Ensuite Tile Ideas – 12 ways to tile an adjoining bathroom

Extremely convenient and increasingly popular, ensuite bathrooms are a relatively new addition to our homes. Gaining popularity in the 1980s, when many homes included them for the first time, most new homes will feature at least one private bathroom within the master bedroom.

Because the ensuite is joined to a bedroom, you can continue the bedroom colour scheme into the ensuite or pick a completely different colour and style, it’s really up to you! An ensuite is a great place to try bold patterns and bright colours and put your stamp on your private space.

An ensuite is the perfect place to try something different from bold patterns and bright colours to floral and patterned designs, the choices are endless.

Image credit: @home_at_brookes

Recommended Tiles: Fern Floral Decor & Emilia Avacado

How do you make a small ensuite look luxurious?

If you want to create a luxurious-looking ensuite, consider choosing large format tiles in neutral colours or picking natural stone or stone effect tiles. They’ll add an elegant, streamlined feel to your bath or shower room and help it look larger. Picking the same tiles for the floor and walls will help you to get a luxe hotel look.

Metro tiles are a great choice for ensuite bathrooms too, they’re incredibly versatile and you can lay them in several different ways to achieve an effortlessly elegant look.

It’s not always the case, but usually, ensuites are compact rooms. When selecting tiles for small bathrooms, you can use any type of tile and it’ll cost far less than it would to tile a large space.

Ensuite Tile Ideas

If you’ve got a bijou ensuite wet room or a good-sized adjoining bathroom, we’ve found some of the most beautiful bathroom tile ideas to inspire you.

From natural stones like marble and travertine to pretty patterns and bold colours, there’s something for every ensuite:

Luxurious marble tiles

Marble tiles are one of the best choices if you want to create an ensuite that will make a statement. Elegant and timeless, marble is incredibly durable and it’s perfect for bathroom walls and floors. Marble is surprisingly versatile too and it’ll fit right into modern, transitional and period-style homes.

If you’re not keen on the periodic sealing that real marble will need, you can go for realistic-looking marble-effect porcelain.

Nothing says elegance and sophistication like marble. Incredibly durable and versatile, it’s ideal for both bathroom walls and floors.

Image credit: @llys_llew

Recommended Tile: Canaletto Gold Marble

Patterned floor tiles

Hidden away from the rest of the house, you can have lots of fun decorating an ensuite bathroom. If you love patterned tiles but aren’t keen to use them in the kitchen or family bathroom, give them a whirl in an ensuite. They’ll completely transform the room and provide character and interest.

If you’ve always liked the idea of an eye catching pattern or design and never felt bold enough to use them in the kitchen or family bathroom, why not try them in an ensuite. They’ll completely transform the room and provide character and interest to your space

Image credit: @love_this_old_house

Recommended Tile: Damask Series Decor 7

Feature tiles

Ensuite bathrooms or shower rooms provide the perfect spot for including a welcome pop of colour.  Green is always a good choice and is perfect for adding a fresh feel to a bathroom.

Alternatively, you can pick a colour that you’ve already got in your bedroom, go for a contrasting shade, or add interest to a neutral scheme with bold brights. If you’re choosing a strong colour, it’s a great idea to get some samples to see how it looks in situ.

Add a flash of creativity with a burst of colour either in a contrasting shade, or add interest to a neutral scheme with bold brights. Green is very on trend and always gives a fresh and calm finish

Image credit: @behind_door_number_54

Recommended Tile: Coral Brick Moss 

Wood effect floor tiles

Wood-effect tiles are attractive, versatile and practical, making them ideal for use in an ensuite bathroom. You can use them in all styles of bathroom, whether you prefer a nautical, cosy cottage or wild safari-themed look.

Wood-effect porcelain tiles are exceptionally tough and you can choose from a wide range of colours and plank sizes to help you get the authentic wood look in your ensuite. Wood is perfect for adding depth and texture to a room and looks good with all other tile types.

Wood is the perfect companion to many other tile types and is available in a large range of colours and sizes.

Image credit: @life_at_our_coastal_cottage

Recommended Tile: Woodlands Natural 

White wet room tiles

If you’re struggling to decide on a colour for your ensuite, you could just stick to wonderful white. Perfect in all room sizes, white is the ultimate timeless neutral. It’s understated and sophisticated and, if you want to liven it up a little, you can opt for different styles of tile throughout the room and vary the grout colour.

We love the combination of versatile metro tiles and quirky penny tiles in this stylish industrial-style ensuite.

Delightful white is always a winner, minimalistic yet enduring, why not add different designs and textures in white.

Image credit: @that_overton_house

Recommended Tile: Dorset Smooth

Penny wall tiles

Penny tiles work beautifully on bathroom floors, and they’re a great way to make a statement on walls too. Penny tiles, so called because of their miniature size, are increasingly popular and there’s a wide range of coloured porcelain, glass and metal styles to choose from to take your ensuite to the next level.

Penny tiles have a much larger grout area than other tile styles which you can use to your advantage by picking grout in a contrasting shade.

Penny tiles, so called because of their tiny size, are extremely popular and available in a huge range of colours and materials, including porcelain, glass and metal styles.

Image credit: @brisbanekitchensbathrooms

Recommended Tile: Elgin Gloss

Black and white floor tiles

One of the most iconic and stylish colour combinations, black and white tiles are guaranteed to look good and make a statement wherever they are used.

Perfect used over small and large areas alike, there is a mind-blowing selection of black and white tiles to choose from. Pick traditional Moroccan-inspired patterns, black and white Victorian chequerboard tiles or more modern styles to completely transform the look of your ensuite.

One of the most renowned and popular colour combinations, black and white tiles are guaranteed to stand out and make a statement.

Image credit: @housetohomedevelopments

Recommended Tile: Damask Series 1

Simple white tiles

White is probably the most classic colour choice for en suite tiles. You won’t go off them, and you can choose from a huge range of styles from budget to high-end ranges.

You can effectively mix and match different tile shapes too, we love the combination of rectangular metro tiles and stylish hexagonal tiles, or large floor tiles and smaller wall tiles. If you don’t fancy a completely white bathroom, you can easily inject a little colour or pattern into your ensuite by tiling a wall indent or splashback.

White is the finest choice for an ensuite, clean and chic you’ll never grow tired of it.

Image credit: @driftspaceanddesign

Recommended Tile: Rio Blanco

Modern grey tiles

Grey is one of the most popular tile colours. You can opt for natural stone tiles, such as slate, or choose polished porcelain styles for a sleeker, contemporary look.

Like white and beige, grey is a versatile neutral that suits all styles of home. It’ll add a sophisticated touch to an ensuite and, with so many shades to choose from, you can opt from dark and dramatic to light and calming.

Grey is very stylish and always a popular choice for ensuites. Mix and match shades, textures and designs and create your own unique space.

Image credit: @tde_plumbing

Recommended Tile: Eclipse 

Combination tiles

Use a small space to get creative with beautiful tile combinations. Wood effect wall tiles are the go-to option for many bathroom floors, but they can look equally stunning on the walls. Match them with large-format stone or stone-effect porcelain tiles for a dreamy, spa-like ensuite that you won’t want to leave.

Create your own spa effect ensuite using stone or stone-effect porcelain tiles and cosy up, you won’t want to leave your tranquil space

Image credit: @designworks.studio

Recommended Tile: Ecostone Bianco 

Natural stone tiles

Real stone tiles offer a look that’s timeless and luxurious. With its unique veining, travertine is one of the most beautiful natural stones. Each tile will be unique, giving your bathroom floors and walls a wonderfully varied look.

Travertine has a rougher texture than marble and is a great choice if you want a more rustic look. We love the combination of travertine and pebble mosaic tiles in this bathroom. Natural materials are a good choice if you’re struggling to make your mind up, they are the most expensive option but they can add value to your home and you’re very unlikely to go off them.

Variety is the spice of life and Travertine is one of the most beautiful natural stones. It’s natural veining means that each tile is unique, giving your ensuite that personal touch.

Image credit: @alair.etobicoke.mississauga

Recommended Tile: Travertine Classic Opus Mix 

Textured tiles

Add interest to the walls of your ensuite with subtly textured tiles. Three-dimensional tiles are perfect for adding depth and character to rooms and they can also make smaller spaces look bigger, especially those with horizontal wavy patterns.

Add character to the walls of your ensuite with different surface textures and patterns, the choices are endless.

Image credit: @thehome_life

Recommended Tile: Gala Blanco Decor

Ensuite tile tips

Whether your ensuite is big or bijou, tiles can completely transform your private bathroom.

• Think outside the box

With a bathroom that’s hidden away from the rest of the house, you can be super creative with different tile sizes, bold patterns and vivid colours. Think about combining your favourite colours or picking two or three completely different tile styles. Let your imagination run wild!

• Introduce texture

Textured tiles can make a huge difference to the walls in your bathroom, whether you’re picking out a feature or using them on every wall. Laying rectangular tiles horizontally, especially if they have a corresponding horizontal pattern, is a clever way to make a small room feel much larger.

• Go large

Using really big tiles in a small space might seem strange but it’s one of the most effective ways to make a compact ensuite look bigger and more luxurious.

Atlas Ceramics has a wide range of natural stone, plain, textured and patterned porcelain wall and floor tiles to help you get the right look in your ensuite. Browse our selection yourself or call one of our experts for advice.