1. Sophisticated Squares

Many of our large format, stone look tile collections include coordinating mosaics. Featuring grey veining on a crisp white background, the Livingstone Bianco square mosaic tile perfectly complements the large format Livingstone Bianco field tile—shown here on the main bathroom floor. The grid of grout lines in the mosaic tile adds necessary traction to the shower floor, making this gorgeous West Bay Homes-designed space as safe as it is stylish.

Shop the Livingstone Bianco tile in all its formats: 12″ x 24″ field, 24″ x 48″ field, square mosaic and basketweave mosaic.

MORE TO EXPLORE | A Step Inside: The Eden Project by West Bay Homes

2. Lovely Leaves

The Alison Victoria Elia Honed mosaic tile (also available in a polished finish) features a striking leaf-shaped pattern crafted from elegantly expressive Volakas marble. Pairing this intricate mosaic with the coordinating Volakas Honed 12″ x 24″ tile creates a visually rich space that feels alive with movement.

This charming shower features the large format field tile on the back wall, with the leaf mosaic running up the adjoining accent wall. For added traction underfoot, you could also install the mosaic on the floor. Accent features also provide the perfect opportunity to showcase a decorative mosaic, and a shower niche or shelf lined with marble leaves creates a stunning detail.

Explore all the various offerings of this ravishing, grey-and-beige-veined white stone in our exclusive Volakas marble collection.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Small Bathroom Shower Tile Ideas

3. Make a Marble Match

Advanced production technology allows us to print realistic stone details on scratch- and water-resistant porcelain tile, offering exceptional beauty and durability at an affordable price point. Available in eight distinct designs that coordinate with our most popular marble collections, our new marble match tiles include field and mosaic pairings for gorgeously cohesive layouts.

This elegant shower demonstrates how to mix these porcelain tiles with authentic marble details. The walls are clad in Marble Match Siberian Pearl Matte large format tile, while the coordinating Marble Match Hex mosaic accents the shower niche. Siberian Pearl Barnes trim tile frames the niche, adding an authentic finishing touch to the design.

Explore our marble match collection for more coordinating field, hex and square mosaic tiles. 👉

4. A Size for Every Space

From small 2″ square mosaics to large 12″ x 24″ field tile and oversized 32″ x 94″ panels, the Masterstone White porcelain tile collection is available in sizes to suit virtually any space. Featuring an elegant near-white background accented by dynamic grey and beige veining, this chic stone look tile is designed with contemporary bathrooms in mind.

In this luxurious space, the square mosaic tile lines the shower floor before transitioning to 12″ x 24″ large format tile across the main floor. On the walls, porcelain panels provide near-seamless coverage for the ultimate stone slab look. The range of formats makes this style endlessly adaptable and customizable to your space—it’s even available in complete shower and tub surround kits.

Shop porcelain panels and coordinating field and mosaic tiles in this and three other contemporary stone looks: Calacatta White, Statuario Nuovo and Max Rapolano Ivory.

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5. Dynamic Herringbone

Creating dynamic zigzag movement, a herringbone pattern draws the eye up and across a space. Paired with a large format tile, a herringbone mosaic can make even cozy rooms feel spacious.

This fashionable shower features the Laura Park Seaside Marble large format tile paired with its coordinating herringbone mosaic. Installed on the floor and built-in shower seat, the small format tile features exquisite stone details, providing visual texture that enhances the layout’s sense of movement. Notice how the mosaic distinctively defines the bench while simultaneously adding visual width to the shower corner.

If you love this painterly palette, explore our exclusive Laura Park designer collection.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Super-Chic Herringbone Tile Pattern Ideas

6. Pointedly Distinct Picket Tile

An elongated hexagon named for the pointed fence post it resembles, picket tile is a contemporary alternative to traditional subway tile, forming neat stacks and clean lines when aligned on a wall or floor. While this tile is available in a wide range of sizes, a mosaic picket tile offers this distinct shape in a smaller format, creating traction for floors and movement across walls.

Here, Moonstone Off White field tile is paired with its coordinating Picket mosaic. While the large format, stone look tile creates seamless elegance throughout the main bathroom, the mosaic distinguishes the shower. The result is a completely cohesive space that beautifully delineates the shower area from the rest of the room.

This sophisticated tile pairing is available in two other on-trend colorways: Gray / Gray Picket and Beige / Beige Picket.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Great Large Format Bathroom Tile Ideas

7. Neat and Niche

A shower niche offers the perfect opportunity to showcase an intricate mosaic tile. Whether you choose a style to coordinate or contrast with your main tile, a mosaic adds distinction to this highly functional design feature.

This beautiful bathroom showcases a wall of Laura Park Watercolor Marble large format tile with a recessed niche lined with the coordinating herringbone mosaic. Installed with a complementary white grout, the mosaic design remains stylishly subtle, while the zigzag of the herringbone layout introduces a dynamic sense of movement. Notice how the niche is outlined with a band of Africa Tempesta Somersest trim, adding a polished finishing touch to define the feature.

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8. Marble Paired With Marble Look

Stretch your style—and your budget—by pairing a marble look tile with real stone. Durable and easy to maintain, marble look porcelain or ceramic tile mimics the expressive veining of the real thing, often at a fraction of the cost. Incorporating a genuine stone mosaic into your layout adds authentic detail that elevates the entire design.

This gorgeous shower, designed by Nikki Chu, pairs Savannah Antique marble look wall tile with Modena mosaic floor tile. The natural white, beige and grey tones of the mosaic add unique, organic detail to the space, complementing the wall tile’s exquisite beige and grey veining.

9. Soothing Scallops

Gently rounded, a scalloped mosaic adds softness and a soothing sense of movement to your design. The charming shape pairs perfectly with an expansive large-format tile, as is evident in this chic shower. The Alison Victoria Gem mosaic tile features deep emerald marble with faint beige veining. Punctuated by contrasting white grout, this rich color palette is echoed in the crisp white background, bold green veining and subtle beige detail of the Marradi Calacatta Emerald marble look tile featured on the shower bench. This space is an excellent example of how a complementary color palette can unite a natural stone mosaic with a large format porcelain tile.

10. Masterful Mixed Stones

You don’t have to limit your design to a single stone; mixing mosaics from two or more stone collections creates a rich visual texture that adds layers of interest to your space. This high-end look can be accomplished by blending multiple marble profiles or combining two or more distinct natural stones.

This luxurious shower features Arctic White marble and Claros Silver travertine in a variety of formats. Expertly layering the two materials together to create a lush tableau, the design showcases the Arctic White herringbone mosaic inside the picture frame and the Claros Silver square mosaic on the shower floor. The stones’ inherent variations provide unique visual interest, with subtle white and beige veining set against a creamy background creating rich texture in the Arctic White large format wall tile.

Mix your own stones with our extensive selection of marble, travertine, slate and limestone tile.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Ultra-Stylish Neutral Shower Tile Ideas

11. Elegant Niles Mosaic

A classic basketweave pattern featuring small, contrasting colored dots, the Niles mosaic offers intricate detail and a timeless, traditional appeal. Most commonly found in natural stone and stone look collections, this sophisticated design pairs superbly with coordinating large format field tile for an elevated traditional or transitional design.

This exquisite bathroom features Siberian Pearl tile throughout. A Niles with Grey Dot mosaic tile is centered in the shower, framed to create a striking focal point. Coordinating Siberian Pearl large format wall tile, Hex mosaic floor tile and matching trim accents complete the look for a space that is wonderfully cohesive, yet rich in visual texture.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Tile for Every Style: Transitional Design

Bring Your Dream Space to Life!

View how your favorite tile pairing will look in your space with our tile visualizer. Need more help? Schedule a free design consultation or stop by your local tile shop–we’ll help take your project from concept to completion.

The post 11 Effortless Large Format + Mosaic Tile Pairings appeared first on The Tile Shop Blog.

1. Mix and Match Styles & Eras

One way to achieve transitional design is to use a combination of elements from different design eras. This charming kitchen, designed by Timber Trails, features a balanced mix of styles. The Hampton Carrara marble subway tile combines a classic material in a traditional format (subway tile first gained popularity in the Victorian age), while the sleek chrome lines of the range are decidedly contemporary. This blend of eras and styles is carried through to the chrome light fixtures with their more traditional shape and the combination of chrome hardware and white cabinets. Though this space melds materials and styles, the neutral monochromatic color scheme maintains the harmonious cohesion representative of transitional design.

2. Pair Classic Materials with Contemporary Shapes

Another way to blur the line between traditional and contemporary is to use classic materials in more up-to-date shapes. This bathroom features the Elia Polished by Alison Victoria tile, a classic Greek Volakas marble in a fashionable leaf shape. This theme of classic-made-modern is carried through with the contemporary silhouette of the chic, unadorned double mirrors.

3. Create Unexpected Moments

What sets transitional design apart from its traditional roots is the embrace of “quirky” and unexpected elements–typically more characteristic of contemporary design. This stylish bathroom demonstrates how to add surprising, yet subtle, details. The Coco Canvas Matte tile installed in a horizontal straight stack throughout is interrupted by a band of vertically laid Coco Canvas Glossy tile. While the design still maintains its warm neutral tone, the glossy finish will catch the natural light, adding brightness to this design. The mirror with its minimal gold trim and rounded corners is another contemporary design element, while the layered trim on the shower niche is traditional, with a band of gold metal adding a modern element. The effect is visually complex, yet it achieves a soothing serenity.

4. Strategically Pair Patterns, Colors and Shapes

Pattern, color and shape are some of the most basic design elements, and mixing styles is often a process of intentionally pairing these elements so that they are united by a single commonality. Take this transitional kitchen backsplash: the Vintage Nero patterned tile features an ornate traditional design, while the Picket Florencia Super Bianco tile with its angular shape is decidedly contemporary. The sage green range hood and cabinetry are modern touches, but traditional details are sprinkled in through the Firenze Carrara marble Somerset (used as a border to the patterned tile) and countertop with its Barnes* edging. In keeping with three basic design elements and colors, this space maintains a harmonious pairing of classical and current styles.

*The Firenze Carrara Barnes is no longer available; achieve a similar look with Firenze Calacatta Capital.

5. Layer Materials

Layering is a hallmark of traditional design that, when carried over to your transitional space, will add an air of refinement. The layered picture frame in this elegant bathroom features both Arctic White marble and Claros Silver travertine, giving this space great visual texture. This stone mixture is carried throughout the space with marble wall tile and travertine floor tile. The traditional tile design is paired with contemporary elements–the chic wall sconce and simple brass shower fixtures–for a highly sophisticated space.

6. Use White Subway Tile for a Backsplash that Transcends Trends

With its origin in Victorian design, white subway tile is as timeless as it is versatile–perfect for a style that marries classic and contemporary. This chic kitchen, designed by Timber Trails, features our best-selling subway tile, Retro Lino, in a stylish backsplash. The cabinets in this space are the more traditional closed cabinetry in a demure navy shade, while the brass hardware is a simple contemporary style.

Is this marriage of classic and contemporary the style for you? Discover more transitional design ideas on Instagram and our Customer Room Gallery, where our tiles are used in a variety of real spaces! Or, if you’re looking for some guidance on an upcoming project, set up a free design consultation to get advice from our tile experts.

The post Tile for Every Style: Transitional Design appeared first on The Tile Shop Blog.