Bathrooms should be equally practical and stylish. Designing a bathroom, whether it’s a family space, en-suite or shower room can be a daunting task but it’s important to add your own individual style to it.
Tiles are a key component of most bathroom designs and can be used in lots of different ways to create an array of looks.
Everything from geometric shaped tiles to marble-effect, they’ll be a tile to suit you. Keep reading to discover some of our favourite tile combinations.
21 Timeless Tile Combinations For The Bathroom
Where to start? When I design a bathroom you always need to anchor your design with one material or tile choice. This gives you a great starting point for building out your design, and it’s much easier to pair other complementary tiles with your initial choice than it is to try and pull three tiles together all at once.
Tile drenching is gaining a lot of popularity in bathrooms this year, this involves using one continuous tile throughout the space, although it can create a flatter overall design.
I personally prefer to use either two or up to three (max) tile choices in a bathroom for interest and texture.
Typically you’ll want to select a different tile for your shower enclosure/bath and one for the rest of the space, this doesn’t mean you have to tile from the floor to ceiling either, as half tiled walls are a popular way to update a bathroom without it being as costly as tiling to the ceiling.
1.Terrazzo & Plain Tiles
Terrazzo is a truly unique material that is made up of chips of marble, quartz or granite that are bound together by a cementitious binder. The effect can be quite breathtaking, due to the different colours and patterns that occur.
If you’re planning on using terrazzo tiles, we suggest pairing them with a plain tiled floor to make them truly stand out.
2. Feature Wall Accent Colour
Use tiles to create a bold feature wall. By ‘bold’ we don’t necessarily mean that it has to be bold in colour but it can make a statement through texture instead.
These mottled metro tiles laid vertically create a modern and contemporary look. Incorporate alcove shelving in a shower to neatly store your bathroom products.
Metro tiles can be picked up from most tile suppliers.
3. Green & Grey Adds A Natural Feel
A neutral colour palette doesn’t have to be confined to different shades of beige. Green and grey create a wonderfully earthy combination.
Keep green tiles looking light and bright by using white grout and add touches of antique copper or brass for a rustic look.
4.Grey Offers A Timeless Look
There’s no denying that grey is a classic colour choice for most interior looks, however there are definitely ways to make it look more contemporary and up to date.
Use rustic grey tiles that vary in texture and tone to adorn your bathroom and pair with a marble-effect flooring.
5. Classic Subway Metro Tiles With Black Accents
Redecorating a bathroom is a costly investment so you won’t want to choose tiles that will quickly go out of fashion. Classic subway tiles are a staple and look great in any bathroom space.
Modernise a wall of subway tiles by using black grout and contrasting the bright white tiles with other black accents such as a black mirror and black spotted flooring.
6. Grey & White, The Most Timeless Combo
Create a half and half effect with tiles in your bathroom by using a mixture of large tiles and smaller designs.
The large tiles on the bottom half of this bathroom make the space look bigger than it is and the smaller tiles on top add texture and interest.
7. Monochrome Magic
The great thing about subway tiles is that they can be paired with almost any other tile design and look fabulous.
Be inspired by the bathroom pictured above and go for a classic Victorian-inspired bathroom design.
8. Checkerboard & Marble
Checkerboard flooring is popular in bathrooms, whether it’s original tiles or a luxury vinyl. Contrast monochromatic checkerboard tiles with a marble backsplash for a classy and elegant look.
9. Green & Black Always Deserves To Be Seen
Keen to add a pop of colour to your bathroom? Be bold and opt for vibrant tiles to adorn your bathroom walls.
These sea green coloured tiles are effortlessly stylish and look great paired with a black and white geometric floor tile.
10. Layer With White & Black
Add visual interest to a neutral bathroom by choosing two different tile designs. These classic black and white floor tiles are timeless and look fabulous complemented with white metro wall tiles.
11. Sage Green For A Restorative Bathroom
Sage green is a key colour trend for 2025 and beyond, and it’s undoubtedly popular in bathrooms. Green is naturally very calming and soothing, which is ideal for a place where you want to bathe and relax.
Elevate a sage green bathroom by grounding it with grey floor tiles and touches of brass.
12. Zellige Tiles Add Interest At Every Angle
Zellige tiles are bang on trend and are a tile design that originated in Morocco.They are a type of handcrafted tile that is glazed and fired, which creates an irregular look that feels unique and rustic.
Pick out tones that are evident in your Zellige tiles and choose flooring that boasts a similar colour palette.
13. Combine Pattern With Classic Wall Panelling
Want to add a pattern to your bathroom but also need it to feel timeless? Incorporate a patterned floor tile into your design that feels stylish and modern but keep your bathroom feeling classical by installing wall panelling.
14. Marble & Terracotta
We adore this contrasting tile combination! The luxurious feel of marble juxtaposed with the robustness of terracotta feels bold and unapologetic.
If you’re apprehensive that this may be too bold then keep the walls neutral and let the tiles do all the talking.
15. Don’t Just Stick To Two Types of Tiles
Don’t confine yourself to just two types of tiles, be brave and opt for three, or even four!
We recommend collating samples of the tiles you want to use and place them next to each other to create a moodboard. This will make things clear whether or not the selection of tiles you love complement each other or not.
16. Border Tiles With A Pattern For An Injection of Colour
Get creative with not just the design of your tiles but the way you choose to lay them.
Create a colourful border like the one pictured below with your choice of patterned tile. This breaks up a wall of tiles and brings a sense of individuality. You could do this as a floor or ceiling border.
17. Cool Tones With Blue & Grey
Cool tones such as blues and greys are synonymous with bathroom design as they conjure up a nautical or coastal feel.
Adopt a cooler colour scheme by opting for a pair of blue and grey tiles that make the perfect match.
18. Marble Combo
Combining differing types of marble is always a good idea for a timeless, yet understated and stylish feel.
In the bathroom below they have used tumbled marble chequer floor tiles & Calcutta honed marbled tiles in the shower and around basin for a cohesive feel that’s modern and inspiring.
19. Herringbone Sets The Tone
What about considering wooden floor tiles? Herringbone is enduringly popular and is hard wearing and functional for a bathroom.
The juxtaposition between the wood and cool marble tones creates a gorgeous balance. A perfect tile combination for a sunny south facing bathroom.
20. Warm, Modern Neutral
Warm, modern neutral bathrooms are trending for 2025. Rather than cold whites and creams, we’re leaning into richer, modern neutrals such as taupes, browns and mushrooms.
Stone effect porcelain tiles have been used on the floor for a timeless, neutral feel, with thatch tiles on the wall.
21. Mix Zellige
Zellige is always a good idea! That perfectly imperfect look with a slight colour variation on each tile renders visual interest no matter what angle you look at them in.
The tile play between the stripes on the floor and square tiles on the walls creates a playful look that just works.
