These shower tile ideas will provide a luxurious touch to even the most basic bathroom. They range from neutral to vibrant colors.
Shower tile ideas are as varied as tile colors and varieties. The only design guidelines that need to be adhered to are choosing long-lasting, waterproof bathroom tiles and making sure the grout is installed properly. Take some time to educate yourself on the various tile varieties and determine which material will work best for you before you start designing the tile for your shower. Beautiful shower tile ideas can be created with a variety of styles, such as ceramic, stone, glass, granite, marble, and more.
After selecting a tile material, it’s time to let your creativity run wild. Take inspiration from our most popular bathroom shower tile designs to create your own special haven.
Color Blocks
Make a shower more visually interesting by installing tiles in varying shades of monochromatic color. Go high-contrast by pairing white tiles with a few black ones, or low-contrast by mixing two different shades of the same color. Create a pattern or place them randomly for a more abstract look.
Penny Tile Phrase
Penny tile allows you to create patterns of any kind—even letters and words. Whether it’s on the floor or in a shower niche, the options are endless. Using contrasting colors like black and white allows the letters to stand out.
Small Patterned Shower Tile
Shower tile with a small repetitive pattern creates an impact on this bathroom wall. Tiles with tiny designs or shapes in repetitious rows can be seen in detail when standing in the shower, but look completely different from further away. When choosing a tile, be sure to look at it close-up as well as from a distance to ensure you like both views of it.
Tiled Arch Ceiling
If you have the space for it, an arched shower ceiling makes for a dreamy bathroom experience. Go for a color similar to the walls and overall bathroom color scheme for a light and airy look, or pick something completely different for a bold, eye-catching ceiling. Small tile, like penny tile, works best for the curve of the arch.
Striped Shower Tile
Create stripes with shower tile for an intriguing design in a otherwise simple bathroom. Use two different types of tiles to create the stripes. Whether they differ by color, size, or material, the stripes just need to look different enough to be distinguishable when placed next to one another. Choose one of the same tiles for the floor of the shower for a cohesive look.
Vertical Shower Tile
How tile is positioned when installed can make a huge difference in how it appears Placing tile vertically is a great way to get a unique twist on basic rectangular tile and visually lengthen a room with low ceilings. If splurging on shower tile isn’t in the budget, consider turning them vertical for an easy yet elevated look.
Complement Materials
Outside the shower, some baths might not have a lot of tile. Bathroom shower tile patterns are a great opportunity to highlight other colors and materials throughout the room. Here, dark navy shower tiles accentuate medium-gray walls and bright white trim. Marble tile looks extra glam when paired with gold accents and light fixtures.
Pink Accent Tiles
A vertical stripe made up of square tiles is a simple but effective way to create a bathroom accent wall. This accessible pink and white shower features brass hardware accents and a glass door that allows for a full view of the pink tile and echoes its clean lines. A white penny tile on the floor leading into the shower transitions to square white tiles on the shower floor, keeping the main focus on the colorful pink stripe.
Eclectic Shower Tile Mosaic
Your entire shower doesn’t have to be solid with color or pattern to be bold—just a small variation can make a big impact. Funky colorful tiles dress up this plain white bathroom, Try mixing tiles that have abstract patterns with solid colors, all in the same shape and size, to create a mosaic effect.
Contrasting Grout
Bathroom tile isn’t the only shower tile idea for adding color. For example, you can use grout for unusual color contrast in a shower—like this dark grout against the white tile. To get trendy, you can try painting your grout any color. However, if you have unglazed shower tiles, you’ll want to avoid this DIY project.
Tiled Shower Shelf
White tile arranged vertically and accented with beige grout is a soft and stylish choice in this light and bright shower. It surrounds an arched built-in shelf whose curved shape is a lovely, more custom-style alternative to a rectangular nook. Two thick slabs of marble add subtle color, material variation, and classic elegance as well as a spot to hold soap or shower accessories.
Honeycomb Shower Tile
Hexagon-shaped marble tile on the walls, ceiling, and floor gives stylish detail to this walk-in shower. The detailed repetition and all-over use makes for a uniform look, but the natural variation in the tile’s color provides just enough color contrast to keep it interesting. A brass wall-mounted showerhead and decorative gold trim around warm up the gray space. A glass door with a curved brass handle lets in plenty of natural light and keeps the shower wall tile on full display.
Geometric Pattern
Let neutral shower walls create a calming space in an otherwise busy bathroom. Cement tiles featuring a bold green and black geometric pattern extend from the floor to the walls and into the walk-in shower in this gorgeous bathroom. A traditional white subway on the shower walls keeps the rest of the space simple and uncluttered, as do the white shiplap walls throughout the bathroom. Brass fixtures in the shower pop against the green, black, and white tile, and tie in the mint green vanity hardware, mirror, and light fixture for a cohesive bathroom design.
Chevron Details
Soft white walls lead the eye directly into a walk-in shower outfitted with blue tile arranged in a chevron pattern. The arrangement, texture, and varying shades of blue are reminiscent of ocean waves, adding to the shower’s soothing vibe. Allow wall tile to take center stage by using a neutral tile on the shower floor. Aged brass hardware pops against the cool blues and seamlessly ties in the light fixtures, cabinet hardware, and wall hooks for visual continuity throughout the room.
Bathroom Accent Wall
A striking black and white accent wall featuring a unique flower design adds monochromatic drama to this doorless shower. Detailed floral imagery in the wall tile extends from the floor to the ceiling and creates a mural-like effect. When using a statement tile such as this, keep the rest of the shower more muted for visual balance. White marble on the walls, ceiling, floor, and built-in bench brighten the space and warm-toned brass fixtures add a touch of luxurious elegance.
Add Color Accents
Small shower insets are a natural spot to show off shower tile ideas for different types or contrasting or complementary colors. For example, a wall of white subway tile can get a fun pop of color with a blue mosaic or encaustic tile inside a recessed shelf. Or, keep the tile the same color and type for a more subdued look.
If you DIY a recessed wall shelf, be mindful of the plumbing and pipes in your shower.
Mural-Style Accent Wall
Unexpected details take this bathroom wall tile to the next level. White subway tile frames this black and white pastoral-style shower wall tile. Forming the back of two built-in shelves, the monochrome pattern is encased by classic white tile that acts as a frame for the decorative images. The limited color palette and simplicity of the rest of the shower tile draws full attention to the shelf tile detail, while curved matte black handles on sleek frosted shower doors continue the color theme.
Black and White Shower Tile
Gain inspiration from this modern bathroom and add visual interest to a monochrome color palette with an interesting tile arrangement. Here, white subway tile is arranged in a straight herringbone pattern for a linear look that’s highlighted with dark gray grout. The dark grout color ties together the black floor tiling that gets the reverse finishing touch with white grout forming a grid pattern. A triangular-shaped floating shelf brings in a new shape and color, and minimalist black fixtures keep the focus on the shower wall tile.
Coastal-Inspired Bathroom
A scalloped tile design adds a playful coastal element to this small bathroom. A white, mint green, and brass color scheme keeps the space fresh and clean, allowing the unique tile shape to take center stage. The half moon-shaped hardware on the vanity drawers echoes the scalloped tile, as does the rounded edge of the wall sconce. The whimsical two-tone shower tile creates the illusion of water, adding to the ocean-inspired feel of the bedroom.
Mediterranean Motif
Blue and green tile squares with a medallion design create a stunning Mediterranean-inspired accent in this otherwise neutral shower. Surrounded by a penny tile border and arranged in an arabesque-style motif, it turns this simple bathroom into a calming retreat. Beige porcelain tile on the walls and built-in bench allows the colorful accents to stand out and a glass shower door provides its unobstructed view from other areas of the bathroom.
Small Scale
This tiny bathroom keeps proportion in mind with a small-scale white hexagon-shaped tile on the walls, ceiling, and floor. The light color and seamless continuity is a great trick to create the illusion of space and height, and creates a neutral backdrop for other decorative layers. A brass nautical window adds a whimsical touch, while a frameless mirror bounces light around and visually extends the space. A vintage-style rug replaces a traditional bath mat for a pop of unique style and color.
Colorful Subway Tile
Clean lines and cool tones lend a modern feel to this bathroom. Stacked green subway tile extends from the shower to the rest of the bathroom, creating a stunning accent wall that holds a contemporary-style floating vanity. Accentuate the shape of your tile and draw attention to its linear design by using a contrasting grout. The white grout’s straight lines are echoed by the large-scale charcoal gray flooring, whose contrasting scale adds dimension and a less busy spot to rest the eye.
Add Contrast with Tile
Shower tiles can stand as a great counterpoint to other tiles in the bathroom. For example, a slender black border in a shower is a great way to complement the black tiles on this floor. You can also match a backsplash on the bathroom vanity to the tile in your shower.
Abstract Canvas
Glossy white porcelain tile acts as a blank canvas for abstract art-inspired blue and gray tile showcasing a modern geometric pattern. Used as a shower wall accent and repeated inside a built-in shelf, its clean lines and muted cool colors add a stunning feature to this contemporary bathroom. A slab of white marble with soft gray veins tops a shower bench and pulls out gray tones from artwork-like shower wall tile.
Add an Accent Tile
Look to the kitchen for bathroom shower tile ideas: Many homeowners use the area behind a range for an intricate mosaic tile showpiece. You can create a similar effect with shower tile. To keep the space from looking too busy, keep the border and the rest of the walls a fairly neutral color. Or, for a more subtle change, mix up the tile pattern on one wall, such as tile laid on the diagonal.
Vary the Tile Size
If you’re unsure about shower tile ideas that mix and match materials, you can still add subtle visual contrast by choosing a different size inside the shower. Try a large, square granite tile on the floor, for example, and a smaller rectangular ceramic tile (in the same color) in the shower. The subtle difference will set shower boundaries without calling them out loudly.
Create an Accent Wall
You don’t have to stick with the same tile inside the shower. For example, use white subway tile to wainscot height, glass mosaic tile above that for an unexpected visual twist, and pebble tile on the floor for a gentle foot massage. Some of the best shower tile ideas use a variety of tile types to their fullest potential.
Use Patterned Shower Tiles
Go for mosaic glass tiles in a recurring border, or use a border of black tiles to divide a white and gray mosaic tile creation, breaking up the wall space. A single strip of patterned tiles will do the trick, too. Visit your local hardware store to find ceramic tile shower ideas inspired by their stock.
Tiled Ceiling
Most of the design and color focus in a bathroom and shower tends to be on the walls and floor. But shower tile designs can extend to the ceiling, another surface that can add texture, color, and pattern through tiling. Doing this will also prevent mold from growing in your shower from rising steam.
Go Retro
A retro-inspired turquoise shower tile gets a modern makeover in this colorful bathroom. If your home features a yellow, blue, or pink tiled bathroom that was all the rage in the 1950’s, instead of trying to ignore it, embrace it by creating a playful design. A whimsical hot pink pineapple wallpaper matches the blue shower in color intensity and matching baseboards add another bold statement. And to tone down all the color, hardwood floors arranged in a square pattern bring in warmth and a touch of sophistication.