Make a Splash With These Shower Tile Ideas

Many homeowners foster a rustic vibe throughout their abode, but find it difficult to carry this look over into the bathroom, especially the shower. Wood paneling weakens with water use, so its appeal quickly fades. Since it's far from practical to upgrade your bathroom every year, rest assured that there's a simple solution: wood grain porcelain tiles. This waterproof style mimics the appearance of wood, which makes it a must for those craving a lux-yet-laid-back vibe, and it can be crafted into countless designs for a back-to-nature aesthetic.

Since wood can go many ways, a cheerful, farmhouse vibe is an innovative way to mix the old with the new. Traditionally, farmhouse elements incorporate pale tones that are easy on the eye. Aim for a light shade of wood with elongated tiles, and let your shower take center stage by leaving the other bathroom features a traditional white or beige.

Light wood doesn't have to have a town and country aesthetic. Stick with light tiling, but let the features do the talking. A traditional tile pattern gets a major uplift with bold, dark features. Give the whole room a makeover with a jet black bathtub, sink, shower doors, or just the shower rack — the choice is yours. By renovating simple features (you can even switch up your soap containers with modern, minimalist accessories in dark shades), you create a modern asethetic that only looks expensive.

When it comes to remodeling your shower, don't hold back. Many people crave that luxurious villa vibe, and it's easy to achieve with dark wood tiling. Rather than going for a basic board shape, select thin, elongated tiles that run in a vertical pattern; this one simple switch makes a major impact and delivers an instantly lux look. Focus one area to emphasize the appeal and make your bathroom's other features pop. Since dark wood is so commonly associated with five-star hotels and faraway resorts, you'll score vacation-savvy style for a fraction of the price.

Spa-like vibes are all the rage, and this elegant aesthetic never goes out of style. Create the look by selecting tiles in a range of complementary, medium-tone shades, then piece them together in a puzzle-like pattern, so that you can see light shades melding with dark ones throughout your shower. The result is a one-of-a-kind design that looks instantly high-end.

Marble shower tiles create an elegant look, but there's no need to go over-the-top. Small tiles in a pearlescent white, beige, or pastel hue can be stacked in a manner that mimics the ocean's waves, fostering a peaceful flow throughout your entire bathroom. Experiment with geometry to uncover ovals, circles, and one-of-a-kind shapes that create instant impact.

One unexpected way to spice up your shower? Focus on its most basic feature — the grout. White is always on-trend, but why not attempt something more unique? Marble has a lux look on its own, but pair it with gold grout, and you'll instantly up the ante. Colors like luxurious blue and Chinese red have an air of sophistication, so when selecting shower tiles, consider which grout shade complements the look best.

Take that ripple aesthetic up a notch by incorporating diverse tile shades in a neutral color. Gray makes a great base, but mixing in black, white, and lighter gray give it an instant boost. Select medium-sized tiles that extend straight across, and you'll add instant depth to your entire bathroom. By using multiple shades, the pattern will pop into effect both horizontally and vertically, drawing the eye up and out so the room appears larger.

There's no rule that you need to stick to one shade, of course, so try shower tiles from a variety of color families. Do you like yellow? Live for orange? Swear by black? There's no reason to choose just one; try combining all three into a one-of-a-kind mosaic mural, or create a large-scale pattern that stretches from floor to ceiling. Scratch pieces paired with colorful grout create a once-in-a-lifetime look with all the appeal of a Mediterranean resort.

Remodeling is all about innovation, so sway away from the same old shapes and experiment with something new. Whether you choose basic white or bold color, you can never go wrong with the hexagon. Tiling your shower with this shape from top to bottom creates a modern, minimalist vibe that's simple to style.