Beautiful Bathroom Tile Ideas + Inspiration

In my line of work, I look at lots and lots of bathrooms, but still I find myself continuously amazed by the creative ways in which interior designers use tile. Whether as an accent or as a full wall treatment, tile can really transform the look of a bathroom, and nowhere is that more evident than in these 11 spaces, where unusual applications of tile create interiors that are both beautiful and unique.

In this bathroom from Inside Out, fish scale tile make for a striking accent in the shower. Also lead image above.

Design firm Hauvette-Madani carried the same black and white tile in bits and pieces throughout this minty remodeled bathroom. It's cohesive and freshly unexpected at the same time.

Black Moroccan Zellige tiles set off a corner shower in this bathroom by Alexander Design, as seen in Luxe Interiors + Design. The gloss pairs nicely with the matte tile floor.

Horizontal black subway tile and dark floral wallpaper make for an especially striking combination in this bathroom from T Magazine.

Using pebble tile just on the floor of this freestanding shower creates a beautiful contrast with the wood flooring in the rest of the bathroom. Image from Weranda Country.

If you love a particular tile but don't want it to overwhelm the bathroom (or just can't afford a whole wall), try creating an accent just behind the sink. A ribbon of patterned encaustic tile frames the sink and slips down onto the floor in this bathroom from Design Milk.

A cascade of penny tiles adds a gorgeous, beachy vibe to this bathroom by designer Jillian Harris.

Rather than going the accent wall route, this bathroom (spotted on Domino) is completely covered in penny tile, with surprisingly elegant results.

In this bathroom from My Domaine, hex tile covers a shower and terminates in a playful pattern.

In this clever tiny bathroom designed by Elizabeth Roberts, a hex tile pattern wraps from the floor to almost halfway up the wall. (This is a Brooklyn example of a 'Scandinavian wet room', a bathroom where there's no shower enclosure and the bathroom itself becomes the shower.)

In this bathroom from Frenchy Fancy, a light grey beveled subway tile that's just the same color as the wall imparts an interesting texture — and is just the right complement to the patterned cement tile floor.