Bathroom Design
How Much of Your Bathroom Should You Tile?
When it comes to tiling, there are several options depending on your budget and room design
Where should you put the tiles in your bathroom? All over? Just around the shower? On a sloping ceiling? Amid the array of choices to be made when renovating a bathroom, this is one of those that could really affect the cost of your project, since tiling is a highly skilled job. Equally, it can make or break the look of your finished room.
It pays to be working with an interior designer or architect whose taste you trust. They’ll be full of ideas (and reassuring decisiveness). Meanwhile, let these designs get the creative cogs turning.
It pays to be working with an interior designer or architect whose taste you trust. They’ll be full of ideas (and reassuring decisiveness). Meanwhile, let these designs get the creative cogs turning.
Take It Halfway
The tiles in this bathroom run around the walls uniformly at shoulder height for a very neat look. The details that make this style of tiling work are the choice of paint color on the walls above, and the trim, which is key to helping tiles run nicely into a plain wall.
Here, the soft pink paint color works beautifully with the brass fixtures and dark blue vanity, while the trim is stylish brass —visible as a design detail but not too loud.
Shop for bathroom tile
The tiles in this bathroom run around the walls uniformly at shoulder height for a very neat look. The details that make this style of tiling work are the choice of paint color on the walls above, and the trim, which is key to helping tiles run nicely into a plain wall.
Here, the soft pink paint color works beautifully with the brass fixtures and dark blue vanity, while the trim is stylish brass —visible as a design detail but not too loud.
Shop for bathroom tile
Go Top to Bottom
Floor-to-ceiling tiles can lend a real air of swish hotel style to a bathroom. This windowless space has pale tiles covering every bit of wall, and even the bath panel, for total streamlining.
Where natural light is lacking, visual continuity like this can really help to open up a dark room (and larger tiles, like these, can also have the effect of stretching a smaller space).
Although the floor has different-colored tiles, they blend with the ceiling, bath and basin for an unfussy look.
Floor-to-ceiling tiles can lend a real air of swish hotel style to a bathroom. This windowless space has pale tiles covering every bit of wall, and even the bath panel, for total streamlining.
Where natural light is lacking, visual continuity like this can really help to open up a dark room (and larger tiles, like these, can also have the effect of stretching a smaller space).
Although the floor has different-colored tiles, they blend with the ceiling, bath and basin for an unfussy look.
Here, the same all-over approach has been taken with the tiling, but in this case, the bright room gives more scope for a busier choice of tile —smaller in size and varied in tone.
The key to keeping the whole look airy and bright is the pale palette. The color variation is gentle and doesn’t break up the view, which is already punctuated by the bold black faucets and shower hardware.
The key to keeping the whole look airy and bright is the pale palette. The color variation is gentle and doesn’t break up the view, which is already punctuated by the bold black faucets and shower hardware.
Make Half Tiling Have a Purpose
The tiling in this scheme is the star of the show, yet it barely covers half of the room. The designer has given ordinary white subway tiles standout by laying them in a herringbone pattern. At the same time, the painted sections feel deliberate — the area above the basin is for storage and a mirror, while the other end of the shower (just seen in the reflection), which is finished with a stylish jagged edge, leaves room for a cabinet.
The tiling in this scheme is the star of the show, yet it barely covers half of the room. The designer has given ordinary white subway tiles standout by laying them in a herringbone pattern. At the same time, the painted sections feel deliberate — the area above the basin is for storage and a mirror, while the other end of the shower (just seen in the reflection), which is finished with a stylish jagged edge, leaves room for a cabinet.
Work in Feature Tiling
If you’ve fallen for more expensive tiles, but aren’t sure the budget will stretch, consider using them in a small area of the bathroom. Reduce usage even more if needed by choosing just enough tiles to protect the area directly behind the sink. Keep other tiles plain to maximize your feature.
If you’ve fallen for more expensive tiles, but aren’t sure the budget will stretch, consider using them in a small area of the bathroom. Reduce usage even more if needed by choosing just enough tiles to protect the area directly behind the sink. Keep other tiles plain to maximize your feature.
Streamline a Slope
Attic conversions often include a new bathroom, and it’s not always obvious where tiling should start and finish. This walk-in shower is fully tiled, as the ceiling is low and likely to be doused daily.
The tiles continue at half-height in the rest of the room, but what’s clever is how they’re connected: The two triangular tiles on the narrow walls at either side of the shower link the awkwardly shaped enclosure with the rest of the space by helping the line of tiles to flow smoothly. Proof that the small touches are sometimes the ones that make a room.
In this attic bathroom, the sloping ceiling is high enough to avoid too much of a soaking, so tiles only cover the walls. Be sure to use appropriate paint in a design like this, though, as splashes are inevitable.
More on Houzz
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Find a bathroom remodeler
Shop for bathroom products
Attic conversions often include a new bathroom, and it’s not always obvious where tiling should start and finish. This walk-in shower is fully tiled, as the ceiling is low and likely to be doused daily.
The tiles continue at half-height in the rest of the room, but what’s clever is how they’re connected: The two triangular tiles on the narrow walls at either side of the shower link the awkwardly shaped enclosure with the rest of the space by helping the line of tiles to flow smoothly. Proof that the small touches are sometimes the ones that make a room.
In this attic bathroom, the sloping ceiling is high enough to avoid too much of a soaking, so tiles only cover the walls. Be sure to use appropriate paint in a design like this, though, as splashes are inevitable.
More on Houzz
Read more bathroom design stories
Find a bathroom remodeler
Shop for bathroom products
In this walk-in shower room, tiles only cover the parts of wall that will get wet. The floor, shower walls and behind the sinks. The designer has chosen to match the grout carefully, so it’s virtually invisible, giving a smooth, streamlined look.
Find a bathroom designer on Houzz