How to Design a Tile Layout for a Walk-In Shower

Group tile in two different colors in alternating rows to give the tile a striped feel. If you have a particularly large shower, you can do two rows of one color before following them with two rows of another color tile. If you have a small shower, a thinner stripe pattern will make the shower feel a little larger than it actually is.

Use large tiles for large showers and small tiles for smaller showers. Using alternating large tiles in a big space works well but can make a small space feel even smaller. In a small shower, using large tiles will make the shower feel like it has even less surface area that it does and should be avoided whenever possible.

Design the shower using alternating tiles in two or three different colors. For example, a yellow tile can be followed with a blue tile, followed by another yellow tile. Put the tiles down in the same order repeatedly – if you don’t, you will cause the eye to focus on the area where two tiles of the same color meet.

Combine contrasting colors like black and white or red and blue to give your shower tile a bold, contemporary look. Contrasting colors work well in both large and small shower spaces and the colors can be grouped in rows or alternating tiles.

Randomly order tiles if you are using natural stone or other types of tile that do not follow a set pattern or color. If you have a small shower, you can try to put pieces together that work but it is not necessary with natural patterns since there is no usual pattern in nature.

Number the tiles on the back if you are using more than two or three colors for laying out your shower or are making a more intricate pattern. You can use a grease pencil or permanent marker to number the tiles in the order they should be put on, starting from the top left corner of the area being tiled. This is especially important if a contractor is putting the tile down for you. Alternately, you can make a diagram on paper of how the tile should be laid out for reference.