Bathroom wall tiles: a buyer’s guide
It’s hard to beat tiles for style, safety and durability. But what are the best tiles for bathroom walls? Should you go for ceramic or porcelain? What about linoleum, vinyl or bathroom wallpaper? Perhaps a shower panel? And what are the latest bathroom tile trends?
Good Homes asks the experts for practical advice on what to consider before buying, and the latest styles making a splash in 2023…
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The benefits of bathroom tiles
The key benefit of bathroom tiles is water-resistance. The bathroom is the most humid room in your house, and some materials don’t work well in that environment. Ceramic bathroom tiles use a glaze that makes them impervious to water, as well as being stain resistant and wipe clean, which goes a long way to making your bathroom as hardworking and durable as possible.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t experiment with finishes and textures – the latest technology has perfected the look of wood and stone-effect tiles while offering the practical benefits that come with using ceramic or porcelain tiles to ensure they are incredibly easy to maintain.
Cheaper alternatives such as linoleum, vinyl, bathroom wallpaper and shower panels are also worth considering. Again, as the technology improves, these options are becoming increasingly durable, but you might find that some of them can still warp and rot with excess water. It’s worth looking at online reviews before buying, and stick with tiles for high-traffic, high-humidity areas.
Ceramic or porcelain bathroom tiles?
It’s not just about aesthetics – if you’re wavering between a couple of designs, consider the long-term upkeep. Ceramic designs are popular because they’re affordable, require little maintenance and are easy to cut and install, but they’re not as hardwearing or as waterproof as porcelain. So if it’s bathroom floor tiles you’re after, rather than wall tiles, consider porcelain (it’s also important to check the slip rating for floor tiles, which ranges from R9 to R13 – R11 or higher is usually considered a safe bet for bathrooms).
Buying and installing bathroom tiles
When it comes to buying your tiles, a common mistake is to under-order. Many consumer websites will have a tile calculator that will give you an estimate of the square meterage required. Plan how you want your tiles fitted early on to allow for minimal cuts and wastage further down the line; over-ordering by 10% should cover any mistakes. If in doubt, get an extra box – you can usually return unopened ones without any problems. It’s also worth asking the opinion of a professional installer before you buy
Consider installation costs at the start, too. Your chosen bathroom wall tiles might be affordable, but often the smaller the tile (slim bricks or mosaics, for example), the higher the installation cost. More unusual laying patterns will cost more too due to the labour involved; for example, metro tiles laid in a herringbone design will take longer than a standard brick pattern.
Shop the tiles via the links below
Clockwise from top left: Grain Leaves Mural, Journeyman Zellige Green Tile and Town Country Glazed Olive Baked Tiles, all from Baked Tile Co; Ca’ Pietra Lily Pad Porcelain Bubblegum Tiles, £27.56 from Hyperion Tiles; 1860 Canterbury Corner swatch, £1.95 from Baked Tile Co; Silk Wood Bronze from Baked Tile Co; Original Style Pearl Scale Clear Mosaic Tiles, £34.96 from Hyperion Tiles; Original Style Seneca Gold Fleck Glass Mosaic Tiles, £7.95 from Hyperion Tiles. Middle: Ca’ Pietra Solar Porcelain Star Green Tiles and Ca’ Pietra Solar Porcelain Planet Green Tiles, both £46.26 from Hyperion Tiles.
Bathroom tile trends
With so many styles to choose from, it’s hard to know where to start when it comes to tiles for bathroom walls. So what are the key bathroom tile trends for 2023?
‘Unusual textures and patterns designed to make bold feature walls and floors are in demand,’ says Amanda Telford, marketing manager of CTD Tiles. ‘Wood and stone-effect tiles are proving particularly popular, with the latest technology perfecting the look of the original material while experimenting with a more decorative approach, such as heavily veined marble or onyx.
‘These styles also provide the practical benefits that come with using ceramic or porcelain tiles to ensure they are incredibly easy to maintain,’ she continues. ‘There’s also a lot of interest in more colourful tiles, especially inky blues, earthy reds and dark greens.’
Looking for inspiration? Good Homes picks out some of the most on-trend bathroom tiles for 2023…
1. Maximalist style
Maximalism is everywhere right now – even in the bathroom – where tiles with intricate repeat patterns are being used to create a wallpaper-style effect. Apply above
dado-rail height for a heritage look, with wood panelling or metro tiles underneath, or wrap the tiles around all four walls for real drama.
GC02 handmade ceramic Turkish tile, £100 per sqm from Otto Tiles
2. Scallop-edge bathroom tiles
The iconic fish-scale tile has seen a resurgence, but for 2023 it’s being flipped on its head to create shapely scallop detailing. Leave the edges exposed for a scalloped border, or freestyle it for a cascading effect that sweeps from one side of the wall to the other. Finish by painting the wall in a bright, contrasting hue to make a striking statement.
Teardrop ceramic wall tile in black, £70 per sqm, Verona
3. Matching walls and floors
Running your floor tiles up the wall is a clever way to create the illusion of extra floor space, while also adding height to your bathroom. If you’d rather a more subtle impact, a relatively simple geometric pattern laid above the length of a vanity unit or bath will have the same effect.
Memphis porcelain tile in Graphite, £61.50 per sqm, Style Ideas Direct
4. A bold splashback
A splashback wall behind a vanity or basin is a great opportunity to introduce a splash of colour in a limited way. Choose an accent shade that will complement the rest of your scheme; here, glossy emerald tiles contrast nicely with the tropical wallpaper above. Love this colour combo? Check out this pink and green bathroom scheme in a loft conversion.
Siam metro ceramic wall tiles in Malachite Green, £51.12 per sqm, The London Tile Co
5. Lozenge-shaped tiles
For a fresh twist on the classic metro tile, go for a retro lozenge-shaped design instead, mixing and matching colours and experimenting with layout for a playful, modern look. Don’t forget grout either: a contrasting or bold shade will highlight the tile shape.
Chloe Lozenge ceramic tiles in white, green & sand, £58.50, from Baked Tile Co
6. Wood panel-style tiles
Go faux naturel with these wood panel-style tiles. On trend without the upkeep, they have a wipeable finish and are large format for fewer grout lines. So if you’ve always wanted wood-panelling in your bathroom but were worried about warping, give these a go.
Nature’s Way Wood Slat Decor ceramic tiles in brown, £36.95 per sqm, Walls and Floors
7. Chequerboard patterns
Give your bathroom that boutique hotel look by laying chequerboard tiles in a diamond format. These glossy Maroc Porcelain Aquamarine tiles by Ca’ Pietra are designed in the Zellige style, which is type of handcrafted clay tile known for their variations in tone and depth and shine with their glazing.
Maroc Porcelain Aquamarine tiles by Ca’ Pietra, from £89.35 per sqm
8. All about onyx
Move over marble – onyx is the new must-have material to get that luxe look in the bathroom. This smart onyx-look design has clever SilkTech technology, giving the tiles excellent anti-slip qualities so they can be used on floors as well as walls, while the large 120x60cm format creates a seamless, uninterrupted look.
Luxury Onyx pink polished & matt porcelain tiles, £90 per sqm from Hyperion
9. Textured bathroom tiles
In the rest of the home it’s easy to achieve tactility by layering soft furnishings – in bathrooms it’s harder, which is why tiles play a key part. Choose textured designs, especially those with raised, embossed or on-trend ribbed surfaces, alongside polished, honed and hand-finished finishes to keep things interesting.
Amalfi Gold Wave Decor tiles with Amalfi Gold Polished Floor tiles, from £55.04 per sqm from Tile Giant
Additional words by Victoria Purcell & Becca Green