7 Tacky Bathroom Tile Patterns That Make Your Space Look Dated, Designers Say

For designers, not all bathroom tile patterns are created equal. There are some looks in particular that the pros consider to be majorly outdated or tacky looking—and as such, they encourage clients to avoid these materials and colors at all costs.

Below, find out which seven types of tile experts would rather not see ever again on bathroom floors and walls—and get familiar with what they recommend using instead.

Stone Mosaic Flooring in the Shower

The concept of stone mosaic flooring in the shower, similar to what you might come across in a spa, is a look that majorly bothers designers for both aesthetic and practical reasons.

“Not only does it look super dated, but it is a pain to clean,” says interior designer Ellie Stein. “It just always ends up looking a little off.”

Stein is particularly deterred by this type of flooring when it’s used alongside tan wall tile, she says.

Wood-Like Porcelain Tile Flooring

Stein urges people to avoid wood-like porcelain tile on their bathroom.

“Just go with wood or go with tile—please don’t combine the two,” she implores.

She says that wood-like porcelain tile flooring is just not convincing enough; the grout lines make it obvious that real wood wasn’t used in the space. Plus, the feel of the porcelain is unpleasant—oftentimes cold—to the touch.

Pastel-Colored Tiles

Whether used on the floors or the walls, pastel-colored tiles are an instant pass for Shannon Kadwell, the kitchen and bath director at Anthony Wilder Design/Build. Shades like blush pink, mint green, and baby blue are too 1950s for the designer.

“Unless you’re doing a full mid-century restoration, these hues often make a bathroom feel dated,” she says, noting that they don’t easily complement modern styles of hardware.

Diagonal Floor Tile Layouts

You won’t just want to pay attention to the colors and materials you bring into your space; the layout of your bathroom can make or break how the room appears, too.

Mary Gordon, the co-founder of InSite Builders & Remodeling, finds a handful of floor tile layouts to read as dated, one of which being the diagonal floor tile layout.

“It was once used to make small bathrooms look and feel larger, but diagonal tiles now look dated and busy,” she says.

She says that today’s homeowners gravitate toward clean lines and minimal grout, so there are other ways to embrace a small bathroom that don’t involve taking this approach to flooring.

“Even the small scale of powder rooms is being celebrated with bold, whimsical wallpaper rather than relying on optical illusions like a diagonal tile pattern to create a sense of space,” Gordon says.

Checkerboard Tile Flooring

This style of flooring is a no-no when it comes to the bathroom.

“A solid black-and-white checkerboard floor can look charming in the right historic setting, but in most bathrooms it feels a bit theatrical,” Kadwell says.

In a smaller room in particular, it can just be a bit overwhelming and make a space feel busier than it is; Gordon is also eager to avoid black-and-white checkerboard flooring in the bathroom.

“The bold contrast can overpower the space and limit other design choices,” she says.

Decorative Racing Stripes

This display of accent tiles was once popular fixtures within the shower or along the wall, Gordon says, but today, the look is unappealing to many.

“Those stripes interrupt the visual flow and feel cheap within an otherwise elegant tile selection,” she says. “Buyers associate them with a builder-grade update from decades past.”

Instead of opting for a complex pattern, just keep your tile display simple and you’ll please contemporary buyers.

“Continuous tile in a single tone or subtle variation feels more cohesive, timeless, and luxurious,” Gordon says.

Subway Tile

Subway tile, once ultra popular, is less of a top choice when it comes to today’s bathrooms.

“Homeowners today have so many tile options that traditional subway tile is taking a back seat,” Gordon says.

The look, she says, “now feels predictable and uninspired.”

While some people are still incorporating subway tile with a bit of a twist—bigger tiles and matte finishes, to name a few—most are moving past it entirely, opting for natural, sculptural, or large-format displays.