When Tile Choice Can Make Or Break Your Bathroom Renovation Vision

While we don’t mean to get all dramatic in our title, your tile choice really is very important. Tiles are a permanent fitting in your finished bathroom renovation. Walls can be repainted in a fresh new colour, most tapware fittings can be swapped over easily, and some back to wall baths are easily swapped over too.

Depending on the amount of tiling in your dream bathroom design, the tile colour, style and layout that you go with can completely change your finished look.

Where should my tiling go?

Shower: If you are reading this article, you are likely leaning towards a tiled shower. We can tile this to around 2 metres high, or you can go right to the ceiling. It really depends on your personal style. Tiling your new shower to the ceiling can have the maximum impact for a luxury finish.

We would suggest putting a tiled niche in. This recessed style shelf can maximize your storage space for body wash and the like, all while looking amazing. Tile your niche with the same tile as the rest of your shower OR use a feature tile in the back wall. Add a trim colour to match your tapware. Install an LED strip here to really change the finished look.

Floor: If you are going with a tiled wall shower, you most likely will be tiling the floor as well. Although you can put an acrylic shower into your new bathroom, and still tile the floor. You don’t necessarily need a vinyl floor in this situation (although wood look vinyl or planking can look amazing!)

Ideally your floor tile should be the same as your shower base tile. This creates a seamless look on your overall bathroom design. Paired with frameless glass, this tiling can make your new bathroom feel more spacious and luxurious. It has the effect of opening up the space.

Skirting: For tiled floors, we suggest doing tiled skirts as well, instead of the standard wooden skirting. This is only a fraction more work but will lift the entire finish up another level.

Bath walls: Most baths will have some kind of tiling behind or in front. Unless you are going for an acrylic liner or skirt, tiling is a very real option to lift the look of your bath area. Back to wall baths give you the look of a freestanding bath, without the cost. Add in a feature tiled wall to the ceiling, and you instantly have the modern stylish look.

Bathroom walls: Depending on the end look of your bathroom, you could tile to a skirting height (see above), half wall height, or full height.

Which Layout should I pick?

The fun stuff, tile layouts!

Tile layouts are so crucial and can completely change the look of your bathroom. Subway tiles in particular can be laid in many different ways. Mixing and matching tiles can make a statement in your bathroom renovation.

See a few different ways tiles have been laid in our bathroom renovations below.

Tile Trends

Current tile trends are moving towards warmer tones, with Terracotta making a big comeback albeit in a more pastel and watercolour hues. Greens, creams, with bold and soft blues are seen in many tile stores. Grey has held a majority of tile store displays over the last few years, and still has a presence here but has made space for the warmer side of the colour chart. Sandy pink makes an appearance here along with beiges and other sandy finishes.

Large format tiles like the 600×1200 are more readily available and in more patterns and styles. 300×1000 tiles are also becoming available. Many of the larger tiles feature large floral prints to be featured. You can now more easily source even the largest of tiles up to 3 metres long.

Marble tiles have also warmed up rather than just the simple monochrome colourings, some of these styles feature flecks of gold colours.

Embossed and textured tiles are making a debut, less of patterns and more so of a ribbed and corrugated style.

Terrazo tiles continue to be redesigned and released, popular for their pops of colour while at the same time, other Terrazo styles have become available in a more greyscale style. To keep the look but in a more muted look.

Finished Tiled Bathrooms

Check out some of our finished tiled bathrooms. Each of our renovations are bespoke and personal to you.

For our full gallery of finished bathroom, ensuite and laundry renovations, see our Finished Renovations section.

Stunning bathroom renovations finished with beautiful tiles. Frameless glass is a fantastic option to show more of your chosen tile designs and layouts. Shower glass reflects LED mirrors, bouncing light around your new bathroom. Tie in your tapware colours for that dream look. Contact us for your fully renovated bathroom packages, we offer design advice and styling to go with.