Shower Tile Layout Ideas

Ceiling Detail

• If you have a low shower, use tile detail along the top to make it look taller. Line the top edge of the shower with tiles of a different color or pattern. In doing so, you can draw the eye upward, creating the sense of more space. Choose accent tiles that work with the rest of the shower tiles: a pattern that picks up the color in the base tiles, for example, or solid tiles in a complementary color.

Varied Shapes

• When you want to use tiles of a similar color and finish without creating a boring shower tile, go with varied shapes. Choose a tile that comes in square, rectangular, diamond and even circular shapes. Line the majority of the shower with one type of tile, and add dimension with two or three other shapes. You might add visual interest with shaped tiles along the bottom half of the wall, or use them to frame the shower head and faucet area. By sticking to the same color, you can add depth and visual interest without a chaotic feeling.

Stripes

• For a bold shower design, go with a striped tile layout. Choose tiles in two colors, and use them to create stripes that wrap around the interior of the shower; you can also use smaller tiles in a third color at the boundary between stripes. The resulting look will become a focal point of your bathroom, particularly if you pair it with a clear shower door or curtain. To make the most of a striped shower, use design accents in the rest of the room that pick up the two colors.

Blue and White

• If you want to create a bathroom that has the serene, airy feel of a spa, go with white and Greek blue. Create a base of white tiles and accent them with blue in a stripe around the center; scatter tiles or use an abstract pattern on the bottom half of the shower. For a more colorful palette, you can go with small tiles in different shades of blue and white to create a mosaic. This color palette is particularly effective in a bathroom that gets a great deal of light.