Does Bathroom Floor Tile Have To Match Shower Tile?

When designing your bathroom, should you match the bathroom tile with the shower tile or vice versa? At a glance, using a uniform bathroom tile is a safe idea and is actually a pretty standard route to take by most homeowners. However, is it mandatory to follow this rule? For example, should you use the same bathroom tile design or color for the floor and shower wall? 

Ask any interior decorator, and they will tell you that no rule says that bathroom floor and shower tiles must be the same. You can mix and match depending on your preference as long as the designs will not clash with each other. 

Sure, picking up a single type of tile to install in your bathroom is the quick and easy route, but why skip the chance to create a unique bathroom vibe truly? Personalizing your home is one of the most fun and fulfilling part of owning a home!

So, in this article, we will be giving you some pointers on how to design your bathroom by incorporating different tile designs. The goal here is to create a cohesive and streamlined design while still using separate tiles. 

Design Tips for Bathroom Floor and Wall Tiles

If you are at a loss approaching your bathroom tile design, you have come to the right place. Below are design ideas that you can implement for your bathroom that will guarantee excellent aesthetic results. 

Neutral Colors Are Your Friend

Neutral colors work great for bathrooms as it gives the space an elegant and relaxing vibe. However, to ensure that your bathroom won’t appear dull, we suggest you combine different shades of neutral colors to add some sophistication to the room. Also, you might want to use tiles with unique design patterns to enhance the aesthetics further. 

If you wish to make your bathroom look more spacious and brighter, you should go with beige or off-white tiles or both. Some of the more popular neutral colors that you can incorporate into your bathroom to provide it with a sense of style and tranquility are:

• White and Off-White
• Gray
• Beige or Tan
• Light Blue

Of course, you shouldn’t restrict yourself to the above color shades. We are just stating that these are the most popular colors for bathrooms, but there is a whole spectrum of colors for you to experiment with. 

Consider Using Larger Tiles for Both Floor and Shower Wall

Larger tiles offer some advantages to their smaller counterparts when it comes to bathrooms. For one, larger tiles can make your small bathroom look larger than it is. Also, large tiles with design patterns can significantly boost the aesthetics of your bathroom and make it more elegant. Finally, take note that you can install larger tiles on both your floor and shower wall. 

Focus on Creating a Cohesive Design Rather Than Tile Size

When choosing tiles for your bathroom floor and wall, the idea is to pick tile designs that complement each other. The tile is a secondary priority, and a common mistake is to limit yourself to similarly-sized tiles for both the bathroom floor and shower. 

You also should not sweat picking similarly shaped tiles as well. Again, you can mix and match in this category and get excellent results. For example, you can select standard square tiles for your floor and shift to larger rectangular tiles for the wall. 

You can also check out hexagonal and honeycomb tiles that add a unique visual pattern and are also quite flexible and work great with compact spaces.

Check Out Different Tile Textures

Besides mixing up tile colors, you can also consider the different types of tiles. The standard and affordable ceramic and porcelain tiles come in a wide variety of styles, and the more expensive natural stone tiles bring a new level of elegance. Natural stone tiles can also effectively increase resale value in the future. 

Using Solid Colors

Continuing from taking advantage of the correct color combinations, one way to achieve an excellent bathroom aesthetic is to coordinate solid-colored tiles for floor and shower walls. As noted earlier, choose different shades of neutral colors that complement each other. For example, if you are going for a modern and sleek bathroom aesthetic, we suggest you try out a dark charcoal tile for the floor and a light gray tile for the wall. 

Of course, you can also use bolder colors, but we highly recommend including a lighter, more subdued tile color to create a balanced and cohesive design. 

Go Monochrome

If picking the right color combination for your bathroom tile and the wall is not your cup of tea, you might want to go with a monochromatic look instead. A monochromatic design uses one particular color and the different shades under it. This is an excellent way to create a rather sophisticated vibe for your bathroom while keeping things elegant and pleasant.

Frequently Asked Questions About Bathroom Tiling

Next up, we will review the most common questions and issues regarding bathroom floor and shower tiles. 

What Tile Size Should I Use for the Floor?

Basically, the size of tile you should use will depend on the size of the bathroom. For example, you should go with a smaller tile if you have a reasonably small bathroom with limited floor space. Ideally, for compact bathrooms, we recommend you go with honeycomb tiles as these can easily skirt around corners and other bathroom fixtures with ease. 

On the flip side, if you have a larger bathroom, you can opt for larger tiles that can deliver an optical illusion to make the room even more spacious. 

What Tile Size Should I Use for the Shower?

We recommend you go with smaller tiles within the shower pan and shift to larger tiles for the vertical walls. Since the shower pan is relatively small, a small tile is practical. However, we suggest you switch to larger ones for the vertical wall to lessen the need to clean the grout. The larger the tile, the less grout you will need to contend with regarding maintenance and cleaning. 

Is There a Difference Between Floor Tiles and Wall Tiles?

Yes, there is. To keep it simple, floor tiles are significantly more durable to be able to support the weight, while wall tiles are lighter and less durable. You can also use floor tiles on the wall as long as they are not too heavy. 

What Type of Tile is Best Suited for Bathroom Floors?

Bathroom floors will be constantly wet, so tiles that are 100% waterproof are a must. With that in consideration, we recommend porcelain and ceramic tiles as not only are these two types of tiles durable; they also have non-porous surfaces. Also, if you are working with a tight budget, ceramic tiles are the cheaper option. 

What Type of Tile is Best Suited for Bathroom Walls?

We also recommend you go with porcelain or ceramic tiles for your bathroom wall. However, it is vital to know if the tiles are light enough to be installed on the wall. Confirm whether the tiles are suitable for wall installation before making the purchase. 

Conclusion

Bathroom floor tiles shouldn’t always need to match the shower wall as long as you can create a cohesive aesthetic. In fact, it is recommended that you go with either unique color combinations or a monochromatic approach when choosing the tile for the bathroom floor and shower wall. Using a uniform color might make the bathroom feel cold and monotone when the ideal result should be appealing and relaxing. 

Further Reading:

Do Bathroom Tiles Need To Be Sealed

Should a Bathroom Be Fully Tiled?

Should Bathroom Floor Tiles Match Shower Tiles?