When it’s time to pick the shower tile for your bathroom, the choices can be a bit overwhelming. There are numerous styles and colors to choose from, and you might be wondering if your bathroom’s shower tiles should match the bathroom floor. We delved into bathroom design strategies to get the answer for you!
You do not have to match your bathroom shower tiles to your bathroom floor. There are no hard and fast rules to this but most of the time, homeowners choose to put in different bathroom tiles for their walls and floors.
Although it might be easier to just pick one tile and use it for your entire bathroom, adding a different color or style will greatly spice up the look of your bathroom. Let’s take a look at some inspirational bathrooms and some answers to all your common questions.
Should The Floor and Shower Tile Match?
Walking into a tile shop and seeing all the various bathroom tiles available can be quite nerve-wracking. It’s a choice that should be made with a firm decision because re-tiling bathrooms isn’t as easy or cost-efficient as repainting a room.
This is one of the reasons why quite a lot of homeowners take so much time in choosing what kind of tiles they should put in their bathrooms.
Strictly speaking, bathroom tiles do not have a set rule that the shower and floor tiles should match. Some homeowners may prefer matching them, but many bathroom interiors do not use the same tiles for the floors and walls. More often than not, bathroom tiles can be of completely different styles as long as it creates a cohesive look.
Combination Style 1: Creating Contrast
Using contrasting colors for your bathroom tiles is a great way to accentuate key furnishings in your bathroom. In this example, you can see the use of dark gray tile for the floors and a wide, rectangular white tile for the walls. The white tiles accentuate the bathroom’s tub and help the room look bigger.
Combination Style 2: Pattern Play
One of the things that aren’t being used a lot in many bathrooms is the use of patterned tile. It’s a great way to add design to the room, and it gives a textural feel to the space. Here, we can see the use of multi-patterned tile matched with white subway tiles. It makes the bathroom look very contemporary and elegant.
Combination Style 3: Go Monochromatic
At first glance, it may look like the room used the same tile for the floor and the walls, but it actually plays with light. One of the best ways to make things pop is to make use of different shades of the same color.
In this bathroom, we can see the subtle change of white marbled tiles to a softer white with cream tones. It’s a great way to showcase minimalism and modernity in your bathroom.
Combination Style 4: Be Bold
Another great way is to add an accent wall to your bathroom. Make use of this accent wall to be the focal point of your room.
In this inspirational photo, you can see the use of bright, teal blue tiles as an accent wall against neutral beige floors and walls. The bright blue definitely makes the room pop and it’s a great way to add color to the bathroom.
Combination Style 5: Make A Match
Just because it isn’t required, doesn’t mean it does not work. Using the same tiles for your bathroom walls and floors is also a great choice for your bathroom.
Here, we can see this bathroom utilizes the same gray marbled tile for its walls and floors. It sets an elegant, classy look that is further accentuated by the clear glass shower and white fixtures.
Should Shower Tile Be Lighter Or Darker Than The Floor?
Just like what we have discussed earlier, there is no hard and fast rule when it comes to choosing tiles for the walls and floors—and this includes the shades you will use for the tile. Commonly, shower tiles are lighter than bathroom floors but this should not hinder you from doing the opposite.
Dark shower tiles also work well with light-colored floors just like in this example. What’s important is that your bathroom should have a cohesive look that blends and harmonizes together, regardless of which shade of tile is darker or lighter in your walls or floors.
Is It Better To Use Small Or Large Tiles In A Small Bathroom?
For homes that have small bathrooms, one would think that the best choice is to use small tiles. However, small spaces like these may benefit from using large tiles. This is because large tiles have fewer grout lines and it helps the room look a lot bigger.
Our eyes automatically assume that bigger tiles also equate to a bigger space.
If you have a small bathroom, one of the best ways to make it look visually appealing is to use large square tiles for both the walls and the floors. Colors and shade don’t really matter, but it would be ideal to use lighter colors because it tends to open up the space better.
But what if you’ve found some small tiles that you’d like to use in your small bathroom? Will it not work? The answer is no, you can still use these small tiles for your bathroom. Just mix and match it with the bigger tiles, and make sure to use more of the bigger tiles in the entire space.
Should Bathroom Wall Tiles Be Glossy Or Matte?
Just like choosing colors and sizes for your bathroom tiles, there is also that other option of picking matte or glossy tiles. Technically, the choice of picking your tile’s finish comes down to personal preference, but there are certain advantages and disadvantages between the two of them.
Glossy Tiles
Glossy tiles have a reflective surface and it helps make the bathroom look bigger. This is because it lets light bounce and brightens the room, and this is perfect for bathrooms that have limited space. It is also easy to clean and maintain because dirt and grime do not stick as easily in glossy tile.
However, glossy tiles do have the tendency to be slippery when wet. If you plan on using glossy tiles for your bathroom, make sure that they will only be used for walls because this can be dangerous if used on the floor.
Matte Tiles
Matte tiles, on the other hand, can give your bathroom space a rustic feel. Because of this, it can be textured and can replicate the look of wood, concrete, or rock without having to use these actual materials. If you’re looking to add this design style to your bathroom, matte tiles are great to use.
One of the advantages of using matte tiles is their ability to hide soap scum and water stains because of their non-reflective surface.
It also works perfectly well to use on bathroom floors because one of the advantages of matte tiles is that it is slip-resistant and provide more traction because of their texture. Do note, however, that it is not completely slip-proof so caution should still be observed.
What Is The Best Type Of Tile For The Bathroom?
There are numerous bathroom tiles available on the market, but the best type to use for bathrooms is ceramic tiles. This tile is commonly used for bathroom spaces because ceramic is waterproof. It is also resistant to bacteria and can easily be cleaned with most standard bathroom cleaners.
Another option for bathroom tiles is porcelain tiles, but these may be quite expensive. These are actually best used for outdoor bathroom spaces because they can withstand temperature change better than ceramic tiles.
Final Thoughts
Choosing bathroom tiles can be a little overwhelming, especially when it comes down to choosing what kind of tile to use for the walls and floors. One of the things that you should remember is that shower walls and floor tiles do not necessarily need to match, although that is also an option.
The only important rule to follow is that the tiles you choose give your bathroom a cohesive, balanced look all throughout.
Are you looking for more bathroom design inspiration? We may have a few articles that can help you: