1. Marble Look + Marble + Mosaic = Affordable Luxury

Stretch your budget without sacrificing style by pairing real marble with marble-look tile. Available in a range of styles, including colors and designs you won’t find in nature, porcelain and ceramic marble-look tiles are durable and easy to maintain, making upkeep simple. This opulant bathroom, designed by Nikki Chu, features the Macchia Vecchia marble-look tile on the walls and the Calacata Evora marble floor tile. The expressive gold, grey and ochre veining in the marble-look tile adds drama, tempered by the subtle splendor of the marble floor. The tonally similar Shapes Elongated Hex Off White Two Tone mosaic tile is used on the shower floor to provide traction.

Love this luxe spa look? Discover how to infuse your home with understated elegance in our guide to quiet luxury design.

Recreate this look with coordinating marble-look tile, marble tile and mosaic tile.

Pro Tip!

“When mixing tile, it’s best to pick a main tile to pull your colors from. I usually stick to three tiles–a main tile, a backsplash tile and a mosaic floor tile.”

-Nikki Chu, celebrity designer

2. Picket + Subway + Large Format= On-Point Design

Mixing shapes and layouts is an easy way to add interest to your design, especially if you want to maintain a monochromatic or tonally cohesive color scheme. This elegant bathroom features the 12″ x 24″ Livingston Melange tile installed in a 1/3 offset layout, subtly contrasted by the 1/2 offset layout used for the Splendor Blanco subway tile. The Splendor Blanco Picket tile takes a completely different direction with a vertical layout. Tonally, all of these tiles are completely cohesive–the grey and white of the marble-look tile is echoed in the white handmade-look wall tiles. However, the mix of shapes and layouts creates a highly intentional and elevated design.

Replicate this design by pairing a picket tile with a similarly colored subway tile and large-format tile.

3. Trim + Subway + Penny Round = Fashionably Great

Trim tile is commonly used to ease the transition from one surface to another, but it can also serve as ornamentation within your tile design. This elegant bathroom, designed by Julie Howard for Timber Trails, features Black Marquina Sommerset trim framing the shower doorway and adding detail to the top and bottom of the wall tile. The effect is similar to piping trim you’d find on a well-designed cushion or item of clothing, elevating the white subway tile in the same way embroidery would a white button-up shirt. The penny round floor tile is installed in a custom black-with-white-border design, which is the inverse of the white-with-black trim walls. This is an excellent example of combining simple elements to create an exceptional design.

Discover expert tips and tricks in our guide to elevating your space with trim.

Combine trim, subway and penny round tile to achieve this look.

Pro Tip!

“If you want your trim to stand out, select a different material or color from your main tile. If you’re looking for a seamless transition, choose a trim piece that matches your main tile.”

– Kirsty Froelich, The Tile Shop Director of Design

4. Star & Cross + Marble Look + Handmade Look = Artisanal Excellence

Traditional shapes and styles combined with charming marble-look tile create artisanal appeal in this contemporary twist on historic design. This is exemplified in the elegant bathroom below, which features the Kasbah Bone Star and Terracotta Cross floor tile, Pisa Oro marble-look tile and the popular Coco White and Canvas handmade-look wall tile. The space maintains cohesion through tonal continuity, but a black, white or black-and-white star-and-cross floor would allow for vibrant wall tiles.

Choose from handmade look, marble look and any combination of Kasbah Star and Cross tiles (available in terracotta and bone) to create this look. Or, for ultimate luxury, pair handmade Zellige tile with real marble.

5. Marble + Mosaic + Handmade Look = Refined Elegance

This combination mixes visual textures to create a rich space that will suit virtually any color palette. The veining on the marble tile, the slight variations in thickness, edge and color in the handmade-look tile, and the shapely pattern of the mosaic tile come together to create a visually rich tableau. This simply splendid bathroom, designed by Renovation Husbands, utilizes all these elements to their best advantage. The Firenze Carrara marble tile featured on the bathroom floor offers understated elegance. The Tribeca Gypsum White handmade-look subway tile adds texture to the shower while blending tonally with the creamy white painted bathroom walls. The Shanxi Black granite square mosaic provides contrast and–thanks to the small pieces and many grout lines–traction to the shower floor.

Shop marble, mosaic and subway tiles to get this look.

6. Rectangle + Hex + Subway = Gorgeous Geometry

Pairing tiles of different sizes and shapes creates a visually striking space. The key to this design combo is to maintain a visual throughline. This eye-catching bathroom features the Look Avio subway tile, textured Hall Bianco wall tile and Rango Taupe Matte hex floor tile. The varied shapes and styles are tied together through the thick white grout lines used in the subway tile design. The vertical and horizontal grid lines echo the diagonal white pattern on the hex floor tile without exactly matching, while the white rectangular tile provides a neutral space.

Subway tile, rectangular tile and hexagon tile come together to create this look.

Pro Tip!

“Similar materials, when used with different grout colors, can create drastically different looks.”

– Julie Howard, lead designer at Timber Trails

7. Pattern + Subway + Mosaic = Sleek & Expressive

A patterned tile showcases your style, whether bold and graphic, delicate and floral or somewhere in between–like the whimsical geometric floral on the Laura Ashley Sunflower Charcoal with Cloud Blue tile shown here. When styling with a patterned tile, pulling colors from the pattern (especially when it features three or more shades) helps maintain cohesion in your design. In this charming bathroom, the walls are tiled with beveled white subway tile, and the blue from the floral pattern is repeated in the Laura Ashley Leaf Cloud Blue mosaic featured in the shower niche. The matching colors create a sense of harmony among the varied patterns and shapes.

Choose a patterned tile to fit your style and pair it with a matching mosaic and subway tile to complete the look.

8. Stone + Mosaic + Hex = Lovely & Lavish

Natural stone will always be synonymous with luxury. Organic and unique, marble, limestone and travertine tiles feature innate variations, ensuring no two pieces will ever be the same. You can find a wealth of stone tile collections at The Tile Shop, each including coordinating mosaics, trim and field tiles. The variety of tile types allows you to create a varied yet cohesive space. This lavish bathroom features Volkas tile throughout. The hex floor tile and leaf-shaped mosaic add interest and beauty to the space, while the expressive veining creates a sense of depth and movement.

A natural stone collection from The Tile Shop has all the tiles you need to achieve this custom and cohesive look.

9. Checkerboard + Squares + Mosaic = Chic Checkmate!

This winning combination repeats shapes, using color and pattern to differentiate the square and checkerboard layouts. The mosaic tile introduces another pattern and texture into the mix; choosing a uniquely shaped mosaic disrupts the design in interesting ways. This bathroom features a marble checkerboard (created by halving 12″ x 24″ tiles). The Arctic White and Bundung Gris Acid tiles complement the Riad White wall tile both tonally and in shape. The White Pebble (Small) mosaic tile, featured on the shower floor, adds organic shapes to contrast with the gridded layouts.

Most similarly sized square (or halved rectangular) tiles made of the same material can be used to create a checkerboard– pair with a solid square tile and mosaic tile to complete the look.

(Ask your local Tile Shop Store Associate or contact customer service to ensure your tiles are suitable for a checkerboard design)

Think outside the box!

A checkerboard-patterned wall is an unexpected move that creates a champion design.

Design & photography by I SPY DIY.

Ready to tackle your reno? Shop our wide assortment of bathroom tiles to find your perfect design combination.

At The Tile Shop, advice is always on the house. Schedule a free design consultation or visit your local Tile Shop showroom and let us help create a space you’ll love!

The post 9 Simple Bathroom Tile Formulas for Sophisticated Design appeared first on The Tile Shop Blog.

10. Serene Handmade-Look Bathroom

Warm neutrals were the trend of the year, and the Coco Canvas tile was the most popular of them all. Three of the top bathrooms feature this charmingly detailed, handmade-look tile. This serene bathroom showcases the Coco Canvas matte tile in a horizontal stack, complemented by a double band of glossy tile in a vertical stack. The glossy finish captures the light, creating a stunning yet subtle effect.

9. Alison Victoria’s City-Chic Shower

HGTV star Alison Victoria’s pretty-yet-edgy shower features tile from her Tile Shop-exclusive collection. The subtle brick-like texture of the Brick x Brick by Alison Victoria Petal tile adds grit to the feminine pastel tone, while the vertical brick-lay pattern gives the space a contemporary feel. If you love her signature city-chic style, shop our newly expanded Alison Victoria collection.

8. Renovation Husbands’ Relaxing Shower

This soothing shower, designed by Renovation Husbands, is a richly textured retreat. The entrance is tiled with the luxurious and expressive Firenze Carrara, while handmade-look wall tile and a granite tile floor soothe the senses in this beautiful transitional-style space. Want more ideas on how to achieve this contemporary-meets-traditional look? Check out our helpful guide to transitional design.

7. Nikki Chu’s Quiet Luxury Office Shower

This serene shower from Nikki Chu epitomizes the understated elegance of one of our favorite 2024 trends–quiet luxury. The rich beige and grey veining in the Savannah Antique marble-look wall tile, along with the natural coloration of the Modena mosaic floor tile, add soothing movement to the space. Discover more ideas on how to infuse your space with rich and relaxing quiet luxury here.

6. Mary Lauren’s Tranquil Retreat

We could linger all day in this calming, cool-neutral bathroom, designed by Mary Lauren. The stone-look Metro Anthracite and Metro White tiles, installed in a charming checkerboard pattern, create stunning visual texture on the floor, while the Riad White wall tiles create a pleasing undulating effect on the shower walls.

5. Jessica Smith’s Checkmate Bathroom

This bathroom, designed by Jessica Smith Home Design, is a winning combination of warm, textured neutral tiles. The handmade-look wall tile–the popular Coco Canvas–and the beige and white marble checkerboard floor create a beautiful, transitional space.

4. I SPY DIY’s “Boho Chic” Sanctuary

For the second year in a row, I SPY DIY’s beautiful blue bathroom has made it to your top 10, and we can see why! This sophisticated yet playful space is rich in color and detail, featuring Marrakesh Blue and Off White tile walls and a Cross Black floor dotted with Cross Snow White tiles. For more ideas on how to transform your space with this cool, artsy style, check out this comprehensive guide to boho chic.

3. Mary Lauren’s Marvelous Primary Bath

Bright and airy, this elegant bathroom features luxurious, feminine details like the gold and crystal light fixture and floral print step stool. The Hampton Brookfield mosaic floor tile is framed by the Hampton Carara 12″ x 24″ tile and the Black High Pencil Liner, giving the space an elevated, highly designed look.

2. Mosaic Masterpiece

The subtle variations in surface texture on the Track Stak White Two Tone mosaic tile add visual interest to this contemporary bathroom wall. The white with beige detailing creates a pleasing tonal variation that perfectly complements the grey and beige veining in the Hampton Carrara tile. The result is a stunning yet understated mix of neutrals, creating a relaxing and rejuvenating space.

1. Soothing Neutrals

We saw a lot of love for neutral bathrooms this year, so it makes sense that the most-liked, most-shared and most-pinned bathroom features a stunning array of creams and whites. This serene shower showcases the Coco Canvas Glossy handmade-look tile, with a focal point of the Penny Round Gloss White tile. The pairing of subway tiles with penny rounds creates rich texture while maintaining tonal consistency, and the brass fixtures and trim add a touch of refinement to the space.

Inspired to add a bathroom refresh to your 2025 to-do’s? Shop our wide assortment of bathroom tile or explore even more bathroom tile ideas. Don’t forget to share your project by tagging us @thetileshop on Instagram or uploading it directly to our Customer Room Gallery –you might just be featured in our Best of 2025 series!

The post Year In Review: Top 10 Bathrooms of 2024 appeared first on The Tile Shop Blog.