1. Create Calm, Coastal Chic

Whether you’re seaside or street-side, the effortlessly cool tile from celebrated designer Jeffrey Alan Marks will transform any house into a beach house. The Natural Zen Birchwood Sea Blue tile, showcased on this coastal kitchen wall, features a raised linear pattern that mimics the look and feel of painted wood.

Shop our exclusive Jeffrey Alan Marks designer collection for more breezy designs.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Tile for Every Style: Coastal Chic

2. Choose a Cool Handmade-Look Tile

The undulating tones of the Marrakesh Blue tile give this stunning kitchen backsplash a sense of gentle movement. Mimicking the hand-painted look of authentic handmade tile, its color variation adds to the tile’s artisanal appeal. We love how the glossy finish reflects the light, enhancing the cool, watery effect.

Explore our wide selection of handmade-look tile for more perfectly imperfect styles.

3. Embrace English Country Cottage Style

Like a spoonful of sugar, the Laura Ashley Wexbord Midnight tile sweetens this charming cottage-style kitchen. The delicate floral pattern—derived from the iconic British brand’s historic textile prints—adds whimsy and botanical beauty to the space.

If this delightful style is your cup of tea, explore our exclusive Laura Ashley designer collection.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Tile for Every Style: English Country Cottage

4. Pair Blue Tile With White Cabinets

This bright and cheery kitchen, designed by Bria Hammel, features the lovely Glass Periwinkle tile paired with crisp white cabinets. The soft blue backsplash provides subtle contrast, while white grout helps tie the tile into the rest of the space. We love how the light wood-toned chairs add both textural and tonal depth while maintaining the coastal color scheme.

5. Create a Picture Frame

By “framing” a favorite patterned or mosaic tile with trim, you can create a tile picture frame that offers a beautiful focal point to rest your eyes on while standing at the sink or stove. Here, the 4-D Nature tile is framed by layered pieces of Signature Slate Blue and Bianco pencil trim. The raised botanical pattern on the framed tile adds texture and interest to the Signature Slate Blue subway tile backsplash.

MORE TO EXPLORE | How to Elevate Your Space With Trim

6. Get in the Groove

The concentric oblong circles of the Elipse Azul tile make a mesmerizingly stylish backsplash. This groovy patterned tile (also available in black-and-blue Preto) can be installed in a variety of layouts to create a personalized design.

Shop our wide selection of patterned tile for the look that expresses your personal style—whether you prefer a gorgeous floral or a bold geometric.

7. Add a Historical Pattern

Derived from iconic British designer William Morris’s historic wallpaper patterns, our exclusive Morris & Co. collection brings royal English design into American homes. Here, the Morris & Co. James Wandle River tile features a beautifully ornate botanical pattern inspired by the motif used for wallpaper at St. James’s Palace. We love how it pairs elegantly with white cabinets and marble countertops, but it would look equally stunning with warm wood cabinetry.

8. Make Waves

The curved design of the Wave Blue Reef tile adds a soft, fluid touch to this charming backsplash. Its unique shape and deep sapphire hue give the tile (also available in Grey Owl, Old Cream and White) brilliant visual appeal. Offering a variety of layout possibilities, you can pair it with contrasting grout to highlight the pattern and watch as the glossy surface reflects the light like gentle waves.

9. Create Artisanal Excellence

Crafted, painted and glazed by hand, authentic Zellige tile is made by skilled artisans using ancient Moroccan techniques. Here, the deep blue Zellige Azul tile brings depth and character to this counter-to-ceiling backsplash.

Shop our wide selection of Zellige tile for more traditional shapes, colors and finishes.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Counter-to-Ceiling Kitchen Backsplash Tile Ideas

10. Make Your Backsplash the Star

This cozy-chic kitchen, designed by @georgesonstyle, captures modern farmhouse style with its wood cabinets, open shelving, white subway tile, and Star Blue patterned tile stove backsplash. The Americana-inspired design sets the cooking area apart while maintaining visual continuity with the rest of the space.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Tile for Every Style: Modern Farmhouse

11. Marvel With Midcentury Modern Design

With its sleek silhouettes and earthy tones, midcentury modern design remains a favorite decorating style—even as we approach the mid-21st century. Our new Stoneware collection by Fired Earth celebrates this classic look with five subway tiles: Indigo Spruce, Linen Brick, Powder White and Rainwashed (shown).

MORE TO EXPLORE | Tile for Every Style: Midcentury Modern

12. Choose Checkerboard for a Design Win

Classic and chic, a checkerboard pattern makes a winning play on this stylish backsplash. The Laura Park Bespoke tile in Aegean Blue and White is installed in an alternating diagonal design for a sense of dynamic movement that hopscotches across this stunning backsplash.

Explore our specially curated checkerboard pairings for a design checkmate!

MORE TO EXPLORE | Unique and Unexpected Checkerboard Tile Ideas

13. Make Your Space Shine With Glass Tile

Naturally reflective, glass tile can brighten your cooking space—perfect for small backsplashes. This stylish kitchen, designed by Riemer Kitchens and Fine Cabinetry, features Winter Morning glass tile. The cool greyish-blue tones of the tile become brilliant when light hits the glass, like sunlight playing off the surface of a cool pool of water.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Stunning Glass Tile Ideas for Kitchen Backsplashes

14. Add Captivating Movement With Chevron Tile

The zigzag lines created by the V-shaped chevron tile add a playful sense of movement to this beautiful kitchen. The Alto Midnight tile features grey, dark- and light-blue chevron pieces that draw the eye across the width of the counter. Though it works well with white cabinets, the bowl of lemons proves that this bold design would also look stunning paired with brightly colored cabinetry.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Small Kitchen Backsplash Tile Ideas With Maximum Style

15. Think Beyond the Backsplash

In another charming example of modern farmhouse design, this I SPY DIY–designed kitchen features Look Avio subway tile on the kitchen island. The dark blue handmade-look tile complements the rest of the kitchen—the Nuovo Riad Bianco backsplash tile also has a handmade look—while adding its own visual complexity, bringing cool tones to this warm-colored space.

16. Add Mediterranean Style

Design has the power to transport you—with the right tile, your suburban American kitchen can become a Mediterranean villa. That’s exactly the feeling this stunning kitchen, featuring the Catania Blue tile, evokes. The undulating turquoise-and-green-toned tile recalls the sea, while the bronze range hood would feel at home in a Spanish kitchen.

17. Make It Cool With Gunmetal Blue

With as many shades as there are gallons of water in the sea—from moody grey-blue to brilliant sky—you’re sure to find the exact tone for your space. Dark and greyish, the Signature Gunmetal Gloss tile offers a sophisticated tone, perfect for an elegant transitional space, like this Timber Trails–designed kitchen. We love how this stately blue pairs with crisp white cabinets.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Tile for Every Style: Transitional Design

18. Make a Tonal Shift With Turquoise Tile

Blue’s tropical cousin, turquoise, is bright and cool, with vibrant blue-green tones that make your space a standout. Here, the Zellige Turquoise Gloss petite subway tile adds stunning color variation and handcrafted elegance to this chic kitchen backsplash.

Discover more vivid shades in our wide selection of turquoise tile.

Bring Your Dream Space to Life!

Updating your space is easier than you think! Shop our wide assortment of kitchen backsplash and blue tile to find your perfect style, and check out our guide on how to tile your backsplash yourself. Need more assistance? Visit your local Tile Shop showroom, where you’ll find the tile, tools and expert advice you need to get started.

The post 18 Brilliant Blue Kitchen Tile Ideas appeared first on The Tile Shop Blog.

1. Choose a Cool Blue

Stunning greyish blue tile surrounds this tub, creating a chic design with Timber Trails. The Signature Slate Blue gloss subway tile, installed in a brick-lay pattern, is accentuated with white grout. The result is a clean, composed space that keeps its cool, even in a warm bath.

From bright sky to deep navy, you’ll find a shade to suit your style in our wide selection of blue tile.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Our Best Blue Bathroom Tile Design Ideas

2. Match Your Modern Farmhouse Decor

Fashionably homey, modern farmhouse design celebrates elevated simplicity and a connection to rural roots. This bathroom, designed by I SPY DIY, embodies those ideals with a sleek surround featuring the Metro Bianco Gloss subway tile. The right-angled herringbone pattern adds dynamic movement to the space, enhanced by contrasting black grout. Blush-painted walls and a gossamer shower curtain infuse the space with a romantic sensibility, but the versatile tile design makes it easy to update by swapping out accessories.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Charming Modern Farmhouse Bathroom Tile Ideas

3. Surround Yourself With Luxury

Ultra-luxe slab design is often created using a single block of stone, which can be both expensive and difficult to install. Achieve this high-end aesthetic on a more modest budget with our new selection of porcelain panel tub kits. Each kit includes two 30″ x 64″ panels and two 32″ x 64″ panels that mimic the size and appearance of large pieces of real marble at a more accessible price point. The Calacatta White tub kit, shown here, replicates luxurious white marble with bold, realistic veining—delivering refined Mediterranean style for under $1,000 per kit.

4. Don’t Forget the Details

A bathtub surround offers a wide canvas–make the most of it with beautiful and intentional details, like the marble corner shelves and tiled picture frame featured in this elegant bathroom designed by LoPiccolo Contracting. The focal point is created by “framing” the Hampton Niles marble mosaic tile with a single layer of Hampton Carrara Somerset. This exquisite design detail highlights a favorite patterned or mosaic tile that might be overwhelming if used throughout the entire space. The Hampton Carrara corner shelves* provide stylish storage, eliminating the need for a bulky shower caddy.

*This tile is no longer available; achieve a similar look with Calacatta Evora corner shelf.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Stunning White Bathroom Tile Designs

5. Soak in Sophistication with Warm Neutral Tile

Here is another example of our new porcelain tile tub kits, available in four distinct marble looks: Calacatta White, Mastersone White, Statuario Nuovo and Max Rapolano (shown here). The creamy ivory tones infuse the space with warmth and contemporary style. The coordinating 12″ x 24″ Max Rapolano Ivory floor tile completes the look, creating a sense of quiet luxury and filling the space with rich serenity.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Tile for Every Style: Quiet Luxury

6. Get it Straight (Stack)

Everything is stacked in this sleek bathroom’s favor. The Villa White Gloss tile is installed in a vertical straight stack, adding height to the walls and offering a chic, contemporary look. Slightly contrasting grey grout highlights the clean lines of this simple layout and provides a visual throughline to the Bronx tile in Acero and Gris arranged in a checkerboard pattern on the bathroom floor.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Timeless Subway Tile Bathroom Design Ideas

7. Tile the Tub Apron

Extending your tub surround to the tub apron creates a unified space that displays your style–even when the shower curtain is drawn. This lovely space, designed by Steph Cotherman Creative, features the Argile White Matte wall tile. The perfectly imperfect details of the handmade-look tile lend visual texture through purposeful variations in color and edge from piece to piece. The result is an understated grandeur that both soothes and invigorates the senses.

Shop our wide selection of handmade-look tile to achieve this artisanal aesthetic. 👉

8. Showcase Your Style With Patterned Tile

An expressive patterned tile infuses your space with personality in the form of durable and waterproof porcelain or ceramic. Here, the Nikki Chu Zulu Pumice tile (inspired by the celebrity designer’s popular wallpaper) brings bold, graphic design to this fashion-forward bathroom. Paired with the Nikki Chu Luxor Pumice subway tile on the far wall, the soft beige background and bold hand-drawn-look pattern add decoration while maintaining a neutral space.

If you love this eclectic, global style, shop our exclusive Nikki Chu designer collection. 👉

MORE TO EXPLORE | Ultra-Stylish Neutral Shower Tile Ideas

9. Create a Relaxing Atmosphere with Dark Tile

Cool and modern, dark grey or black tile exudes sleek sophistication–as evident in this sharply styled bathroom designed by Timber Trails. The Imperial Pewter Frame Gloss subway tile features a slightly reflective, glossy finish that catches the light and highlights its chic raised “frame” edge. The black tub surround contrasts beautifully with the white walls and white-with-black-polka-dot hex tile floor. This simple color scheme allows for styling versatility–a few well-placed colorful accessories would really stand out in this space.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Brilliant Black Shower Tile Ideas

10. Extend the Tile to the Ceiling

If your shower space is on the short side, you can create the illusion of height by extending your tub surround tile to the ceiling. This elegant shower, designed by Yellow Brick Home, takes the Firenze Carrara tile up the angled ceiling to draw the eye upward and create a continuous space within the tub and shower area. We love how the marble tile is also used as wainscoting in the main bathroom area.

Updating your space is easier than you think!

Shop our wide assortment of bathroom tile to find your perfect style, and explore our extended list of bathroom tile ideas for more inspiration. Need more assistance? Visit your local Tile Shop showroom, where you’ll find the tile, tools and expert advice you need to get started.

The post 10 Chic & Unique Tub Surround Tile Ideas appeared first on The Tile Shop Blog.

1. Keep it Simple…and Chic!

A backsplash staple, white subway tile is a timeless classic with endless versatility. This modern farmhouse kitchen, designed by Esslinger Design Co., features a Signature Bianco Gloss tile backsplash behind open wood shelves. The simple brick-lay tile provides a neutral background, allowing the dark green range hood and brass swing-arm sconce light fixtures to stand out.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Tile for Every Style: Modern Farmhouse

2. Create a Stylish Slab Look

A backsplash crafted from a large block of stone is a popular feature of high-end design, but you can achieve this look on a more modest budget with large format tile. These supersized tiles (defined as any tile with one side longer than 23″ with styles up to 48″ x 48″) mimic the appearance of a single piece of stone while offering the durability and easy maintenance of ceramic or porcelain. As demonstrated in this contemporary kitchen, a counter-to-ceiling backsplash featuring extra-large marble-look tile makes your space feel expansive as well as elevated.

3. Show Off Your Style with a Graphic Pattern

Patterned tile offers the ornamentation of wallpaper with the superior protection of ceramic or porcelain. Perfect for adding design to a mess-prone backsplash, patterned tile can easily be stretched to the height of your wall to further celebrate your style. This fashionable kitchen features the graphic-patterned Nikki Chu Tangier Graphite tile. The eclectic hand-drawn print is bold in its simplicity, adding definition to the space while allowing flexibility to swap out accessories and change paint colors for easy updates.

Discover more unique, fashion-forward designs in our exclusive Nikki Chu collection.

4. Display Your Taste with Diamond-Shaped Tile

When your tile covers a large area, choosing a design that creates a sense of movement and rich visual texture not only makes your space feel more expansive but also adds interest. This can be achieved through pattern, shape or material. This beautiful kitchen features the Africa Tempesta Polished Wheaton tile, a diamond- and chevron-shaped mosaic made from vividly veined marble. The zigzag pattern, combined with the grey and beige veining, draws the eye up the wall, creating the illusion of height and adding a touch of luxury.

Shop diamond-shaped tile for more brilliant designs. 👉

5. Tile the Range Hood

When you have a tile as elegant and expressive as the Firenze Calacatta marble subway tile, you’ll want to display it without interruption. That’s exactly what Christie Juncaj did in her magnificent contemporary kitchen. By using the tile to disguise the range hood, the kitchen maintains a cohesive appearance from the counter to the ceiling and across the wall.

6. Showcase Mid-Century Modern Design

Even if you don’t have an A-frame house, you can embrace the simple sophistication of mid-century modern style with The Tile Shop’s new Stoneware collection from Fired Earth. Featuring a sleek, elongated subway format in five retro-inspired colorways, these tiles celebrate the best of 20th-century design. Here, the Stoneware Rainwashed tile runs along the expanse from the counter to the tip of the angled ceiling, creating a vibrant statement wall that feels contemporary while evoking a vintage appeal.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Tile for Every Style: Midcentury Modern

7. Marvel with a Mosaic Tile

Perhaps counterintuitively, a small-format mosaic tile can have the same space-widening effect as a large-format tile. The petite pieces provide visual texture that draws the eye across a space, adding depth and a sense of movement. This charming kitchen, designed by @dwellwithmichelle, features the Hex Matte White with Black Flowers mosaic. The repeated retro floral pattern guides the eye up the wall, while the open shelving makes the space feel light and airy.

8. Create a Work of Art

A tall backsplash allows for creative use of the space behind your stove or kitchen sink. Take advantage of the expanse by showcasing a beautiful patterned or mosaic tile within a tiled picture frame. Using trim to “frame” the decorative tile, this design technique elevates your space while providing a pleasing focal point you can admire while cooking and cleaning. This elegant transitional kitchen features the Morris & Co. Pure Net Cloud Grey tile, framed by a double layer of Firenze Carrara Somerset trim.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Tile for Every Style: Transitional Design

9. Achieve Artisanal Excellence

Zellige tile is handcrafted using ancient techniques, ensuring that each tile is authentically unique. Showcasing this singular tile from counter to ceiling creates a one-of-a-kind backsplash that celebrates artistry. This chic kitchen, designed by Fox Homes, features the Zellige White Gloss tile. The square format aligns with contemporary design, while the traditional craftsmanship connects it to the past.

10. Embrace English Cottage Style

Put the kettle on and take in this charming kitchen backsplash featuring the Laura Ashley Wexbord Fresh Green tile. With a whimsical floral motif inspired by historic prints from the iconic British brand’s archive, this patterned tile is made to be displayed. We love how it pairs with white cabinets, but a bold blue or sunny yellow would look equally delightful.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Tile for Every Style: English Country Cottage

11. Showcase Your Stove

If your kitchen cabinets cover most of your counter-to-ceiling space, the area behind the stove might be the only place to showcase this design trend. However, even this limited space can deliver big results, as is evident in this stylish kitchen designed by Georgia Pepperberry Interior Design. The Liria Negro tile adds a pattern that helps to highlight the stove and the dark copper range hood. The use of white subway tile below the white cabinets prevents the room from feeling too busy and ensures the stove remains the star of the show.

12. Make “Hex-Cellent” Choices

The six-sided hexagon is a classic tile shape that’s surprisingly versatile. Available in a variety of sizes, colors and materials, hex tile offers a wealth of possibilities and timeless design. This contemporary kitchen features the Royal White polished marble hex tile. The stone’s natural tonal variation, combined with the tile’s shape, gives the backsplash a sense of movement that draws the eye up the wall.

13. Tile Above the Cabinets

Your wall cabinets don’t have to define your backsplash. This elegant kitchen takes the Cheverny Blanc patterned encaustic tile to the ceiling by tiling the space above the cabinets. The result is a stunning statement wall that maintains a sense of continuity.

14. Go Retro

An expanded backsplash offers a unique opportunity to showcase your style. This groovy kitchen, designed by Total 360 Interiors, embraces flower-power ideals with the Star Olive/Grey Encaustic tile. The bold, bright geometric floral pattern exudes 70s vibes, while the modern stainless steel appliances and sleek white cabinets ground this space firmly in this century.

15. Create Contrast

Contrasting colors–whether they be classic black-and-white or contemporary neutral-and-bright–add depth to your space. This chic kitchen, designed by Timber Trails, features Noir limestone tile installed with contrasting white grout. In addition to complementing the white cabinetry and window frame, the white grout lines highlight the tile’s classic brick-lay pattern. By extending the tile to the ceiling, the designer enhances the dramatic effect of the stark contrast.

16. Find Historic Inspiration

Popular in the Victorian era, tin tiles were embossed with decorative patterns, adding both texture and visual interest. The 19th-century-inspired Victoria Gris Fonce tile (this tile is no longer available; achieve a similar look with Antigua Lis Black tile) features the characteristic raised pattern in a durable ceramic format. Here, You Neek Designs updates Victorian aesthetics for a contemporary kitchen. The tin-look tiles behind the stove are flanked by white subway tile, another popular style of the era. However, the Fired Earth Designs Homespun tile’s handmade look and the horizontal straight-stack layout add a modern twist. Extending the subway tile behind the open wooden shelving makes this design feel fresh.

17. Add Movement With a Herringbone Pattern

If you love the sleek, chic silhouette of subway tile but want a more dynamic design, consider installing your favorite tile in a herringbone layout. The zigzag pattern of this classic format evokes a sense of movement by drawing the eye both up and across the space. We love how this backsplash, designed by Twigg + Lu Design Company, uses the Look Oliva subway tile as both a backsplash and window frames.

18. Choose Classically Chic Chevron Tile

Another classic tile pattern that adds dynamic interest, chevron tile offers the same zigzag as herringbone, but with tiles specially cut to form the characteristic V-shape. This elegant kitchen, designed by Accent on Cabinets, features the Bianco Puro Honed Chevron tile. The luxurious white marble enhances the sophistication of this gold-accented white kitchen.

19. Add Rustic Details

You probably wouldn’t put real wood behind your stovetop, but wood-look porcelain or ceramic tile offers the contemporary rustic aesthetic of a cabin in an easy-to-clean, flame-retardant material. Available in a range of realistic designs–like the distressed Colonial Wood White Brillo tile shown here–wood-look tile makes your kitchen feel rugged without sacrificing modern conveniences.

20. Reflect Your Style

Glass tile’s naturally reflective surface adds brightness and depth to your space. This contemporary kitchen, designed by Riemer Kitchens and Fine Cabinetry, features the Winter Morning glass tile. The light playing across the surface makes the small backsplash feel more expansive. While it looks amazing in this bright and open kitchen, glass tile would also help illuminate a space that doesn’t receive much natural light.

Updating your space is easier than you think! Shop our wide assortment of kitchen backsplash tiles to find your perfect style. If you’re up to tackling a DIY project, check out our guide on how to tile your backsplash yourself. Need more assistance? Visit your local Tile Shop showroom, where you’ll find the tile, tools and expert advice you need to get started.

The post 20 Counter-to-Ceiling Kitchen Backsplash Tile Ideas appeared first on The Tile Shop Blog.

Even a small space can feel luxurious with the right tile. From sleek porcelain slabs to beautiful mosaics and vibrant patterns, these 12 shower tile ideas will refresh and rejuvenate your limited square footage.

Discover a wealth of possibilities for wet spaces in our expansive selection of shower tile.

1. Surround Yourself With Seamless Luxury

Create a lush, opulent space with oversized porcelain panels. Available individually or in four-piece shower kits, these 32″ x 94″ panels mimic the look of a single stone slab with minimal grout lines, creating a near-seamless finish that makes a small space feel larger—bonus: they’re also easier to clean.

Exuding high-end elegance, this chic bathroom features the Masterstone White panel throughout. A crisp white background with a contemporary mix of beige and grey veining creates a rich stone look and a soothing atmosphere, enhanced by sleek brass fixtures.

Shop porcelain panels in all four exquisite stone looks: Masterstone White, Calacatta White, Max Rapolano Ivory and Statuario Nuovo.

2. Find a Fashion-Forward Focus

A bold accent wall in muted neutrals is the focal point of this fashionable shower. Featuring a hand-drawn geometric design, Nikki Chu Zulu Cement tile (also available in Pumice [beige] and Graphite [black]) is installed in a dynamic zigzag pattern that draws the eye up and across, giving the small space a sense of expansiveness. On the side walls, coordinating Nikki Chu Mrembo Honed stone-look tile echoes the palette of the patterned tile.

If you love this sophisticated, globally inspired design, explore our exclusive Nikki Chu designer collection.

MORE SHOWER TILE IDEAS

Gorgeous Grey Shower Tile Ideas

Ultra-Stylish Neutral Shower Tile Ideas

Fabulous Black & White Shower Tile Ideas

Brilliant Black Shower Tile Ideas

Stunning Shower Tile Design Ideas

3. Add Stylish Utility

At the intersection of form and function sits the shower niche—a recessed shelf designed to store your toiletries in style. Perfect for keeping essentials from cluttering a small shower, a niche also provides an opportunity to showcase a decorative patterned or mosaic tile. Here, Laura Park Cosmo Aegean Blue tile is on elegant display, surrounded by coordinating Laura Park Seaside Marble tile.

Designed to complement, the vibrant patterns and calming colors of our exclusive Laura Park designer collection will add artistry to your space.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Introducing The Tile Shop x Laura Park

4. White Tile Shower Ideas for Small Bathrooms

Crisp and clean, white tile is an excellent choice for showers. This bright, invigorating bathroom features Kelli Fontana Tommas Classico marble look tile (also available in grey-veined Carrara). The raised fluted pattern casts soft shadows that shift with the changing light, giving the space a dynamic sense of movement. Run your hand over the gently rounded flutes to awaken your senses in the morning or calm your nerves at the end of a long day.

If you love the whimsical, romantic look of this space—note the checkered Kelli Fontana Inlay Proper floor tile in Eden Ode and Florence Lace—explore our exclusive Kelli Fontana designer collection.

5. Create a Playful Pattern

Kids’ bathrooms can be tricky to style—you want a design that can grow with them or transition into a guest bath over time. Hand Makes Home strikes the right balance between playfulness and sophistication in this charming bathroom designed for her young boys. Glass subway tiles in White, Storm and Light Blu are installed in a custom pattern that infuses the space with cheerful energy.

To create a similar pattern of your own, explore our wide selection of subway tile.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Playful Kids’ Bathroom Tile Ideas

MORE BATHROOM TILE IDEAS

Small Bathroom Tile Ideas

Stunning White Bathroom Tile Ideas

Timeless Subway Bathroom Tile Ideas

Wellness-Focused Bathroom Ideas

6. Add Abstract Expressions

Designed to emulate glazed pottery, the Jeffrey Alan Marks Big Sur Sea Spray tile (also available in Off the Hook [blue]) brings expressive movement to this coastal chic shower. Tonally complementing the blue-green Look Avio subway tile on the adjoining wall, this vibrant tile adds rich visual interest—perfect for elevating a small space.

For more relaxed, coastal-inspired designs, explore our exclusive Jeffrey Alan Marks designer collection.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Cool & Calming Coastal Chic Bathroom Tile Ideas

7. Go for a Design Checkmate!

A classic pattern making a major play in contemporary design, checkerboard is a versatile look that enlivens and elevates any space. While black-and-white squares remain a staple, there are many creative takes on the pattern that add an unexpected twist.

Here, handmade Zellige tile in Azul (dark blue) and Light Grey brings a new dimension to the design. The sides of the shower are tiled in Zellige Azul as well, with the glossy surface reflecting the checkerboard pattern on the far wall, making the space feel more expansive.

If you love this authentic, handcrafted look, explore our wide selection of Zellige tile. Or explore our newly expanded selection of checkerboard pairings for an easy play.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Unique and Unexpected Checkerboard Tile Ideas

8. Break Up the Space

Pairing Villa Cool Grey Gloss subway tile and large format Macula Matte tile, this chic shower layout adds a sense of height and expansiveness to the small space. Featuring lush grey veining, the marble look tile along the bottom half of the space creates a sense of movement that draws the eye across the room. On the top half, the subway tile, installed in a vertical straight stack, directs the eye upward, making the wall feel taller.

Stylish and affordable, these tiles prove you don’t need to break the bank to create a stunning space. Discover even more beautiful looks for any budget in our expansive selection of tile under $7.

Pro Tip: Requiring fewer grout lines, large format tile (defined as any tile with one side larger than 23″) will make your small space look and feel bigger.

9. Put in a Picture Frame

Created by “framing” a patterned or mosaic tile with trim, a tile picture frame is a great way to add definition to your small shower. Typically installed around the shower head and handle, this elegant feature provides a captivating focal point while you bathe. Here, the Shapes Elongated Hex Off White Two Tone mosaic tile is framed with three layers of Signature trim (Denim Gloss London and Pencil, and Gris Square Pencil). This decorative detail remains tonally consistent with the Signature Denim Gloss subway tile, enhancing the space’s cool coastal feel.

Discover elevated basics designed for mixing and matching in our exclusive Signature tile collection.

MORE TO EXPLORE | How to Elevate Your Space With Trim

TILE FOR EVERY STYLE

Coastal Chic

Modern Farmhouse

Japandi

Boho Chic

10. Bathe Your Space In Natural Stone

Small spaces are the perfect place to invest in natural stone. Inherently beautiful, marble, travertine, slate and limestone offer rich details that ensure your space is truly unique. Stone collections include coordinating field, mosaic and trim pieces, so you can achieve a unified look across your entire space.

This lovely shower features Volakas tile throughout. The field tile on the left wall is the same stone used in the Alison Victoria Elia Honed leaf-shaped mosaic on the right wall. A coordinating shower seat provides a place to rest, hold toiletries or assist with shaving.

Explore the rich offerings available in the Tile Shop-exclusive natural stone collections: Volakas, Hampton Carrara, Calacata Evora, Legno, Firenze and more.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Marvelous Marble Tile Bathroom Ideas

11. Create Your Forever Space with Universal Design

Bringing the principles of universal design into your bathroom will help you enjoy it—and your home—longer. Features like a curbless entry, grab bars and shower seats and benches help ease bathing for people with mobility challenges, and add comfort and value to your home.

This shower floor showcases another universal design feature. A tiled “rug” of Laura Park Watercolor Marble herringbone tile is installed in the center of the shower, providing a visual and textural guide, while the many grout joints between the mosaic pieces add traction, reducing slip hazards.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Ideas to Equip Your Bathroom for Aging in Place

12. Consider Your Grout

Don’t overlook one of the most essential elements of your tile design. Grout, whether tonally contrasting or complementary, can make a big impact even in small spaces. A contrasting grout will highlight your layout, while a complementary grout will create a softer look.

Here, Whisper Grey grout peeks out between Signature Bianco Gloss tile. The muted tone matches the Hampton Carrara tile used in the shower niche, creating a tonally consistent visual throughline between the walls and trim.

Pro Tip: Consider your cleaning routine when selecting grout. White grout shows dirt more readily, black grout can highlight soap scum, while grey or beige grout will stay looking clean longer.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Tips to Nail Your Grout Color and Design

Let’s Create a Space You’ll Love!

Ready to update your small shower? It’s easier than ever to make your design dreams a reality with our free design services. Or, explore even more small shower spaces on our Customer Room Gallery and Instagram!

Small Bathroom & Shower Tile FAQs

What is the best tile to use for a small shower?

As with any space, the best tile to use is the one that most appeals to you. Since the shower is often one of the first spaces you enter in the morning, choosing a pattern, style or material that makes you feel refreshed and invigorated can help you start your day off right. Alternatively, if you’re a nighttime showerer, a soothing, relaxing look can help you wind down.

What is the best color tile for a small bathroom?

Light-colored tile can make your space feel more open and airy, but if your bathroom has plenty of natural light, you can opt for a darker tile. A highly reflective finish, such as a glossy jewel-toned tile, will help bounce light around the space even if the tile itself is darker.

What tile makes a small shower look bigger?

There are many ways to create a feeling of expansiveness in a small space. Large format tile requires fewer grout lines, making a space feel and appear larger (as do oversized porcelain slabs). Perhaps counterintuitively, small-format mosaic tile can also trick the eye into perceiving a space as larger, as it gives the eye more detail to take in.

Layout can also impact perception. Subway tile can create the illusion of height when installed vertically, or width when installed horizontally.

The post 12 Small Bathroom Shower Tile Ideas appeared first on The Tile Shop Blog.

1. Create a Statement Wall Masterpiece

This expressively original tile from celebrated designer Jeffrey Alan Marks takes its inspiration from glazed pottery. Atop a cream-colored matte base, the abstract glossy blue with patina design captures the light as it moves across the room. The Big Sur tiles are available in Sea Spray and Off the Hook (shown here) and include six distinct tile faces that offer countless design possibilities.

2. Add Visual Texture With Textile-Inspired Designs

This delightful bathroom demonstrates how pattern can create texture to your space. The raised woven design of the Annie Selke Crosshatch Soft Pink tile invokes the soft look of textiles, which is echoed in background of the charming bird mural. The effect is a tactile space that is at once elegant and inviting.

3. Showcase Your Personality with a Distinctive Design

The open edged-pattern of the Nikki Chu Zulu Graphite tile allows for creativity in designing a layout. The tile faces can be installed any way you desire– end to end for a circular pattern, facing the same way for an orderly line of arches, or in alternating patterns as shown here. Whatever way you choose, this globally inspired design will create a distinctly modern space. Shop our new and exclusive Nikki Chu collection for more bold and eclectic styles.

4. Fill Your Space With Whimsical Charm

Pour a cup of tea and delight in “English cottage” style. Evoking drawing rooms straight out of a Jane Austen novel, the Laura Ashley Wexbord Midnight tile (also available in Fresh Green) is based on historic prints from the iconic British brand. This delicate floral motif would also look stunning in a “modern farmhouse” design. Shop our exclusive Laura Ashley collection for more charming patterns.

5. Create Interest: Stripe Shower Tile Pattern Ideas

A tiled picture frame or stripe, like the one created here using the Trois Bandes geometric patterned tile, will give your shower a natural focal point. While this look can be created with any tile placed within a trim border, showcasing a favorite patterned tile will add an artistic flair to your space.

6. Show Off Your Artistic Side with a Tiled Picture Frame

Like the tile stripe, a tiled picture frame is a decorative addition that will enhance any design. Most popular for showers and stove backsplashes, this feature can be used to highlight a beautiful pattern or mosaic tile. We love how this transitional kitchen uses a simple somerset trim piece to frame the Vintage Nero patterned tile.

7. Decorate Your Niche With a Stunning Pattern

A shower niche provides a stylish and function place to showcase a patterned tile in a small format. This shower designed by Haneen’s Haven features a double niche with the Saltus tile displayed in both. The detailed black and white nature scene has the appearance of wallpaper, creating an unexpected and highly designed moment recessed in the white subway tile wall.

8. Make a Statement With This Bathroom Tile Pattern Idea

The interlaced black squares of the Hampton Carrara Geo Mosaic with Noir tile makes an elegant focal point on this shower wall. The “pattern” in this tile is created through the repetition of intricately cut pieces of marble, and the effect is a stunning and chic statement piece full of shape and movement. Shop our full selection of mosaic tile to turn your bathroom into a masterpiece.

9. Mix a Patterned Tile With a Bold Wall Print

The Amazonia Emerald Tropic tile adorns the floor and half the wall in this vibrant bathroom designed by Bailey Li. The mix of the nature-inspired patterned hexagon tile with the bold gold leaf wallpaper on the top half of the wall, makes this space come alive with movement and greenery. For more ideas on how to infuse your space with the natural themes, materials and colors of “biophilic design,” check out this comprehensive guide.

10. Make Your Walls “Pop” With 3D Patterned Tiles

Texture and pattern are one in the same with a 3D patterned wall tile like the 4-D Nature White tile shown here. With its raised tree branch design, this tile adds a tactile dimension to this transitional kitchen backsplash. Shop our full assortment of 3D tile to discover more ideas.

11. Adorn Your Space With This Great Floor Tile Pattern Idea

If you’re short on wall space, let your floors be the canvas. Based on iconic British designer William Morris’s 19th-century wallpaper patterns, the Pure Net Black Ink tile (also available in the popular Linen and Cloud Grey colors) features an ornate floral motif that adds sophistication to this charming kitchen. For more historic designs from the founder of the Arts and Crafts movement, shop our exclusive Morris & Co. collection.

12. Create Custom Designs With These Hexagon Tile Pattern Ideas

Black and white and on-trend, this hexagon tile bathroom is custom design done right. Created using the Hex tile in Black and White paired with the Hex Matte White and Black Flower floor tile, this unique shower showcases a bold and chic pattern. We love the way the white hexagon tiles create diamond shapes in the black background tying into the black and white floral floor design without mirroring it completely.

Ready to plan your next reno? It’s easier than ever to make your design dreams a reality with our free design services. Or, explore even more whimsical patterns in real spaces on our Customer Room Gallery and Instagram!

The post 12 Chic & Unique Tile Pattern Ideas appeared first on The Tile Shop Blog.

An essential element of your tile design, trim will elevate your space whether you’re finishing a tiled edge or framing an elegant focal point. We sat down with Kirsty Froelich, Director of Design at The Tile Shop to demystify the process of choosing trim. Read on to build your confidence in choosing the finishing element to your design.

What is your approach to designing with trim?

I approach design with trim the same way I do when accessorizing a bedroom or living room, by adding layers. For example, in a bedroom you finish the bed with decorative pillows, a bedskirt, ect. The layered pieces add depth and visual interest. I apply this theory when designing with tile. You need a trim piece to finish off transitions (where two different finishes come together such as tile to painted wall), so I like to layer in pieces that will work with the overall design.

This shower niche is a great example of a layered trim border using a marble barnes and metal trim pieces.

What is the most important thing to keep in mind when

choosing trim pieces for a transition?

Ask yourself, do you want the transition to stand out or do you want it to look seamless? If you want it to stand out, select a different material or color from your main tile. If you’re looking for a seamless transition, choose a trim piece that matches your main tile.

Two examples of transitional edge. The bathroom on the left uses a REL (round edge long) tile to finish the border, matching the subway tile backsplash. The image on the right uses a marble barnes for a contrasting edge between the mosaic tile and the painted wall.

How do you approach creating a focal point with trim and

what are the benefits to creating a focal point in a space?

Creating a focal point with tile is a great way to draw attention to an area. It’s the main point of interest and is the element that first catches the eye when you enter a room. A successful tile focal point is proportional to the space you’re designing. You can add emphasis to your focal point by adding trim around it–this will make it stand out. For example, layering trim pieces around a decorative tile in a picture frame will add dimension and frame the tile.

This “picture frame” features a mosaic tile with a layered trim border. A perfect focal point for this elegant shower.

How would you advise someone to approach choosing their trim?

I think trim details are often overlooked or an afterthought. I would say, make sure you’re integrating them into the design process. This is one of the reasons why we show a variety of trim throughout our showroom vignettes. Look at the different pieces and applications to see what appeals to you. Do you want a more contemporary trim with a square edge, or do you like the softness of a rounded piece? Take time to explore the options at the same time you’re selecting your tiles.

“I approach design with trim the same way I do when accessorizing a bedroom or living room, by adding layers.”

–Kirsty Froelich, Director of Design

Do you have a favorite trim piece?

I do! I absolutely love our somerset trim pieces. It has a rounded surface and petite size, so it softens transitions and adds dimension without bulk. It’s available in a variety of materials, so it’s easy to design with. I especially love our marble somersets and decorative edging pieces. They’re a sophisticated and thoughtful way to edge tile.

This beautiful picture frame features a marble Somerset tile border.

We hope you feel more confident approaching your design. Explore our wide selection of trim and accessories to find the right finishing piece to your tile design. Want more in-depth instruction? Read our comprehensive Guide to Layering Tile Trim and Profiles. And if you need more guidance, schedule a free design consultation. Our tile experts are always on hand to help you achieve your dream space.

The post How to Elevate Your Space with Trim appeared first on The Tile Shop Blog.