45 Shower Tile Ideas for Every Shower Type
Whether you’re retiling your shower or renovating your entire bathroom from scratch, deciding on the best shower tile can be unexpectedly overwhelming. Many are surprised by the seemingly endless types of tiles available, all varying in material, design and placement.
While a standard tub with a single shower head was once the norm for bathroom design, this has changed dramatically as modern design has evolved. Now, the shower has become the focal point among luxurious primary bathrooms, serving not just as a utility but as a showpiece — something that can set the tone for the entire look of the bathroom.
To find out which tiles are best suited for your shower, the design ideas below can help you sort through the countless tile options available and make a choice that aligns with your unique taste and style.
Table of Contents
Porcelain
Porcelain is one of the most popular types of tile on the market, and for good reason — it’s highly durable, easy to clean and can withstand moisture and heavy foot traffic. Aside from its functionality, it can be styled in almost any design, style or color. Whether you want to emulate the look of natural stone, wood or brick, the design options are endless for using porcelain tile in your shower.
1. Large Format Porcelain Tile
For an impressive shower design, large format porcelain tiles can instantly level up your shower and create the illusion of more space. The finished look of large format porcelain tiles creates a bold style with a touch of luxury.
2. Basket Weave Tile
Basket weave tile can add an inviting sense of movement to any shower design, and is ideal for adding a timeless style to bathroom interiors. The unique basket weave pattern resembles the crisscross weaving of threads and is a great way to add texture and dimension to your shower floors or walls.
3. Cosmic Marble-Look
Porcelain tile with a marble-look design can make for a unique shower wall that creates a feeling of organic movement and flow within the space. The appeal of marble-look porcelain tile is that it offers the classically beautiful look of marble with the added durability of porcelain tile.
4. Marble-Look Hex Tile
This vintage inspired patterned tile adds a delicate but graphic pop of design thanks to the unique hexagon shape. The elegant marble-look finish balanced with straight hexagonal edges creates a sharp, clean style with an added touch of luxury.
5. Porcelain Subway Tile
Simple but chic, there’s a reason classic porcelain subway tile has become a staple in modern design. Use bright hues for a bold statement, soft pastels for a fresh, airy look, or neutral tones for a calm, earthy style.
6. Checkered Porcelain Tile
Checkered tile can give a grandiose, luxurious look to your shower. Whether you use a monochromatic color palette like this vintage-inspired black and white style or a softer color scheme, checkered tile offers a dynamic look that feels organized and precise while adding visual depth to your space.
7. White Hex Porcelain Mosaic
Time-tested classic hexagon mosaic tiles get a retro spin in this minimalistic design. With matte white porcelain tiles, this style balances its retro aesthetic with a fresh, modern feel.
8. Porcelain Wood-Grained Tile
Porcelain wood-grained tile offers a warm look with subtle rustic elements while still upholding a contemporary style. Textured wood grain provides an organic feel that effortlessly brings nature into your design.
9. Carrara Porcelain Mosaic Tile
Carrara marble-look mosaic tile evokes the luxury of marble while maintaining the durability of porcelain. Glossy tiles with a snow-white backdrop infused with rich silver veining can bring a distinctly elegant look to your space.
10. Beveled Subway Tile
For a subtle spin on traditional subway tiles, beveled tiles offer a more contemporary-casual look that still maintains a classic streamlined design. Instead of the traditionally glossy finish of subway tiles, matte-finished beveled tile creates a more understated look that still offers movement and texture.
11. Mosaic Penny Tile
Mosaic penny tile gives a contemporary twist to a nostalgic, retro style. This fresh design can add visual interest to your shower that can elevate and brighten up the space.
12. Azulejo Mosaic Tile
Azulejo tiles emulate the intricate detail of Portugese artistry to create eye-catching designs. Vivid colors and detailed patterns create a sense of artistic flair and culture in your space.
13. Marble-Look Porcelain
Marble-look porcelain tile provides the luxury of carrara white marble with the durability of porcelain. Mid-sized rectangular tiles paired with minimal grout lines put a modern twist on the classic elegance of marble.
14. Brick Look Porcelain Tile
Brick look porcelain is ideal for adding texture and warmth to your space. Its distressed edges and weathering texture mimic the historic look of antique brick commonly found in urban architecture.
15. Wood Effect
Wood porcelain tile creates a wood-like effect that gives an organic, coastal feel to shower walls. A pale white color helps maintain this light and airy feel.
Ceramic
Another popular choice for shower tile, ceramic is versatile, durable and easy to maintain. It comes in hundreds of styles, colors and finishes, and is a good option if you’re looking for more artful, intricate and eye-catching designs.
16. Star Ceramic Tile
For a creative shower design with plenty of visual interest, star-patterned ceramic tiles add an artistic expression that’s unique to your bathroom. Paired with a low sheen glaze, star ceramic tile offers an authentically aged appearance.
17. Mallorca Subway Tile
Mallorca ceramic tiles create an organic, handcrafted appearance that come together in a sleek, minimalist design. This spin on the classic subway tile style brings more elegance to your bathroom with a hint of gloss and shine.
18. Vertically Stacked Subway Tile
Subway tiles turned vertically instead of horizontally are a simple way to put a unique twist on classic subway tile. Stacking them means you don’t get the offset you’d typically see from a running bond, and the result is an unexpectedly bold and modern design.
19. Hexagon Mosaic Tile
Ceramic tile with a marble-like finish mimics the elegance of classic Carrara marble, with hexagon shaped tile to add geometric dimension and dazzling visual interest. This shower tile style can add an accent of luxury to your shower walls or floors.
20. Wood-Look Ceramic Tile
Wood-look ceramic tile makes it possible to bring the rich warmth of authentic wood right into your shower. Whether you opt for a cool grey, rich brown or white-washed finish, wood-look tile lets you create a timeless and beautiful style with added durability.
21. Glazed Picket Tile
Glazed picket tile offers a unique Mediterranean-inspired design that can expand a bathroom’s relaxing atmosphere. Its angular lines are balanced by a lustrous, glossy finish, allowing the design to flow seamlessly in your space.
22. Matchstick Mosaic Tiles
These straight edge, high gloss “matchstick” ceramic tiles are vertically stacked to create a distinctly striking style. The precise detail and high contrast glaze welcome a linear aesthetic to your space.
23. Staggered Ceramic Tile
Staggered tile is installed so that the tiles’ natural shape is the edge of the area, rather than cutting the tile to form a straight edge. The result is a perfectly imperfect “unfinished” style that is both casual and refined.
24. Black Herringbone
Glossy, black subway tiles in a herringbone pattern can create a sleek and stylish design option for shower walls. Bright white tile on the shower floors contrasted with the black walls makes for a modern, polished look.
25. White Picket Tile
The clean-cut lines of white picket ceramic tile evoke a fresh and modern look, and the brilliant white color instantly elevates your space. White picket tile makes it easy to create a bright, open atmosphere with heightened visual interest.
26. Subway Tile with Mosaic Accent
Accenting classic subway tile in the shower with a small strip of colored mosaic is the perfect way to add a touch of color and creative flair to your bathroom.
27. Chevron Zigzag
For a punchy yet seamless design, tiles placed in a zigzag chevron pattern give a bold edge to shower walls. Chevron patterns have become increasingly popular for homeowners who want to add some flair and movement to their bathrooms. Whether you opt for wide-width tiles for a high impact look or thinner tiles for a mesmerizing design, this style can elevate any space.
Glass
The long lasting water- and stain-resistance of glass makes it a wonderful alternative to natural stone, and glass tile showers offer a modern look for a clean and sleek style.
28. Mediterranean Mosaic
Aqua-colored mosaic tiles paired with white, turquoise and bright blue tones evoke a dreamy and refreshing Mediterranean spa look.
29. Hexagon Mosaic Accent
To create visual interest that doesn’t feel overwhelming, a simple accent of hexagon mosaic tile can add a unique pop of design flair to your shower walls. Whether you want to make a bold statement by contrasting the colors of the accent wall with the rest of your shower walls or opt for a more uniform color scheme throughout, hexagon mosaic accent tile offers much room for creative expression.
30. Fish Scale Mosaic
For an eye catching design in your shower, fish scale mosaic tiles can create a beautifully striking focal point.
31. Medieval Floral
Glass medieval floral tile balances a contemporary classic design with an eye-catching artistic flair. Soft, rounded floral shapes provide a soft contrast to this striking style.
Limestone
If you want to add some warmth and natural beauty to your bathroom, limestone offers beautiful natural tones, shades and variation to create styles reminiscent of ancient architecture and design.
32. Double Chevron Limestone
Combining an earthy, grey-beige color palette with the sharp, geometric design of double chevron tile creates a calm and inviting atmosphere using natural limestone.
33. Large Format Limestone
For a serene design, natural limestone in a subtle shade adds a calming effect to your space. A silky, honed finish highlights the stone’s subtle hues, while the interlocking tile pattern adds texture and dimension.
Large format limestone tiles are perfect for creating a modern design that still feels serene. The dark gray color paired with a silky, honed finish highlights this natural stone’s subtle hues and adds a touch of elegance to this high impact design.
34. Tumbled Limestone Tile
Tumbled limestone creates a sense of rugged nature in your shower, with textured dimension that highlights the weathered look of this earthy style.
35. Arabesque Limestone Mosaic
Limestone tile shaped into an arabesque mosaic design offers a sophisticated take on the natural look of travertine, with cool grey and creamy white hues to add an elegant opulence to this design.
36. Cobble Limestone Tile
Cobble limestone tile offers a modern take on the natural look of travertine, and can give your shower an impressive design. A textured surface adds visual interest and brings a sense of nature into your shower walls or floors.
Travertine
Travertine is a type of limestone that offers a natural, one-of-a-kind aesthetic. Its soft, subdued palette trends towards darker hues than limestone and is perfect for creating peaceful, Zen-like designs that evoke a sense of nature in your shower.
37. Earthy Travertine Mosaic
Rich brown, caramel and white hues create a harmony of earthy tones presented in a vivid pattern in this fluid travertine tile. Mosaic shaped tiles add a uniform dimension to the textured pattern on the surface of this natural stone.
38. Noir Travertine Subway Tile
Noir travertine subway tile gives the classic look of subway tile a sophisticated edge, with a noir hue that gives a rich and expressive feel to your shower. A smooth, honed finish contrasted with a slight luster heightens this modern design.
39. Sandy Travertine Tile
Large format travertine tiles with natural tones offer a versatile look that meshes well with many bathroom styles. A smooth, honed finish provides a softer, casual feel, and a sandy brown color mixed with smoky white highlights evokes a natural look.
40. Rectangular Travertine Tile
Large-format travertine tiles in a wide rectangular shape make a grandiose statement in this bold design. A mixture of sandy brown, caramel and silvery hues paired with warm brown veining adds a beautiful dimension to your shower walls, and a honed, filled finish lends elegant luster to this natural stone.
Marble
Marble tiles add an instant touch of luxury to any space, and its characteristic veining highlights its classically striking appearance. With organic, sweeping visuals available in hundreds of styles, marble tile showers bring elegance and sophistication to your shower design.
41. Honey-Colored Carrara
Highly favored in art and architecture for centuries, Carrara is one of the most distinctive varieties of marble. The warmth of honey-colored Carrara tiles offers a classic ambiance with color variation that elevates its organic beauty.
42. Beige Marble Tile
Beige marble tile is perfect for evoking a more organic, natural feel in your shower that still maintains the elegance of marble stone. A creamy bone-colored base with horizontal veining in slightly darker shades make for a relaxing transition to wakefulness when you step into your bathroom each morning.
43. White Statuary Marble Tile
Statuary marble tile is a classic stone known for its distinct gray veins meandering throughout the surface. Its translucent white background produces a light-reflecting shine that can add brightness and openness to your bathroom.
44. Variegated Marble Subway Tile
To veer away from the uniform look of classic subway tile, opting for subway marble tiles with gold and grey veining creates a more dynamic and uniquely elegant design.
45. Chevron Skyline
Skyline marble tile combines creamy white and silvery hues to create elegant visual interest while still maintaining a neutral feel. When laid in a chevron pattern, you can achieve a distinctive flair without overpowering its elegance.
Considerations for Choosing the Best Shower Tile
There are a few considerations to think about when comparing shower tile ideas and options. Safety is an important factor that you don’t want to ignore, and choosing a slip-resistant tile for your shower floor is important for preventing injuries. Luckily, there are plenty of water-resistant tile options to choose from.
Another consideration is tile size and texture. Tiles come in a variety of finishes ranging from roughly textured to smooth, and different sized tiles have different effects — small, textured tiles generally have more underfoot traction, and large format tiles create the illusion of a bigger space in smaller rooms. Keeping your tactile preferences in mind, along with using tile size and texture to your advantage, can optimize your overall bathroom design.
No matter what your style and taste preferences are, the versatility and beauty of the many types of tile available today let you design a space you’ll truly love. For more in-depth resources on how to choose the right tile for your shower, our flooring experts are available to answer your questions and offer personalized recommendations to suit your needs.
