Bye Bye Boring Bathrooms: 8 Tiling Ideas to Jazz Up Your Loo

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Tiles used to be purely functional additions to a bathroom, but these days, they do more than just protect your walls from water damage or toothpaste smudges; they also help to elevate the look of your bathroom.

With tile designs spanning every shape, colour, and material, it can be challenging to settle on a particular style. Fret not! To help you out, we’ve highlighted a few of the best tile options and ideas to inspire your bathroom remodel.

1. Get creative with hexagon tiles

Despite their delicate appearance, hexagon tiles are extremely durable and long lasting, making them an excellent choice for your bathroom. Furthermore, hexagonal tiles are absolutely gorgeous and versatile, suitable to create a modern look in your bathroom.

If you want an ultra-modern look, choose dark, oversized hexagon tiles and impress your guests with an unexpected, classy look, as shown below.

You can also add a touch of whimsy and a modern style statement by breaking up a neutral-tiled wall with an exciting non-repeating pattern like the one below.

2. Create an European-looking bathroom with Kit Kat tiles

Kit Kat tiles are an excellent choice for creating a feature wall in the shower or behind a vanity due to their unique shape. To fully enhance its beauty, pair it with either light or dark grout to either complement or contrast the tile's colour to create a strong statement.

Take a cue from this bathroom, which features white Kit Kat tiles with grey grout. The light colour of the tiles helps to reflect more light and open up the space, and when laid vertically, it also elongates the space and makes the room appear taller. The tiles complement the terrazzo vanity counter, which adds a whimsical touch to the space.

3. Create a resort-style bathroom with wood-look tiles

Using real wood in bathrooms is a risky move as moisture can cause damage to the material. As an alternative, consider tiles that look convincingly like wooden planks as shown in the bathroom below. It offers the warmth and beauty of wood while being functional and water resistant.

The tiles are elegantly laid in a herringbone pattern, giving the room a more upscale feel. Meanwhile, the anti-slip beige floors and white walls that surround the wood-like tiles provide a visually harmonious connection between these surfaces.

4. Add some retro charm with patterned tiles

Patterned tiles are a great way to add a fun, fresh vibe to your bathroom, but they should be used sparingly - covering an entire room with patterned tiles can be overwhelming and disorienting.

Consider this stunning powder room, in which pretty vintage patterned tiles cover only one wall to create a focal point amidst plain white tiles that cover the rest of the space. Bonus points for how they’re paired with a mirror in a similar motif.

5. Add texture with 3D tiles

Consider using textured tiles in your bathroom to break up the monotony of smooth surface tiles. These tiles are ideal for bathrooms because they are durable, long-lasting, and have excellent slip resistance. Furthermore, this type of tile can create the illusion of depth.

This Zen-inspired bathroom is the ideal example to demonstrate the point. Simple slate tiles on the bathroom walls add dimension and tactile appeal, and they complement the grey tile on the floor. Meanwhile, the L-shaped sink makes this bathroom look even more unique.

6. Say yes to squares

Squared tiles are a popular choice in bathroom designs, and they can convey a high-end spa vibe. The simplicity of square tiles makes them appropriate for any home style, from minimalist to Scandinavian. They are also a good option if you want tiles with timeless appeal.

This gorgeous bathroom is a great place to unwind. It features greyscale square tiles that add a soothing touch to the room, while a large vanity mirror, small windows that let in plenty of natural light, and a glass partition makes the space feel open and spacious.

7. Create a timeless appeal with subway tiles

Classic brick-shaped subway tiles have long been the dominant style in kitchens, but they also look great in bathrooms due to several reasons. Subway tiles' glossy surface can help to brighten a space, and depending on the colour and finish, they can complement a wide range of hardware, including silver, chrome, gold, and even brushed nickel.

This bathroom shows how subway tile can brighten and make a small bathroom appear less cramped. We also liked how the designer used black grout and black floor tiles to add contrast and visual interest to the space.

8. Go for a classic, opulent look with marble

It's no secret that marble is the material du jour, and it doesn't appear to be going out of style anytime soon. Although this material can give your bathroom an opulent appearance reminiscent of luxury hotels, it is also extremely susceptible to staining. Hair dye, makeup remover, and even some soaps or lotions can leave stains on your marble bathroom. So make sure that your marble tiles are properly sealed to keep stains at bay.

We absolutely love this bathroom, which features marble tiles from floor to ceiling. By choosing a restricted colour palette of just black and white throughout (including the floor tiles) the bathroom scheme feels elegant and cohesive.

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