shades look gorgeous and they brighten up what can be a dull space, if you let it be.
Most of these bathroom tile designs are done with black borders to tie everything together but could easily be lightened up with white borders instead, for something less stark.
VERTICAL BATHROOM TILES
Just as when you approach decorating or designing any room in your home, sometimes it pays to think out of the box for something truly surprising and spectacular. And the same can be said for genius bathroom tile designs.
By going against the grain in the bathroom featured above, the savvy designer in charge creatively problem solved a genius new approach to tile placement that was surely affordable. For your own remarkable bathroom tile ideas, consider new approaches to placement and installation that are simple. Simple – being the key here. As there’s no need to get too crafty or experimental, come up with your own fresh approaches to tile installation that aren’t too confusing or unwarranted, so they’ll endure the test of time.
TILED ACCENT WALLS
Again, when it comes to statement-making bathroom tiles, placement can be key. We love how the graphic contrasting penny tiles were saved only for backsplash accent walls (where tile is really needed) rather than completely covering every surface.
If the designer who realized the room above wasn’t savvy enough, by completely covering one or all of the walls featured here, the room would look smaller and less brighter. Instead, by saving graphic tiling for just two walls, the bathroom looks expansive, unique, and ultimately brilliantly planned out. The same can be said for the way flooring was approached. By saving bathroom floor tile ideas for just the sliver surrounding the tub, the room appears much more visually interesting. Plus, the eye gets to home in on how terrific looking the tiles selected are, rather than glossing over them.
MIRRORED WALLS
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again; mirrors are the best, least expensive way to make any room feel instantly glamorous, brighter, larger, and more expensive.
And when it comes to bathroom tile ideas that look like they were worth a hefty investment, mirrored tiles are an effective, mood-enhancing way to do just that. But the best thing about mirrored bathroom tile design ideas? They give you so much more opportunity to double check your hair, clothing, and makeup – just be sure that your lighting is up to par and not too abrasive as they may keep you from never wanting to leave the house if your lighting is garish or clinical.
TERRAZZO WALLS
Hailing from the prolific Mid-Century Modern era only to regain popularity during the Memphis Design boom of the 80’s, while completely losing traction during the heady heyday of 90’s minimalism, Terrazzo finishes, features, and fixtures were all the rage throughout the international design shows of late.
But why do interior designers, architects, and renovation experts keep coming back to this timeless material. For starters, Terrazzo surfaces make for clever bathroom tiles as they let you inject pops of color throughout the room while concealing everyday stains and the ilk. Plus, frankly, when it comes to forever-chic bathroom tile designs, there’s no other material that’s as relatively inexpensive and enduring. Go for a different beat and consider interesting ways you can bring Terrazzo into your bathroom, from flooring to walls to accessories, have fun with this pop-art evoking, colorfully freckled option thats full of life.
PATTERNED BATHROOM TILES
When it comes to memorable bathroom tile ideas in such a small space most often reserved for practicality and little else, sometimes it pays to go bold whenever and wherever you can.
That said, when considering bathroom floor tile ideas, our interior designers suggest keeping the rest of the room minimal so it remains easy on the eye. The great thing about patterned tiled floors is that while they lend your bathroom enviable style and unexpected prints and colors to boot, they also work to conceal everyday stains in an otherwise high-traffic area. Something all white or solid tiled floors would actually work to emphasize. Less cleaning? Always a go!
MASCULINE EDGE
The simplicity of rugged bathroom designs ideas are looking quite appealing thanks to their timelessness. With grey hues featuring heavily, bathrooms have gone from being a traditionally feminine space, to something more gender neutral.
Team white tiles with dark grout and grey wall paint, or dark blue tiles with white walls. Ditching the orchids and pale pink towels is all the rage at the moment – giving way to a more subtle, but equally relaxing space, without the frills.
HEXAGONS
Hexagonal bathroom tile ideas are gorgeous, and we don’t just mean those little hexagonal mosaic tiles. Today’s hexagons have gotten larger in scale. They make for a really cool beehive vibe and look great in white or calm colors.
Why not brighten up a white wall with hexagonal tiles in different colors scattered about? You could even break from traditional bathroom tile colors and go for some yellow and reds for a really bold design.
CARPET TILES
No, we don’t mean the carpet tiles like you’d place in an office, we mean bathroom floor tile tiles made to look like carpet. This means no more borders and fussy floor tiles for an equally amazing look. You can do the entire floor like this, or go for bathmat sized sections outside the shower or in front of the sink.
These bathroom floor tile ideas give a homely and comfortable feel to a space which might otherwise be a tad clinical. They’re vibrant and colorful and work for any sized bathroom, be it big or small.
CHEVRONS
Is there a room you can’t have chevrons in? The simple answer is no! You couldn’t have a list of bathroom design ideas and not include chevrons. The great thing about chevrons is they can either be bold or subtle. Layout long rectangular tiles of the same color in a chevron design for an elevated look, either on the floor or on the walls.
For something a bit more adventurous, choose tiles of contrasting colors and go to town with that chevron pattern all over the walls.
BOLD STRIPES
Introducing a bold stripe in your bathroom tile designs is a cool way to make an impact. Because stripes make a big statement, limit your striped tile design to one area of the bathroom.
This looks especially cool in the shower – bold black and white stripes running vertically down the back of your shower or some bright and lively contrasting colors work really well here, teamed with plain tiles in the rest of your bathroom.
MIRROR FRAME TILES
Framing your mirror or mirrors with bathroom tiles is a clever way of creating an elevated feature without it being too loud. If you don’t like bright colors but are still looking to create a focal point in your bathroom – this is the look for you.
Make a border out of small grey, black, or white tiles to frame your mirrors. This is an effortlessly elegant way of creating a custom feature that won’t break the bank.
MOROCCAN VIBES
Moroccan tiles are always exotic and colorful, making them a great addition to your bathroom for both floor and wall tiles. If you want to feel like you’re going on holiday each time you head for the shower, then this is the perfect design idea.
Tile your shower or bath area with these, or the wall behind your mirror.
SUBWAY TILES
Bathroom tile designs featuring subway tiles are always in style. Retro and industrial, these tiles make a boring bathroom interesting. With their glossy finish, they make perfect wall tiles and look incredible with a contrasting colored grout.
OMBRE EFFECT
This looks great in the shower or in a powder room, starting with a dark color and fading into white, or the other way around. Using small tiles is the proper way to achieve this – the small mosaic tiles work best.
Take time to lay out the tiles exactly how you want them to create the perfect ombre effect. Out of all the bathroom tile ideas on this list, this one takes the most work for sure, but it’s well worth it.
BLACK AND WHITE FLOOR
As bathroom floor tile ideas go, this is a classic, but don’t be fooled into thinking that it’s basic. Black and white floor tiles look brilliant, whether in a small or a big space.
There are arrangements featuring loads of white space and loads with a larger dominance of black tiling. Whatever you go for, your floor is going to look great.
ALL WHITE EVERYTHING
Don’t shy away from all white bathroom tile ideas. All white bathrooms can look very chic without looking clinical; they look especially beautiful with copper or bronze fittings, faucets, and the shower heads (giving your bathroom a true hint of luxury).
Brighten up an all-white bathroom with colorful towels and accessories if you’re worried about it looking too white. All white bathroom tile ideas are also great if you have a small bathroom – as not everyone has a giant bathroom to work with. White opens up your room and helps it look bigger.
POLISHED FINISH
Polished bathroom tiles aren’t often seen outside of spas and upscale hotels, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have them in your bathroom at home. Small bathroom tile ideas make your bathroom look so luxurious, you won’t be able to help but relax there.
Opt for all white bathroom tiles for a calming vibe or introduce a gray or blue floor to make your room pop.
WOOD EFFECT TILES
Wood effect tiles are great for bathroom tile designs if you don’t like the look of traditional bathroom tiles. You still get the robustness and waterproofing of the tile, but with a wooden flooring look.
Real wood flooring can be impractical in a bathroom, especially with all the wet feet – but this gives you the best of both worlds.
MELLOW PASTELS
If you’re after cozy and relaxing bathroom tile designs, involve some pastels. Think yellows, pinks, blues, greens, and lilacs. These don’t have to feature across an entire wall, but do make them a focal point – be that a border or a certain area tiled.
Pastel tiles shout retro and are a great way to introduce color into your space without it being overpowering.
MISMATCHED AND VIBRANT
Need bathroom tile ideas for small bathrooms? It might be bold, but why not use color explosively in your bathroom and go crazy with your bathroom tile designs? Mix and match different colors, patterns, and sizes for truly inspiring bathroom tile designs.
Color is key. Don’t limit yourself to just the walls either – bathroom floor tile ideas can be busy and bold too.
