20 Modern Bathroom Tile Ideas
Sleek, sophisticated and seriously stylish, modern bathrooms are a must-have for discerning homeowners. Clean and minimal, contemporary bathroom designs are the height of luxury and can be fitted into any home, regardless of age or style.
Tiles provide the perfect backdrop for streamlined sanitaryware and cutting-edge brassware and are instrumental in achieving a luxurious look.
Keep reading as we uncover the best tiles for a modern bathroom.
Recommended tile: Bayeux Grey
With an ever-increasing range of tiles on the market, it can be challenging to choose the perfect tiles for your bathroom. If you’re after a contemporary look, here’s what we recommend:
- Large format tiles
Perfect for making spaces appear larger and for creating a fuss-free, streamlined look, large format tiles are one of the most popular choices for modern bathrooms. From elegant marble and quartz to impressive stone-effect porcelains and even concrete effects, large tiles are well worth considering.
- Neutral coloured tiles
Choosing tiles in neutral colours can be key to achieving a minimal, modern-looking bathroom. Light colours in particular will help increase the feeling of space and keep bathrooms bright and airy. You can opt for tiles in glossy or matt finishes or combine the two.
- Coloured tiles
Modern bathrooms are inherently sleek and neutral, but it doesn’t mean you have to limit your tile colours. Black, white and grey are excellent choices, you can consider shades of green, blue, pink and even metallics too.
- Shaped tiles
From classic brick-style tiles to hexagonal, fish scale and even penny tiles, shaped tiles can look incredible in a modern bathroom setting. Careful choice of colour and clever layouts can elevate shaped tiles to leading-edge levels.
- Textured tiles
Although modern bathrooms are usually associated with sleek lines and minimal decor, subtly textured tiles can work wonders in a modern bathroom and introduce much-needed visual interest that needn’t detract from the overall sleek finish.
Modern Bathroom Tile Ideas
Ready to revamp your bathroom? We’ve scoured the web to bring you our pick of the most stylish modern bathroom tiles to suit every style. Keep scrolling to discover different tile sizes, shapes, layouts, textures and colours to help bring your modern bathroom to life.
Supersize your tiles
When designing bathrooms that exude luxury and a feeling of space, large format tiles are a failsafe option.
Guaranteed to make even the cosiest bathrooms look larger, oversized tiles have far fewer grout lines than small tiles, helping to create a sleek and sophisticated look that’s hard to beat. You can choose to use large format tiles on the floor and fit smaller tiles on the wall or clad the whole bathroom for a seamless, ultra-contemporary look.
Image credit: @the_interior_addict
Recommended tile: Dunstone Grey
Add interest with hexagonal tiles
Hexagon tiles have been around for years, but they’re often associated with modern decor and they’re a beautiful solution for a contemporary bathroom.
As hexagonal tiles have grown in popularity, so has the range of colours and sizes available. Hex tiles are easy to fit, making them an excellent solution for all shapes and sizes of bathrooms.
Image credit: @harperwilliamsdesigns
Recommended tile: Saona Hexagon
Create a feature wall
Painted or papered feature walls are commonplace in modern living areas, but there’s no reason why you can’t copy the trend with bathroom tiles too.
Perfect for adding interest alongside sleeker, more neutrally coloured tiles, you can opt for a bold colour, choose a different tile material or texture or create an eye-catching pattern with different tiles.
Image credit: @shauna_kelly_interiors
Choose modern classic metro tiles
Metro tiles are one of our favourite tile styles and for good reason. They’ve been around since Victorian times, but their versatility makes them a perfect solution for modern and traditional bathrooms alike.
To get the most contemporary look, opt for flat, rather than bevel-edge tiles and stack them vertically, horizontally or in a timeless herringbone design.
Image credit: @origins_living
Recommend tile: Shimmer Green
Pick penny tiles
Penny tiles are another tile style that’s been around for years, since the early 1900s in fact, but they are as at home in a modern setting as they are in a traditional one. Penny tiles are perfect for adding interest and texture to bathroom walls and floors.
For a more modern vibe, stick to one colour of these versatile mosaic tiles. You can create completely different looks by varying the grout colour too.
Image credit: @rusticahardware
Recommended tile: Hexagon matt white
Make it marble
Marble is one of the most luxurious options for tiling a modern bathroom. Although marble has been used for millennia, its sheer beauty and elegance keep it on trend and it is well suited to modern bathrooms.
Marble is one of the most popular tile options and whether you opt for natural marble or marble-effect porcelain, you’ll be able to find marble versions of almost all tile styles from miniature mosaics to large-format tiles. Marble is an excellent choice if you want to create a modern yet timeless bathroom. You can mix marble with any other tile style but we love the floor-to-ceiling hotel-chic look.
Image credit: @boskie_wnetrze
Recommended tile: Elgin Gloss White Marble
Fit contemporary wood effect tiles
Wood effect tiles are an excellent choice for minimal, scandi-style contemporary bathrooms. There’s a huge choice of colours to choose from and the realistic textures make it hard to differentiate from the real thing. Wood and water isn’t the happiest combination so wood effect tiles are the perfect solution for cladding a modern bathroom.
We love wood effect bathroom tile floors, but you can add a contemporary look by tiling the walls too.
Image credit: @bostonglassgroup
Recommended tile: Naturae wood effect willow
Mix and match textured tiles
Think of a modern bathroom and clean lines and sleek tiles probably spring to mind. These are important elements of a modern space but there’s always room for a little texture.
Textured tiles are most effective in specific areas, like shower enclosures and splashbacks. They’re perfect for breaking up plainer spaces and adding interest and character. Keep it simple by sticking with a neutral colour scheme to keep the room from feeling too busy.
Image credit: @squareroomsmag
Recommended tile: Brick Ivory
Try terrazzo
One of the hottest tile trends this year, terrazzo tiles have made an impressive comeback. No longer relegated to shopping mall floors, these show-stopping tiles are one of the best ways to create a cutting-edge look in your bathroom.
Equally beautiful on walls and floors (or both), there’s a virtually endless combination of colours and chip sizes to choose from.
Image credit: @kedesigncollective
Recommended tile: Terrazzo Pearl Matt
Colourblock it
Although all the modern bathroom tile inspiration we’ve featured so far is mainly neutral in colour, contemporary bathrooms don’t have to stick to whites, creams and greys. Colour blocking, where two or more different colours are layered together, can create a fabulously fresh and modern vibe.
Image credit: @___ofthebox
Experiment with fresh layouts
One of the most effective ways to get ahead in the modern bathroom game is by laying your tiles in a contemporary design.
Stacked tile layouts are among the most popular designs and work especially well with rectangular tiles of any size. Tile stacking means laying the tiles next to each other, as opposed to offsetting or laying them at angles. You can stack tiles vertically or horizontally.
Image credit: @thedesignecture
Recommended tile: Brick Green
Choose modern mosaics
Mosaic tiles have been used in the earliest forms of art known to man, but it’s a testament to their style and versatility that they’re still popular today. Although a mosaic masterpiece might not be exactly cutting edge, plainer mosaic tiles can work wonders in a modern bathroom, adding just the right amount of character and interest.
Modern matchstick mosaics are perfect for creating a sleek, Japanese-style bathroom that exudes subtle luxury.
Image credit: @eskaydesigninterior
Recommended tile: Mini metro gloss white
Give rustic tiles a modern twist
If you prefer tiles with a little texture and interest over slick, glossy tiles, you can easily integrate them into a modern bathroom. Keep the layout of your tiles simple and modern and let the tiles do the talking.
Image credit: @originalstyleuk
Keep it classy with neutral stone-effect tiles
Stone-effect tiles are often associated with traditional bathrooms, some may even say they look dated, but we’re here to show you that they are as versatile as they are beautiful.
Choosing stone effect tiles in shades of black, grey, white or the lightest cream can look more modern than beige tones. It’s always worth visiting a tile showroom if you can to see how these tiles look over a large area.
Image credit: @thatorganizedhome
Recommended tile: Fossil stone light grey
Go bold with black tiles
Black bathroom tiles are always in style and can look incredible in a modern bathroom. Perfect for adding a dramatic, luxurious feel to a bathroom, they’re ideal for more minimal-style bathrooms.
Don’t be afraid to use black tiles in smaller rooms, or to go bold and tile the floor and walls in black, what they lack in brightness they more than make up for in style.
Image credit: @honkainkeskella
Recommended tile: Amerka nero
Create calm with beautiful blues
Blue tiles are one of the most popular choices for modern bathrooms. Calming, timeless and cool, there are many shades to choose from. Blue is a versatile colour and it works well with all neutral shades.
Whether you opt for pale pastel shades or deep marine hues is up to you, dark and light tones can work equally well in modern spaces
Image credit: @marktaylordesign
Recommended tile:
Add colour with perfect pink
A favourite with interior designers, pink makes everyone wink. A beautiful choice for a modern space, the right pink can be transformative and refreshing. It’s probably best to steer away from bright candy pinks and stick to more neutral or pastel shades when creating a modern-looking bathroom.
You don’t have to go full-on Barbie and tile the whole bathroom pink, you can add pops of colour here and there, highlighting a splashback or shower area to great effect.
Image credit: @originalstyleuk
Recommended tile: Habana rose
Keep it chic with all white tiles
If you’re struggling to choose a tile shape, let alone the colour (it’s not an easy task, we know!) you can keep it simple and stick to pure, brilliant white The most popular tile colour for bathrooms, white is bright, elegant and perfect for enhancing smaller spaces and those with little to no natural light.
White is one of the best colours to choose if you’re designing a minimal, modern-looking bathroom and it’s timeless, so you’ll love it as much in 20 years as you do now.
Image credit: @zephyrandstone
Recommended tile: Acacia blanco
Go for glorious greens
From mouthwatering mint to deep emerald, there is a shade of this verdant hue for every modern bathroom. Green tiles are fresh and sophisticated and can take a bathroom from bland to breathtaking.
The forest green tiles in the below bathroom have been laid in a contemporary vertical stack design and paired with trending terrazzo to create a show-stopping modern aesthetic.
Image credit: @theinteriorfox
Recommended tile: Emilia avocado
Mix it up with modern metallics
Last but not least, metallic tiles can be used to create a futuristic-looking bathroom. From large format glass tiles infused with gold leaf to real metal designs and silver mirror tiles, adding a touch of sparkle is a perfect way to modernise your bathroom.
Metallic tiles can be expensive and they’ll make a big impact so you might want to save them for a splashback or a panel or border alongside plainer tiles.
Image credit: @originalstyleuk
Recommended tile: Portobello dove scallop
Modern bathroom tile tips
If you’re keen to create an elegant, clean and crisp modern bathroom, here’s what to consider when choosing and fitting your tiles:
- Consider your colours
Most colours can be used effectively in a modern bathroom scheme. Sticking to one or two colours is best to keep the bathroom from feeling too fussy. You can mix tile sizes, shapes and textures to great effect.
- Keep tile size in mind
Fitting large format wall and floor tiles will instantly give your bathroom a modern look and feel but you can also achieve a cool, contemporary vibe with carefully chosen mosaics and smaller tiles. Small tiles will work best when used in conjunction with larger tiles, for example, matchstick mosaics on the walls and large wood-effect floor planks.
- Think about the tile layout
There are so many ways to lay tiles, especially rectangular ones. We recommend stacked, rather than offset tile layouts for the most modern look.
Atlas Ceramics has a wide range of cutting-edge tiles to help you get the right look in your bathroom. Browse our selection yourself or call one of our experts for advice.