From your floors to your shower to the final touches, we’ll show you how you can turn your bathroom into the spa-like experience of your dreams.
- How to Choose the Right Bathroom Tile
- Bathroom Tile Flooring Ideas
- Bathroom Flooring to Avoid
- Bathroom Shower Tile Ideas
- Bathroom Accessories
How to Choose Bathroom Tile
Ready to redo your bathroom? Here are some tips for selecting the right bathroom and shower tile and bringing your bathroom tile design ideas to life.
Choosing the right tile design can be the most exciting part of your bathroom renovation, but it requires thoughtful planning. To create a space that’s both functional and stylish, consider factors like your budget, the tile's slip resistance, durability, ease of maintenance, and how the design complements your vision for the space.
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Plan a Budget
Budget is important for any home renovation project. Tiling comes with many options and price points, so plan ahead to know exactly how to get the look you want without breaking the bank. - Go Non-Slip and Slip resistance
Don’t forget about safety when choosing tiles! You can find beautiful tiling that’s still practical and safe for your home.
- Choose the right material and texture
Consider what kind of texture and gloss level will best match your space and vision.
- Decide on a design and pattern
This is where you can really bring your vision to life. Select a design and pattern either based on your current décor or commit to a completely new look! It can be helpful to bring photos that inspired your vision for reference.
- Pick a color and grout
Your grout is as important as the tile itself and can completely change the look of your tile. Weigh the pros and cons of lighter grout (a brighter overall visual but can show staining faster) versus darker grout (a darker visual that hides stains more easily).
- Choose the right size and shape
Whether you’re looking for standard squares and rectangles or want to go bold with unique shapes like feathers, trapezoids and circles, there’s a size and shape of tile for every vision.
- Keep in mind maintenance and cleaning
While tile is fairly easy to maintain when you use the right products, no tiling is completely maintenance-free. When choosing a material, think about what level of upkeep is realistic for you.
- Consider matching fixtures, vanities and accessories
Will your current fixtures match the aesthetic of your new tiling? If you want to give your bathroom a complete upgrade, consider getting new fixtures, and accessories to better coordinate. Your options are endless!
Get help from a tile expert at a showroom near you.
Bathroom Tile Flooring Ideas and Options
So you've decided to re-do the bathroom. You're excited and immediately pick up your phone and start researching bathroom flooring ideas. Fast forward 10 minutes and you are completely overwhelmed by all the images on Pinterest. Don't worry, we're here to help! Combing through the best bathroom flooring options doesn't have to be overwhelming.
The reality is, you’ll want to find something that is in your budget while giving you the look you’re hoping to achieve. Most importantly, though, you need to make sure that the flooring option you choose can stand up to large amounts of water (cue the durability and slip-resistant features!). Here is our take on the best flooring options for bathrooms.
Ceramic and Porcelain Bathroom Tile
Tile has our vote for the best flooring for your bathroom. It's waterproof and comes in a wide variety of styles, colors, shapes, patterns and sizes. You can achieve just about any look you’re going for and can even mix and match them for a truly unique design by using floor tile, wall tile, accent tiles, etc. Porcelain tile is part of the ceramic tile family and the only difference between them is the water absorption rate. The Porcelain Tile Certification Agency (PTCA) certifies types of tile as "porcelain" if they have a water absorption rate of 0.5% or less.
Learn more about the difference between ceramic and porcelain tile.
SHOP CERAMIC AND PORCELAIN TILE
Bathroom Vinyl Tile Flooring
Corinthia Adura Flex 18x18 Vinyl Tile
Vinyl is a great bathroom flooring option and has been a popular selection for homeowners for several years. It is an extremely durable and stylish product that, best of all, has water-resistant properties! With so many types available (Sheet Vinyl, Vinyl Tiles and Vinyl Planks) as well as a variety of patterns/looks (Wood, Stone and even Patterns) there is something for every style. And cleaning and maintenance is pretty low-key with vinyl floors, so you can spend more time relaxing in your bathtub rather than scrubbing your floors. Sounds like a win-win to us!
Waterproof & Water-Resistant Laminate Bathroom Flooring
Laminate flooring has become a popular choice for bathroom floors due to the wide range of benefits it offers homeowners. In the past, laminate floors have been left out of the bathroom for moisture concerns. But now, with waterproof laminate options available, you can put this product in your bathrooms and get the luxurious look of wood without the hassle. Waterproof & Water-Resistant Laminate Flooring options offer you peace of mind with 48 hour spill and wet mop warranties.
SHOP WATERPROOF LAMINATE FLOORING
Natural Marble Bathroom Flooring
Maybe you like the luxurious look of stone and want to incorporate that into your spa-like retreat (we’re thinking your master bath that you don't share with kids!). Natural Stone is a durable and beautiful product for your bathroom floor and could certainly add to your resale value later down the road. Some stone floors can be slippery, so you might want to look for something that is naturally textured (like slate). Also, it is important to keep in mind that there are some moisture problems that could arise with natural stone bathroom floor options; you should discuss this with your sales associate prior to purchasing. This way you know the best way to care for the product after it is installed.
SHOP NATURAL STONE MARBLE TILE
Bathroom Wall Tile and Shower Tile Ideas
There are so many tile options to consider when redesigning your bathroom. Your choice will come down to personal taste and finding the right material for your space. Here are a few options to consider.
Subway Shower Tile
If you’re looking for a timeless aesthetic, subway tiles are the way to go. Get a signature white tile or choose from nearly any other shade to create a look that’s both classic and uniquely yours. Plus, they’re durable and easy to clean.
Mosaic Shower Tile
Mosaic tiles are an incredibly versatile bathroom choice. They come in all shapes, patterns and colors, so you’re only limited by your own imagination! Mosaic tiles are also slip-resistant, moisture-resistant and easy to clean, making them the perfect bathroom tile material.
Get more Mosaic Bathroom Tile Inspiration
Glass Shower Tile
Glass shower tiles are unique and can help add brightness and depth to your space. They’re impervious to water, resistant to mildew and allergens, and are relatively low maintenance. If you’re using them on a shower floor, just remember to choose a larger tiling size to allow for additional grout to add traction and reduce your risk of slipping.
Patterned Shower and Wall Tile
Make a bold statement with patterned tiles. Whether you’re looking for art deco, micro-florals, geometric designs or more, there’s an option for every aesthetic.
Bathroom Flooring to Avoid
Not every material is right for every room. Here are a few types of flooring that shouldn’t be considered when redesigning your bathroom.
Hardwood Flooring
Any type of wood product (solid or engineered) is prone to some serious damage in a bathroom, no matter how well you try to protect it. If you have hardwood throughout your home and wish to carry the look through into the bathroom, try matching it with a waterproof option like laminate and save yourself the heartache. If you are doing a powder room with no shower or bathtub present, you may be able to get away with it. But just keep in mind — wood and water don't play nice together and you might want to keep them away from each other.
Non-Waterproof Laminate Flooring
We discussed the waterproof option above, but it's important to know that other laminate products on the market may not be an ideal bathroom flooring option. Overexposure to moisture could begin to warp the floors and make it unsightly — and you'll be re-doing your bathroom sooner than you expected.
Carpet
Since carpet has a tendency to soak up or retain moisture for so long, it’s a very difficult product to put into a space that is faced with large quantities of water on a daily basis. Consider covering your floors with a throw rug with a rubber backing instead. This allows you to air out the rug if it is wet and avoid issues like mold or damaging the floor underneath.
Adding Final Touches: Bathroom Accessories
Once you’ve chosen your perfect tile, the fun can begin! Your new bathroom looks beautiful, but now you have the opportunity to really take it to the next level. Consider how a few new accessories can complement your bathroom tiles and really give your bathroom that “wow” factor.
Bathroom Vanities
Remodeling is the perfect time to add storage space to your new bathroom. And like we mentioned earlier, storage is especially important if the bathroom is being shared by two or more people.
For even more helpful storage to go with your bathroom's décor, there are also bathroom vanity accessories like linen cabinets, medicine cabinets and valet cabinets.
Explore more bathroom vanity ideas and accessories.
Bathroom Faucets & Shower Heads
Whether for the shower, tub or sink, there are many faucet styles and finishes to choose from — but always look for quality and durability.
Shower heads come in all shapes and sizes; choose from body jets of different strengths or opt for a multiple-jet system. Fixed or hand-held, some shower heads produce a rainfall effect, while others create a sauna-like mist spray. For the bathtub, it's useful to have a hand-shower attachment for washing hair or rinsing out the tub (especially if it's a large tub).
Shower Shelves, Storage and Accessories
Not only would different shower heads be a helpful part of bathroom renovation, but so would shower accessories. There are now linear drains that really capture water flow, niches for the wall of your shower for simple, yet helpful storage, and seats or benches to add extra comfort.
Explore more shower fixtures and accessories.
Heated Bathroom Floor
Radiant heat beneath tiles makes your feet feel nice and toasty. But you don't need to have it throughout your house; you can simply add an electric mat to your bathroom to make feel like a relaxing spa. Now that's quite a treat for your feet!
Lighting Fixtures, Ventilation and Window Treatments
No room in the house needs an effective ventilation system more than the bathroom. Proper ventilation can prevent condensation from forming on floors, making them less slippery. It also helps towels dry faster so they don't get musty and smelly. And it prevents the growth of mold and mildew. Fortunately, upgrading the ventilation system is a relatively easy thing to do during the remodeling process. Just be sure to consult with the electrician early on in the design process.
Installing the proper lighting will also make your new bathroom much more attractive, warm and welcoming. Also, the most important reason to improve the lighting is to create a safer bathroom. Dimly lit, shadowy baths increase the chance of someone tripping and falling, especially the elderly, young children and those with limited mobility.
With proper lighting comes proper window treatments. We sometimes ignore or forget the windows because of all the other parts of the bathroom that take top priority. But window treatments are nearly as important as your lighting choices. Choosing the right window treatments will determine the contrast of natural light, privacy and cohesion with your tile choice.
If you’re unsure of your options, get inspired by our best bathroom window treatment ideas.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best tile for a bathroom floor?
When choosing a bathroom floor tile, the most important thing to consider is slip resistance. You’ll want to go with a matte finish tile, or tile with a DCOF exceeding a rating of 0.42. If you’re looking for a pop of gloss or polish, consider getting a tile with a mix of polished and matte, like a Porcelain or Marble Mosaic.
What tiles are best for shower walls?
There are pros and cons to different shower wall tiles, and your best choice is up to your tastes. Porcelain tile has a very low absorption rate, making it a great choice for wet applications. But, when properly installed, White Body Ceramic Wall Tile can also work. Just make sure you’re using tiles larger than 12”x24”, which will require significantly fewer grout joints.
How much does it cost to tile a bathroom?
On average, tiling your floors and walls can start around $15,000 for a standard full-sized bath. This price typically includes all rip/removal, materials and labor. However, prices will vary based on the materials you choose and the scope of the project. But don’t worry! There are always financing options available.
Is tile waterproof for showers and bathrooms
Tile itself is not fully waterproof, though it is one of the most water-resistance products you can choose for a bathroom project. The secret lies in installation. When installed properly with the right setting materials, tile can last a lifetime without any issues relating to water damage.
How do you tile a shower wall and floor?
When it comes to tiling your bathroom, turn to the professionals. Our team can walk you through every step of the process, from choosing your materials to completing installation to caring for your new bathroom. You’ll also receive a 3-year installation warranty for even more peace of mind.
What is the best way to clean bathroom tiles and grout?
For general care, any PH-neutral cleaner will work. But for more stubborn stains, you may need to hire a professional company that uses heat extraction. For more maintenance tips, read our guide on how to clean shower tile.
Can you paint bathroom tile?
It’s possible to paint bathroom tiles, but it isn’t ideal for areas with high moisture or traffic (like a bathroom). Your tile will need to be in perfect condition (no chips or cracks) and common paint won’t work. You’ll need to use epoxy paint, alkyd urethane, enamel paint or silicone-based paint. Make sure you sand down your tiles to allow the paint to bond properly. If it doesn’t, you could get bubbling, and the paint may wear away quickly.
So, while painting tile is a faster and more budget-friendly option, it isn’t foolproof and shouldn’t be considered a great option for your bathroom.
Related Articles and Style Trends:
- https://www.avalonflooring.com/blogs/blog/tile-sizes-and-shapes-buying-guide
- https://www.avalonflooring.com/blogs/styles-trends/bathroom-renovation-ideas-bathroom-makeovers
- https://www.avalonflooring.com/blogs/styles-trends/small-bathroom-ideas-designs-for-small-bathrooms
- https://www.avalonflooring.com/blogs/styles-trends/black-white-bathroom-design-ideas
