This post may contain references and links to products from our advertisers. We may receive commissions from certain links you click on our website. As an Amazon Associate Rhythm of the Home earns revenues from qualifying purchases.
So you’re ready to decorate your bathroom with tiles, and feel overwhelmed by the variety of colors, shapes, and sizes? You found the perfect place for inspiration, and with thousands of easy-to-clean and durable tile arrangements out there, these ideas are exactly what you need to focus in on a completely unique bathroom tile design.
One of the most popular design trends is to use tiles as a work of art. While you can let your imagination run wild with a unique tile design inside of a frame to place above the tub or on a wall, this article highlights a series of bathroom tile ideas that incorporate the pairing of styles and colors with layering techniques and borders that are proven to transform your bathroom into a relaxing retreat.
Step aside minimalistic trends and get ready to turn up the volume in your boring bathroom with splashes of color and fresh patterns. Here are our top 8 tile design ideas for your bath, or powder rooms of any size.
1. Large Hexagon Bathroom Tiles
The perks of large hexagon bathroom tiles go beyond aesthetics and make your bathroom faster to renovate and easier to clean. We recommend going for this option to cover a larger area of your walls with fewer tiles. This results in having fewer grout lines for limescale and dirt to build up, and also makes small spaces appear bigger. The great thing about large format tiles is that they promote a modern wallpaper look, installations tend to take the least amount of time and they give off an illusion that makes small bathrooms seem more spacious.
2. Place Tiles in a Diagonal Pattern
This is a fantastic way to create a tile design that captures an authentic look, whilst giving motion to energy in your bathroom space. Try laying tiles in a herringbone pattern to break the mold of boring parallel lines. The best tile shape to use for this pattern is rectangular subway tiles, but planning ahead for this pattern is paramount so that you reduce your margin of error and create an edge-to-edge effect on every wall. Keep in mind that the tile layout can start at the top of your sink or at the top of the toilet to free up wall space for a contrasting paint at the base. Black subway tiles fastened with white grout look superb above a black or white painted wall!
3. Bathroom Penny Tiles
These tiny tiles have made a huge comeback thanks to their chic and timeless look. Famously known to add texture and eye-catchiness, penny tiles are the perfect choice to give your bathroom a dimension of depth on the walls, trim or floor. Try covering your floors with penny tiles that pop by using a grout of a contrasting color. This could be black and grey or blue and white to create a bold and refreshing look. Remember that smaller penny tiles add more texture to the space and they’re perfect to accentuate sink zones to make the wash area pop. For the ultimate bold and chic look, go for grey marble penny tiles with a black grout throughout the inside of your shower.
4. Subway Tile Accents
Look no farther than the classic subway tile to achieve the most versatile designs. Compared to other tile types, subway tiles are available in a much larger variety of colors and patterns that can be matched to your existing bathroom color scheme. Subway tiles generate solid parallel lines for a classic and traditional look, especially a white tile with a contrasting dark grout. Make note to avoid choosing the same color grout and tile color if your aim is to liven up your bathroom space. Since subway tiles can be cut to suit just about any space in your bathroom, they are perfect for decorating showers and half walls. Go for a lacquered gray subway tile with white grout and gold finished accessories like shower heads and water spouts to create a vintage vibe.
5. Glass Mosaic Accents
Eccentric glass tile mosaic accents are the perfect way to add elements of popping color and shine to your bathroom. The tiny glass tile strips are best used to separate areas in your bathroom or draw attention to features, but they can be laid out as a full wall of backsplash. This design trend was made popular with earth tone colors of green, beige and brown but glass mosaic accents can be formed with any color of your choice. If you don’t want to install thousands of tiles on your wall, then opt for an accent strip that covers the complete surrounding of your bathroom, just like a belt. They are perfect for a toilet or shower surround thanks to their bacteria-resistance property and can be joined with stone or metal to look more modern.
6. Organize Tiles into a Brick Bond
There’s something about subway tiles in a brick layout that promotes an automatic visual interest. Larger rectangular format tiles distract the eye from the smallness of a space and the parallel lines add horizontal depth to extend wall space. Similar to the classic red brick design with a beige grout, you should work with contrasting colors when installing subway tiles into a brick bond. Try white tiles with dark grout lines in the brick bond format on your walls with a solid color flooring to draw the eye towards the ceiling. This is a natural design effect of the brick bond style and definitely recommended to make smaller bathrooms appear more spacious.
7. Get Funky with Graphic Tiles
…but not too funky. Keep in mind that the bathroom is one of the most often visited rooms in your home and that your favorite design today, might seem a horrible idea next month. But graphic tiles are where it’s at to make a bold statement with unique patterns and shadows. Look for square graphic tiles with a 3D cube effect to layout over a wall and floor space to add a truly eye-catching dimension. Make sure to use graphic tiles with restraint and to not go overboard with crazy designs on an entire wall that can quickly become overwhelming. The key here is to create special effects in certain areas that normal, solid color tiles won’t achieve.
8. Use Chevron Diagonal Patterns to Elongate Spaces
Nothing points to a more spacious area than a bunch of tiles lined up in the shape of arrows. Chevron stripe tilework adds a sense of depth for bathroom flooring, but it is one of the most costly and time-consuming methods. In fact, some subway tiles come with chevron designs printed to make them easier to install so keep an eye out for those. For an adventurous look, select tiles of contrasting colors and decorate an entire wall in the chevron pattern. Use a chevron pattern alongside walls promote an elegant and elevated look that never gets boring.
