Choose Checkered
Using retro-inspired checkered tile is an easy and time-honored way to bring a little bit of personality to your bathroom. In this Catskills farmhouse designed by Jersey Ice Cream Co., tiles in creamy white and taupe were chosen to complement the blush beadboard walls while an L-shaped chrome shower rod furthers the retro feel.
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Add Contrast With Tile
In bathrooms with bold walls, pick light-toned solid-colored floor tiles to create an easy-to-digest visual contrast. The shapely white marble floor tiles in this barn home bathroom offer just that, while shining chrome accents add an elegant twist against the rustic wood walls.
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Embrace Encaustic Tiles
Looking for tile that comes out of the box with a huge dose of personality? Then look no further than encaustic tiles. These colorful tiles are traditionally made from different, vibrantly colored types of clay which are then fired together to create a single geometric tile.
Get the Look:
Vanity Paint Color: Stuart Gold by Benjamin Moore
Build Out A Backsplash
In this bathroom designed by Zio & Sons, designer Anthony D’Argenzio installed the same tile along the floor and up a bumped-out backsplash. Building the tile wall out not only creates spacial interest in the bathroom but also provides a practical perch for a mirror, decor, and fresh flowers above the sink.
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Pick Tiles with Patina
Create a Shower Nook
Line Your Bathroom’s Built-Ins
Choose Color in an All-White Bathroom
Set a Serene Scene
In this attic bathroom, designer Anthony D’Argenzio selected an oval soaking tub and swirled terra-cotta floor tile to add a layer of softness amongst the hard surfaces. The unique tile is fabricated from variegated cotto, which is composed of multiple clay types in various colorways. When fired, the tiles have the stunning marbled effect seen here.
Get the Look:
Floor Tile: Cotto Variegato in Tavella by Fornace Brioni + Cristina Celestino x Clé Tile
Play With a Pretty Palette
Create an Art Wall
Inspired by the homeowners’ collection of vintage blankets, ceramics artist Erica Shirey created a eye-catching graphic pattern on a wall in their guest bathroom by individually hand-painting each 8-by-8 tile. The installation is perfectly framed by the bold, black gridded shower door.
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Use as an Accent
Match Your Wood
In this farmhouse-style bathroom, you have to look twice to see that the sink backsplash wall of the shower bumpout is different than the shiplap walls. This technique is a great way to get the practicality of tile without sacrificing your overall look.
Don’t Forget the Trim
We’ll let you in on a secret: Trim is the key to making any room feel professionally finished—including the bathroom. Try this with tile wainscoting to help pull the room together. You can go with classic black and white as Country Living’s Editor-in-Chief did here in her Mississippi hunting lodge, or you can choose to match it to your other paint or fabric choices.
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RELATED: Yes, You CAN Use Wallpaper In A Bathroom! Here Are Our 40 Favorite Examples.
Try Oversized Hex Tiles
Create a Geometric Border
Take a note from designer Emily Henderson and go playfully geometric with your tile border. While she chose a clean-lined herringbone tile to cover the floors, Emily picked larger scale picket tiles to act as a wainscoting. A row-and-a-half of green picket tiles at the bottom of the wall adds a colorful geographic punch and helps blend the two tiles together into a seamless tableau.
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Match Your Tile to Your Tub
If you have a colored tub, such as the black cast-iron tub shown here, then take your tile inspiration from that! Matching floor tile with striking bathroom features is an easy way to create cohesion. If you love the look of an old painted (preferably peeling) cast iron tub, seek out one in fun colors at your local architectural salvage yard and then match it with large-scaled tile in a similar color. Avoid patterned tile as that will create too much visual clutter.
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Go For a Stripe
You love stripes on upholstery and rugs, so why not as a tile floor. If you don’t want to deal with the fuss (or the math!) of laying individual tiles in an intricate pattern, look for pre-patterned sheets of tiles. They guarantee you’ll get the same look and feel with half the effort of laying it yourself.
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Trust in Terra-Cotta
If you want to bring a little bit of rustic charm to your bathroom, avoid clean white subway tile and go for something a little earthier. In this Ohio farmhouse bathroom, rustic terra-cotta tiles add timeworn charm.
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Anna Logan is the Senior Homes & Style Editor at Country Living, where she covers design and decorating trends, home features, and gift guides. She also produces home features and styles content for the print magazine. When she isn’t working, can often be found digging around antique shops for the perfect find. Follow her adventures on Instagram!
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