While the classics—white, beige, grey and brown—remain popular, the modern neutral palette has expanded to include serene, nature-inspired blues and greens, along with striking bronze, terracotta and moody black tones. These lush yet subdued hues create visually rich tableaus that remain comfortably within neutral territory, and by layering tones, patterns and textures, you can bring stylish complexity to even the simplest color palette.

1. Add Distinct Texture

One way to add interest to a minimal color scheme is through shape and texture. This stunning shower, designed by @the_daily_diy_official, creates visual complexity with accents—the Atins Lambri Shell tile stripe and Calacatta Gold Matte Hex tile in the shower niche. While these tiles tonally complement the main Marmo Calacatta Gold wall tile, their distinct shape and texture introduce a subtle visual disruption that engages without overwhelming the senses.

2. Maintain Elegant Cohesion With a Stone Collection

Lush, luxurious and enduringly appealing, natural stone adds enjoyment and value to your home. This beautiful bathroom is bathed in Siberian Pearl marble. Featuring an ice-white background with grey and beige veining, the radiant, movement-rich pearly grey coloring creates a serene yet dynamic look. The stone design—which includes layered trim and a Niles With Grey Dot mosaic tile centerpiece—creates a uniform space that is anything but boring.

The Tile Shop’s exclusive natural stone collections include multiple styles with matching mosaics and trim, making it easy to achieve a wonderfully cohesive and timelessly elegant space—all in striking organic neutral tones. Explore this and some of our most popular collections: Bianco Colorato, Black Marquina, Firenze and Legno limestone.

3. Create Hex-cellent Designs

A classic shape experiencing a resurgence in interior design, hexagon tile enhances spaces with energetic movement and stylish silhouettes. This chic shower features the Marmaris Sunset hex, whose expressive stone-look veining brings vibrant movement to a calming neutral color scheme. By combining cool and warm neutrals, the tile’s contemporary palette adds stunning visual texture even with minimal accents.

Explore our wide selection of hexagon tile for a variety of colors, patterns and sizes to create an eye-catching design.

4. Add Rich Rust Details

Even a neutral palette can be brilliant with the right details. Tonally complementary to beige and white, rust red and terracotta enrich a color scheme without straying far from comforting neutral territory. This fashionable bathroom incorporates shades of orange to stunning effect, featuring the checkerboard Kasbah floor tile in Cross Terracotta and Star Bone, alongside the movement-rich rust veining of the Pisa Oro marble-look shower wall tile.

Explore our full selection of orange tile to introduce robust, warm tones into your neutral palette. 👉

5. Don’t Let Your Budget Limit Your Style

At The Tile Shop, we’re committed to delivering quality design for every budget. Priced under $7 per sq. ft., the Macula Matte marble-look tile and Villa Cool Grey subway tile bring lavish, affordable style to this chic shower. The soft, undulating grey tones of the handmade-look subway tile complement the expressive grey veining of the large format marble-look tile for an exquisite neutral space.

Discover our wide selection of beautiful tile for every budget and style in our Tile Under $7 collection.

6. Venture to the Dark Side

Sleek and sophisticated, black and dark steely grey tile create a wonderfully soothing mood. This fashionable shower features the Imperial Pewter Matte subway tile. This shade of soft, velvety grey is so close to black that we included it in our list of black shower tile ideas. We love how the dark grey midtones are contrasted with white grout and complemented by jet-black fixtures.

To explore a more dramatic, moody look, browse our wide selection of black tile. 👉

MORE TO EXPLORE | Brilliant Black Shower Tile Ideas

7. Create High Contrast

White and black naturally create the perfect yin-and-yang balance, enlivening your space without disrupting its tranquility. Here, Color Mind Light AC Matte subway tile on shower walls is paired with Hex Matte Black tile in the recessed niche. White grout creates a seamless backdrop on the shower walls, then gently contrasts with the black hex tile in the niche, creating a dynamic yet subtle visual texture with standout geometric simplicity.

8. Soothe With Scallops

A unique tile shape can add interest to a simple color scheme. From scallops and waves to leaves, stars, and crosses, an unexpected silhouette can enliven your space by offering a welcome deviation from the routine. Designed by @malloryandrewsinteriors, this stunning shower wall features the Tortona White tile. The scalloped edge lends softness, while the diagonal installation adds an unexpected twist, creating visual distinction even as the complementary grout maintains a nuanced design. The look is so original that carrying it through into the shower niche—where you might expect a different tile—feels both organic and playful.

9. Pick a Pretty Penny

Small but mighty, penny round tile packs a major design punch, as shown in this deceptively simple shower designed by @onecottageway. Large stripes of tightly packed Penny Round tile in Matte White and Milk create a subtle tonal shift, giving the shower an air of understated elegance. If you look closely, you’ll notice the tile also extends onto the bathroom wall, creating a cohesive space with gentle movement that feels expansive.

10. Layer In Coastal Vibes

Warm off-white and cool denim-blue hues blend together to create this sea-meets-shore coastal chic dream space. The Signature Denim Gloss subway and London and Pencil trim tiles are layered around a picture frame of Shapes Elongated Hex Off White Two Tone mosaic tile, finished with a subtle layer of Signature Oatmeal Gloss Square Pencil trim. The muted oceanic tones create a calming atmosphere that’ll transform any house into a beach house—whether you’re East Coast, West Coast or no coast.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Tile for Every Style: Coastal Chic

11. Showcase a Beautiful Motif

By framing a patterned or mosaic tile with trim, you can create a decorative focal point that adds interest to your shower wall without overwhelming the space. If bold, bright designs aren’t your style, opt for an elegant neutral motif, like the Kelli Fontana Inlay Proper Naples Beach tile shown here. Featuring an ornate white floral pattern on a soft travertine-look background, this tile is fancy without being flamboyant.

Love this romantic, feminine aesthetic? Explore our exclusive Kelli Fontana designer collection for more of her signature bold, classic and whimsical designs.

12. Pair Natural Stone With Stone-Look Tile

Natural stone comes in a range of neutral tones—from crisp white to deep black—making marble, travertine, slate and limestone excellent choices for a neutral shower design. If you love the one-of-a-kind character of stone but want to stretch your budget or simplify maintenance, try pairing the real thing with marble-look porcelain or ceramic tile.

This tasteful wet room, designed by West Bay Homes, features Claros Siler hex floor tile and Atlanta White porcelain wall tile. We love how the lush, complex silver and beige tones of the stone contrast with the thin grey veining in the wall tile.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Wonderfully Luxurious Wet Room Tile Ideas

13. Keep It Classy With Black and White

This stylish color-blocked shower is black and white and fabulous all over. Like a well-tailored tux, Lanse Matte Picket tile in Black and White suits the space with striking contrast and crisp horizontal and diagonal lines. Installed with matching grout, the unique picket shape—named for the pointed fence posts it resembles—is subtle but distinct, while the matte finish gives the space a sleek, contemporary appeal.

Discover more dynamic designs when you shop picket tile. 👉

14. Surround Yourself With Spa-Like Serenity

Achieve the luxurious, relaxing feel of expansive stone slabs in a durable, easy-to-maintain format with oversized porcelain panels. Available individually or in complete shower and tub surround kits, these opulent designs mimic real stone and require even fewer grout lines than large-format tile, creating a near-seamless finish throughout your space.

In this spa-worthy bathroom, Masterstone White panels are installed in the shower and behind the vanity, filling the space with soft beige and gray tones for a chic, realistic marble effect. The hexagon-shaped mirror, floating vanity, and tapered sconces add contemporary contrast to this timeless tableau.

Shop porcelain panel shower kits in all four on-trend styles: Masterstone White, Calacatta White, Statuario Nuovo and Max Rapolano.

15. “Paint” Your Walls With Relaxing Pastels

Inspired by her original watercolors, our exclusive Laura Park designer collaboration is filled with painterly designs and soothing color palettes. This gorgeous shower showcases the Laura Park Seaside Marble porcelain tile, which pairs realistic stone veining with vibrant blue tones that evoke the ocean—an inspiration for many of Park’s designs. The floor and the side of the shower bench are tiled with the coordinating Herringbone mosaic, adding both visual movement and traction underfoot.

16. Luxuriate in Lush White Marble

Crisp, creamy white marble epitomizes relaxing luxury, as in this lavish shower featuring expressively veined Volakas marble. Abundant with natural movement, the corner-to-corner marble tile feels both elegant and distinctive. We love how it’s paired with a brass shower fixture for a sleek, contemporary look.

For a wealth of coordinating options, explore this and our other exclusive white marble tile collections: Arctic White, Bianco Puro, Calacata Evora and Hampton Carrara.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Stunning White Bathroom Tile Designs

17. Stimulate Your Senses With Pebble Tile

The raised contours of the White Pebbles tile provide a subtle foot massage as you enter this ruggedly refined shower. Tumbled for softness and visual depth, each stone contributes to a mosaic full of natural texture. Its subdued beige‑and‑white palette feels earthy yet understated, infusing the space with a calm, spa‑like serenity.

18. Add Natural Appeal With Wood-Look Tile

Wood may not be the best material choice for a shower, but you can achieve the same look with water-resistant porcelain or ceramic wood-look tile. Whether your aesthetic is rugged or refined, this look complements a range of contemporary and traditional styles.

This stately shower features Rovere Honey tile, whose realistic woodgrain details create wonderful visual texture. We how the organic feel of these long porcelain “planks” contrasts with the geometric stripe of Trois Bandes black-and-white patterned tile.

19. Add Fashion-Forward Design

Eclectic, globally inspired designs and a fashion-forward neutral color palette define our exclusive collaboration with celebrity designer Nikki Chu. This stylish shower features two of her tiles: the Tangier Cement patterned tile and the Mrembo Polished marble-look large format tile. The crisp, hand-drawn geometric motif adds movement and visual interest, complemented by the warm white background and subtle grey veining of the stone-look tile. Notice how the polished surface reflects the pattern at the corners of the shower, adding dimension and giving the small space an expansive feel.

Explore the Nikki Chu collection for more lavish, easily coordinating looks.

20. Go Green

Green might not be the first color that comes to mind when you think of a neutral color palette, but we’d like to make a case for including this lush, serene hue in the category. While bright shades of lime and kelly green can feel more invigorating than calming, a dark forest or soft mint green brings a subdued—yet still vibrant—tone to your space.

Providing a connection to nature that stimulates the senses, the deep emerald tones of the Alison Victoria Gem marble mosaic tile are cut through with thin beige veining, softening the dark surface. These expressive tones are perfectly complemented by the bold green and beige veining in the Marradi Calacatta Emerald marble-look tile featured in the shower niche. The result is a space that is at once restful and rejuvenating.

If this space turns you green with envy, explore our wide assortment of green tile. 👉

21. Add Handcrafted Character

Crafted, painted and glazed by hand, each Zellige tile is one of a kind, infusing your space with truly unique character. This beautiful shower, designed by @hannahcustomhomes, showcases Zellige Alabaster Gloss—a radiant neutral with undulating shades of pinkish beige and grey.

If you love this authentic handmade look, explore our selection of Zellige tile in a range of traditional shapes and colors. For a bit more uniformity—or a slightly lower price point—browse our extensive collection of handmade-look tile.

22. Embrace Botanical Patterns

Botanical patterns, from fanciful florals to the lush leaves on display in this shower from @thehoneycombhome, provide a connection to nature that can both soothe and uplift your mood. The graceful willow branch motif on the Morris & Co. Hawkdale Willow Olive tile—which is derived from the iconic British designer’s 1887 wallpaper pattern—creates a zen-like tableau on the wall of this shower from @thehoneycombhome. Interspersed with the coordinating Hawkdale Pure Chalk tile to create negative space, this design combines naturalism with a minimalist aesthetic.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Tile for Every Style: Biophilic Design and Tile for Every Style: Japandi

23. Accent With Trim

It’s true for tile, just as it is with clothing or bedding—layering makes your design feel more stylized and intentional. This shower beautifully demonstrates how tile can be mixed and layered to create visual interest. Featuring tile from our Signature collection, the Bianco Bevel Gloss is framed with Denim Gloss Pencil and layered with Bianco Gloss REL between the Denim Gloss London tile that bisects the space. Without straying from a simple neutral color palette, this layout elevates the shower with subtle layers of complexity.

Shop our exclusive Signature collection tile for elevated basics in a range of contemporary neutrals designed for mixing and matching.

MORE TO EXPLORE | How to Elevate Your Space with Trim

24. Create a Chain Reaction

Inspired by high-end textile designs, the Kelli Fontana Chain Reaction Pearl Beige Stone tile (also available in Black on Black marble) features a travertine “chain” interspersed with crisp white marble. The mix of stones gives this space an opulent, dynamic appeal and movement that draws the eye up the wall. It’s a perfect example of how to introduce stylish complexity while maintaining a simple color scheme.

Explore our wide selection of mosaic tile for more intricately detailed designs.

25. Consider Your Grout

Don’t discount grout when creating your tile design—this necessary element is also an essential style detail. The color you choose can dramatically transform your space: Contrasting grout can accentuate a unique layout or create a sense of movement, while complementary grout softens the design, allowing the tile to take center stage.

In this shower, Whisper Grey grout blends seamlessly with the overall design, complementing the Hampton Carrara tile in the recessed niche and creating only a subtle tonal shift from the Signature Bianco subway tile on the walls.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Tips for Nailing Your Grout Color and Design

Let’s Create a Space You’ll Love!

Ready to design a shower that soothes and invigorates? Browse our wide selection of shower tile to find the perfect shade and design to suit your style. Need extra assistance? Schedule a free design consultation or visit your local Tile Shop, where you’ll find the materials, tools, and expert advice needed to bring your dream space to life.

The post 25 Ultra-Stylish Neutral Shower Tile Ideas appeared first on The Tile Shop Blog.

10. Relaxing Spa Retreat

This retro bathroom was ready for a reno! Calacatta Gold Hex tile and white beadboard around the tub instantly modernize the space, while the large format Social Grey floor tile adds a soothing sense of movement and a chic concrete look. @the_daily_diy_official’s only regret about this project? That she didn’t do it sooner!

Featuring: Marmo Calacatta Gold Matte, Calacatta Gold Matte Hex and Social Grey. Design and photography by @the_daily_diy_official.

9. Brilliant Bar

For her built-in bar, @craftiffdiy wanted to maintain her neutral color scheme while upping her style game. The checkerboard backsplash—featuring Zellige tiles in Alabaster and White Gloss—is a definite design win! Discover more checkmate designs in our curated checkberboard pairings.

Featuring: Zellige Alabaster Gloss and Zellige White Gloss. Design and photography by @craftiffdiy.

8. Stylish Shower

For her boys’ bathroom, @handmakeshome wanted a playful space that felt sophisticated enough to grow with them. This beautiful custom subway layout, featuring Glass tile in Storm, White and Light Blu, strikes the perfect balance between boyish energy and refined style.

Featuring: Glass White, Glass Storm, Glass Light Blu, Penny Round Gloss White and Penny Round Cloudy. Design and photography by @handmakeshome.

7. Beautiful Bathroom

The bathroom in @beckybidlen’s historic 1894 home needed a lot of TLC! We love this update that blends classic details—like the Basketweave White with Black mosaic floor tile and ornate gold mirror—with contemporary features. It’s clear every detail was thoughtfully considered—note the scalloped edge at the bottom of the vanity.

Featuring: Basketweave Matte White with Black. Design and photography by @beckybidlen.

6. Midcentury Mexican Dream Bath

This chic bathroom, designed by @homewithid, reflects their Mexican heritage. The Marrakesh Blue handmade-look tile showcases beautiful shade and surface variation for a unique, handcrafted appearance. Its cool tones add depth that pops against the warm-toned Urban White wall and Shade Warm floor tile.

Featuring: Marrakesh Blue, Urban White Pav and Shade Warm. Design and photography by @homewithid.

5. Sleek Kitchen Backsplash

With a new layout and modern updates, @cassandra.noellee took her kitchen from “blah” to brilliant! The Villa White Matte subway tile backsplash is clean and classic, yet still feels contemporary. Using Desert Sand grout creates a low-contrast design that pairs beautifully with the dark wood cabinetry.

Featuring: Villa White Matte. Design and photography by @cassandra.noellee.

4. Mediterranean-Inspired Patio

Can you believe this villa-inspired patio is in Florida? @shoemakesnew completely transformed her backyard into a Mediterranean retreat. The terracotta-look Provenzal Alhama Cotto tile features a unique shape reminiscent of the architecture in Alhama de Granada, Spain. Its rich rust color perfectly complements the white-painted brick and stone.

Featuring: Provenzal Alhama Cotto. Design and photography by @shoemakesnew.

3. Boutique Bathroom

In keeping with the character of her historic house, @daryakaras wanted her powder bathroom to feel authentically unique. Handcrafted Zellige tiles in Shamrock and White Gloss are installed in vertical stripes along the walls, creating bold, one-of-a-kind design. Paired with large-format Nature Carrara marble-look floor tile, this space feels like a boutique hotel—a far cry from the rundown bathroom in the “before” picture.

Featuring: Zellige White Gloss, Zellige Shamrock Gloss and Nature Carrara. Design and photography by @daryakaras.

2. Serene Shower

Another historic home glow-up! This serene shower, designed by @jessicasmithhomedesign, features Coco Canvas Glossy handmade-look wall tile and a checkerboard floor pattern of Avorio Fiorito and Royal Satin White marble tiles. Full of rich, soothing movement in complementary neutrals, the space feels wonderfully tranquil and timeless.

Featuring: Coco Canvas Glossy, Avorio Fiorito, Royal Satin White, Volakas Threshold, Volakas Threshold 2 in. and Volakas Curb. Design and photography by @jessicasmithhomedesign.

1. Elegant, Contemporary Bathroom

This bathroom was literally crumbling, but even on a budget, @modernly_you transformed it into a gorgeous, contemporary space. Part of our Tile Under $7 collection, the Nain Negro large-format floor tile features the earthy texture of slate with the durability and easy maintenance of porcelain. The dark tile beautifully complements the honey-colored wood vanity, while the thin black frames around the mirrors provide a subtle visual throughline.

Featuring: Nain Negro. Design by @modernly_you. Photography by @awoea_photography

This concludes our Year in Review series. We hope you enjoyed looking back at your favorite spaces from 2025. We can’t wait to see what you create in the coming year! Share your next project by tagging us @thetileshop on Instagram or uploading it directly to our Customer Room Gallery—you might be featured in our 2026 Year in Review!

See all of 2025’s top spaces:

2025 Year In Review: Top 10 Bathrooms

2025 Year In Review: Top 10 Kitchens

Let’s Create a Space You’ll Love!

Want your own “before” and “after” reveal? Shop our wide selection of tile for every budget, space and style. Need more help? Schedule a free design consultation or visit your local Tile Shop, where you’ll find the tile, tools and expert advice you need to bring your dream space to life.

The post 2025 Year In Review: Top 10 Before & Afters appeared first on The Tile Shop Blog.

While black-and-white squares remain iconic, modern takes on checkerboard invite you to think beyond tradition. From colorful twists and unexpected layouts to innovative uses of shape and scale, these 15 ideas prove there’s more than one way to play the grid.

1. Choose Multi-Colored Squares

Black and white aren’t the only options in the checkerboard game. For their modern farmhouse kitchen, @eighteenthcenturystephens paired Antique tiles in Lava and Green to create a refined rustic aesthetic that brings both color and character to the space. We love how they grouped four tiles together to form larger squares, but for a more dynamic look, you could alternate the individual tiles instead.

2. Play With Proportion

Everything about this checkerboard wall says classic—except the proportions. Checkerboard layouts don’t need to stick to squares. By using subway tiles instead, this design delivers a fresh and unexpected twist on the traditional look.

We especially love the choice of tiles in this inviting breakfast space. Fired Earth Stoneware ceramic subway tiles (shown here in Rainwashed, a soft blue, and Linen Brick, a warm beige) feature subtle speckles and slight color variation from piece to piece, for a decorative effect characteristic of handmade mid-century ceramics. 

3. Play With Pattern

Pairing two colorways of the same pattern offers a charming, unconventional twist on the classic design. This chic bathroom features the Kelli Fontana Inlay Proper in Eden Ode (black) and Florence Lace (white). The ornate, botanical design is completed when four tiles are grouped together, adding feminine allure to the traditional checkerboard. If you love this bold, whimsical take on a classic style, explore our exclusive Kelli Fontana designer collection.

4. Play With Shape

A twist on traditional Moroccan design, this Kasbah Cross Terracotta and Star Bone tile floor creates a dynamic foundation for a luxurious shower. The warm terracotta and crisp white tones of the checkerboard floor are echoed in the dramatic rust-colored veining of the white marble-look Pisa Ora wall tile, resulting in a space that’s visually complex yet tonally cohesive. For a striking variation, try the look in black and white with Zellige White Chabone Star and Charcoal Chabone Cross tiles.

5. Add a Third Color for a Buffalo Check

Another way to elevate your checkerboard design is by adding a third color. This buffalo check wall features Encaustic tile in Black, Cobalt and Light Grey. The three hues play across the wall to create a stylish tableau that can be recreated with any three same-sized square tiles. For a truly unique and luxurious design, try mixing marble or marble-look tiles.

6. Create a Gridded Subway Design

Alternating horizontal and vertical layouts for a grid stack subway pattern creates a dynamic sense of movement in this chic shower. The intentional variations in the Look Avio handmade-look tile add soft visual interest, while the contrasting white grout lines emphasize the pattern. To make the design more striking, incorporate multiple colors; for a quieter look, choose a tonally consistent tile with matching grout. Explore endless design possibilities with our wide selection of subway tile.

7. Choose a Mosaic for an Easy Play

Made up of small individual tiles mounted on a mesh sheet, mosaic tile combines intricate detail with easy installation. The Bennett with Roman Silver tile shown here features marble pieces arranged in an alternating vertical and horizontal pattern. Expressive veining in the gray and white marble adds a sense of movement to the checkerboard effect, while the subtle tonal shifts create a deceptively simple design that works beautifully for a wall, backsplash or floor. For a warmer, earthier look, try the Scabos Triples tile in travertine.

8. Switch Your Strategy

You don’t need to add a second color to achieve a stunning patterned checkerboard. This stylish shower features the Nikki Chu Zulu Graphite tile, showcasing a bold, hand-drawn graphic design (also available in grey Cement and beige Pumice). The multi-directional tiles make it easy to create personalized motifs, as shown here by arranging them in groups of four with alternating horizontal and vertical orientations. If you love this eclectic, fashion-forward aesthetic, explore our exclusive Nikki Chu designer collection.

9. Elevate Your Game With Natural Stone

Marble, travertine or slate—natural stone tile showcases organic variations for a truly one-of-a-kind look. When paired together, these materials create a beautiful, expressive and unique space, like this stunning entryway designed by Timber Trails. Alternating squares of Legno limestone and Volakas marble bring subtle beauty through veining and natural details. Notice how the beige limestone tiles are installed so that the veining aligns across each row of squares.

10. Expand the Grid

This black-and-white hexagon floor delivers the clean geometry of a checkerboard with an unexpected twist.

While square tiles are the most common way to achieve a grid layout—think fabric patterns or city blocks—hexagons are another timeless choice. Their six-sided form adds subtle variety while still stacking together with satisfying precision. The result is a pattern that feels both efficient and fresh. Here, crisp black accents on a white field create a classic look, but inverting the palette to a black background would offer a bold, dramatic alternative.

11. Play in Neutral Tones

You don’t need stark contrast to create an engaging design. This stunning bar area, designed by @creatiffdiy, features alternating squares of Zellige White and Alabaster gloss tile. The beige, pink and grey tones of the Alabaster tile add visual complexity while maintaining a neutral color scheme. Perfectly imperfect, these handcrafted tiles feature subtle surface variations that add texture and depth. If you love this authentic, artisanal look, explore our wide selection of handmade Zellige tile.

12. Add Winning Charm With Mosaic Blocks

Squares within squares create a beautifully expressive checkerboard tile backsplash in this elegant bathroom, seamlessly blending modern and traditional decor. Composed of 2″ square tiles, the Zellige Turquoise and White mosaic tiles feature tonal and surface variations that add visual complexity to this simple design. Recreate this look as shown, or explore these handcrafted mosaic tiles in other colorways: Alabaster Pearl, Azul, Black, Dark Grey, Dirty Blue, Light Grey and Shamrock.

13. Create a Twist on Historic Texture

This elegant, vintage-inspired wet bar is perfectly suited to modern entertaining. An homage to the detailed charm of Victorian-era tin tile, ceramic backsplash tiles (Victoria Blanc and Victoria Gris Fonce) feature seven unique embossed surface designs for an authentic look. The alternating dark and light colors, along with a thoughtful mix of circular and square raised designs, gives this checkerboard design layers of dimension. The final result is a welcoming, stylish space that would delight guests in any era.

14. Turn Squares Into Diamonds

Rotating a checkerboard layout 45 degrees gives this counter-to-ceiling tile backsplash a whimsical touch. The intersecting diagonal lines draw the eye up and out simultaneously, making this cozy space feel both taller and wider. Handmade-look tiles, open shelving, wood-plank floors, and apron sink are all characteristic of modern farmhouse style, while the blue and white color palette adds a breezy, coastal feel. (If you like this look, explore all the styles in our exclusive Laura Park designer collection.)

15. Deconstruct the Board

The Cassettone Black tile offers a deconstructed take on the classic black-and-white pattern. Durable yet luxurious, the marble-look mosaic tile brings just the right amount of opulence to this elegant transitional bathroom, designed by @pineislanddesign. Discover more refined designs to mix and match in our wide selection of marble-look tile.

There are so many ways to play the checkerboard game! Shop our curated checkboard pairings for more ideas. Find a tile combo you love? Order samples to see it in your space, or use our Tile Visualizer to help envision your project.

The post 15 Unique and Unexpected Checkerboard Tile Ideas appeared first on The Tile Shop Blog.

1. Create a Custom Pattern with a Petite Subway

The short, skinny Zellige Light Grey gloss 2″ x 6″ tile is arranged in a grid, offering a fresh take on the classic checkerboard pattern. The petite subway format is endlessly versatile, with a wealth of layout options and plenty of character. Check out our guide to subway tile layouts for more ideas.

2. Show Your Stripes

A timeless design choice, stripes add both formality and whimsy. For the powder room in her historic home, @daryakaras chose a boutique, custom look. The Zellige Shamrock and White gloss tiles are neatly stacked, but the natural variation between individual tiles adds charming distinction—perfectly in keeping with the classic character of her home.

3. Create a Classic Checkerboard

There are many unique ways to approach a checkerboard design (check out our curated checkerboard pairings for more ideas) but this classic black-and-white look is always a style win. With their tonal variations, Zellige Black and White tiles add rich visual texture to this charming layout.

4. Pair White With Brass Fixtures

The craftsmanlike quality of Zellige tile lends itself to the understated opulence of quiet luxury design. This lush shower, designed by @forgegrove, exemplifies the look with Zellige White gloss tile and shiny brass fixtures. Subtle variations in tone and edge—enhanced by thin grout joints—add authentic artisanal appeal, while sleek gold trim further elevates the space. If you love the high-end elegance of this timeless trend, check out our guide to quiet luxury.

5. Pair Glossy and Matte Finishes

The Moroccan Star and Cross pattern is a traditional design that feels right at home in modern spaces—as seen in this chic, contemporary bathroom. Pairing Zellige White Chabone Cross matte tile with Star gloss tile adds extra dimension through the light reflected off the glazed surfaces.

6. Create an Eclectic Boho Space

Modern boho chic design is all about embracing personal style and self-expression rather than adhering to strict rules. This spirit shines through in this cool, eclectic space designed by @CarmeonHamilton. The Moroccan-style Zellige Charcoal Chabone Star and Cross floor tile pairs beautifully with abstract black-and-white wallpaper and artwork, creating a room that feels both modern and steeped in global tradition. Discover how to bring this expressive style to every room with our guide to boho chic design.

7. Keep It Clean with Dirty Blue

It’s called Dirty Blue, but this chic tile radiates pristine style in this sleek, contemporary bathroom. With tones ranging from deep olive green to brown and dark blue, this square tile adds rich, rustic visual appeal and a sense of warmth.

8. Add Alabaster Allure

The pinkish-grey tones of the Zellige Alabaster gloss tile cast a romantic hue in this elegant bathroom. It’s a perfect example of how the coloration of handmade tiles can vary from piece to piece—though only one tile style is used on the walls, the space is rich with subtle visual complexity.

9. Make a Mosaic Checkerboard

Here’s another fresh take on a classic design! This chic bathroom features Zellige Turquoise gloss mosaic and Zellige Light Grey gloss mosaic tiles arranged in a checkerboard pattern. While you could create a checkerboard using individual 2″ x 2″ tiles, the 8″ x 8″ groupings allow for easier installation and offer a delightful twist on a traditional style.

10. Choose Handmade-Look for More Consistency

If you love the look of Zellige tile but want more consistency from piece to piece, our wide selection of handmade-look tile offers perfectly imperfect styles with less variation. While mimicking the appearance of authentic handmade tile, porcelain and ceramic handmade-look tiles are machine-produced, creating more uniformity from one tile to the next—and allowing for a lower price point.

Updating your space is easier than you think! Explore more authentic handmade styles in our Zellige tile collection, or check out our 36 Bold and Beautiful Tile Ideas for 2025 to discover timeless designs. 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 Unique Zellige Bathroom Tile Ideas appeared first on The Tile Shop Blog.

1. Zellige Tile Shower Ideas

As evidenced by this gorgeous space designed by @forgegrove, Zellige tiles are perfect for creating understated elegance in your shower. The uneven surfaces of the Zellige White gloss tile add a tactile element to this space, and the sleek brass fixtures help elevate even more. The authentic materials and minimalistic look of this space give it an air of “quiet luxury.”

2. Go Neutral With Light Grey Tiles

The current trend toward mixing warm and cool neutral tones together provides timeless appeal. With its natural variations in coloration, the Zellige Light Grey gloss tile–shown here in this lush bathroom designed by Arias Home–fluctuates between cool and warm grey tones. The effect is a decidedly contemporary look using ancient techniques.

3. Zellige Tile Kitchen Backsplash Ideas

Perfect for a kitchen or bathroom backsplash, petite 2″ x 6″ subway tiles, shown here in the Zellige Dirty Blue gloss, are a new take on a classic design. The smaller format allows for more grout lines as well as more tiles per square foot, resulting in a beautifully undulating surface as the color and surface texture fluctuate from tile to tile. Shop this tile in all four vibrant colorways: Azul, Turquoise, Dirty Blue and Shamrock.

4. Use Square Tiles for a Neat and Orderly Design

This retro-favorite shape is making a comeback, and the handmade square tile–like the Zellige White gloss used in this chic kitchen designed by Fox Homes–demonstrates how this classic design can be made modern. Though the color scheme is monochromatic, there is a lot of visual texture in this kitchen backsplash. The glossy finish reflects light to highlight the subtle variations in surface texture from one tile to the next, and the wide grout joints accentuate the tiles’ handcrafted edges.

5. Use Handmade-Look Tiles for a Cost-Effective Alternative

If Zellige tiles aren’t in your budget, or if you want a slightly more uniform appearance, handmade-look tile, like the Riad White tile shown here, are a charming and cost-effective alternative. Mimicking the handcrafted look, these tiles feature slight variations in tone and surface texture and are available in a wide variety of sizes and colors. Shop our extensive assortment of handmade-look tiles to find the perfect match for your space.

6. Create a Handcrafted Hearth

A fireplace is a natural focal point; make it a standout with handcrafted Zellige tiles. This fireplace surround, designed by @daryakaras, features a charming checkerboard of Zellige in Alabaster and White gloss. The undulating tones add warmth and movement to this Craftsman living room.

7. Zellige Tile Bathroom Ideas

Another popular Zellige tile design is the Chabone Star and Cross tiles (shown here in Charcoal). By pairing Star matte tiles with Cross glossy tiles (or vice versa) you can create a subtle tile design that fluctuates with the play of light across the room. Traditionally used for floors, these tiles look stunning when paired with a subway or square Zellige wall tile (like the Zellige Alabaster gloss tile shown here).

8. Get Creative With a Star and Cross Checkerboard

The checkerboard rules aren’t written in black and white. This luxurious shower uses the Kasbah tile in alternating Terracotta Cross and Star Bone for a twist on traditional Moroccan design. The orange and white handmade-look tiles are complemented by the rust veining in the Pisa Oro wall tile, giving this space a cohesive and visually rich design. A similar look can be achieved using the Zellige Chabone Cross Charcoal and Star Bone tiles.

Inspired to add handcrafted charm to your space? Shop our wide assortment of Zellige and handmade-look tiles to find the perfect design. Or discover more design ideas on our Instagram and in our Customer Room Gallery where you’ll see our tile in real customers’ spaces.

The post 8 Zellige & Zellige-Inspired Tile Ideas appeared first on The Tile Shop Blog.