26 Bathtub Tile Ideas to Give Your Shower-Tub Combo a Custom Feel

If you don’t like the generic look of a prefab surround, tile the walls to give your shower-tub combo a custom look with some unique bathtub tile. You can match shower tile to existing wall tile or create an accent wall for an instant focal point.

Depending on the layout of your bathroom, you may choose to tile one wall, wrap all three walls in a shower-tub niche, or even add tile on the ceiling for a bathtub niche effect. From classic, neutral finishes to whimsical and colorful patterned tiles, there are endless options that are both practical and decorative to elevate the look of your bathroom.

Whether you are planning to rip out an existing surround or are renovating, check out these bathtub tile ideas in a range of colors, sizes, patterns, materials, and layouts for inspiration.

Try Colorful Geometric Tile

Colorful geometric cement tiles in shades of blue and gray create a focal point in this Brooklyn townhouse bathroom designed by Sonya Lee Architect. A skylight brings in natural light and emphasizes the ceiling height.

Use Square Bathtub Tiles

Classic square tiles have been making a comeback after years of subway tile domination. Chango & Co. tiled this bathtub shower wall with square light terracotta tiles interspersed with raised detailing that add soft color and texture to this New York City townhouse bathroom. Echoing the same aesthetic on the floor tiles gives the space a cohesive look.

Tile Around a Window

White subway tile with black grout will suit modern and industrial farmhouse bathrooms. Use it to tile around a feature window, like this space from Erin Williamson Design.

Add Color and Pattern

Give your bathtub shower a dynamic look with striking tile that adds both color and pattern. Michelle Berwick Design chose a teal fish scale tile with white grout for a modern Art Deco feel.

Energize With Orange

White and orange checkerboard tile energizes this London bathroom from Studio Peake. Patterned floor tiles with shades of orange and blue add another layer of decor that turns a traditional bathroom into something memorable.

Install Custom Lighting

Use lighting to add ambiance and turn your bathtub shower tile into a feature wall. Leclair Decor chose subtle gray tiles to complement this neutral space. The bathtub tile is carried onto the wall behind the sink to act as a backsplash, while the front of the built-in tub is clad in contrasting stone.

Include a Shower Niche

Carve a little space out of the wall and install a shower niche tiled in the same pattern as the wall for a sleek look. Marie Flanigan Interiors clad the bathtub shower wall and niche in white-and-gray marble tiles accented with bright brass fixtures for a timeless modern feel.

Choose Dramatic Stone Tiles

Create a jewel box effect in your bathtub shower with slabs of tile without visible grout lines. Emily Henderson Design chose a blue-green stone with pronounced veining that steals the focus in this otherwise white-walled bathroom, but you could choose gray, pink, or black marble or marble-effect quartz instead.

Try a Patchwork Pattern

Choose a patchwork tile pattern to cover a shower bathtub wall that you can stare at while you're showering and never see the same thing twice. Michelle Berwick Design chose fish scale tiles in pastel shades of yellow and blue, adding black plumbing fixtures for contrast.

Add Vertical Stripes

Vertical stripes will make walls seem taller and create an airy feeling in your bathroom. Michelle Berwick Design tiled the walls of this bathtub shower with vertical stripes of small square tiles in shades of green and gray from floor to ceiling.

Use All-Over Tile

If you prefer a more uniform look rather than just an accent wall, cover all the vertical surfaces in your bathroom in the same tile. Studio Peake tiled the bathtub shower, walls, niche, and front of the tub in shades of blue vertical stacked tiles. Two-toned patterned tile on the floor adds contrast and a hit of mustard yellow.

Tile the Ceiling, Too

Create a finished look by cover both the walls and ceiling in tile. Erin Williamson Design made the bathtub shower at the far end of this vintage-style bungalow bathroom feel like its own little alcove by tiling the walls and ceiling in simple white subway tiles with white grout that adds a whisper of contrast with the pearl gray walls.

Try Colorblocking

If your bathroom includes a separate shower and a bathtub built into a wall or a niche, use the same tile in both spaces for a cohesive feel. This bathtub niche from Max Humphrey and Beebe Skidmore for Emily Henderson Design has the same two-toned colorblocked horizontal and vertical stacked tile as the rest of the bathroom for a cohesive feel.

Mix Shades of Green

Give your bathroom a lively feel with a mix of patterns and colors. In this space from Sara Ligorria-Tramp for Emily Henderson Design, the bathtub shower wall is tiled in white square tiles with solid green accent tiles at steady intervals, and green grout to tie it all together.

Floor tiles in a different pattern and walls mix in more shades of green, while a patterned multicolored floral shower curtain and pink towels add more color.

Add a Zigzag Pattern

Crisp white bathtub tiles will make a shower pop against blackened wood paneled walls (or dark paint). Emily Henderson Design chose white tiles with a subtle zigzag pattern that isn't noticeable from afar but provides a detail to discover during a shower.

Pair With Wallpaper

If your bathroom has a retro-style bathtub with a handheld shower attachment, create a tile backsplash border that continues as wainscoting throughout the room. Ashley Montgomery Design chose a round green penny tile with matching grout and a wood trim border and integrated niche, adding patterned wallpaper above.

Add Triple Niches

Reinforce vertical wall tiles in your bathtub shower with a trio of identical stacked shower niches to store everyday essentials, like this bathroom from Michelle Berwick Design.

Preserve Vintage Tile

If you are renovating an older space with original bathroom wainscoting tile that's in good condition, save money and prevent waste by keeping it. Then add fun wallpaper on the wall above to refresh the space, like this retro style bathroom from Caitlin Higgins for Emily Henderson Design.

Try a Light Shade of Gray

Add subtle variation to an all-white bathroom by cladding the bathtub shower walls in light gray tiles that echo the floor tiles, like this calming space from Leclair Decor.

Choose Earth Tones

Tile the wall behind a standalone tub with or without a shower to create a backsplash and define the space. Ashley Montgomery Design chose green-gray tiles to complement the textured walls, wainscoting, and earth toned color palette of this farmhouse bathroom. A checkered shower curtain around the tub helps to conceal the shower when not in use.

Focus on Shape

If you want to preserve a minimalist look, focus on the shape of your bathtub tiles to add interest and keep it from looking flat. Pair pill-shaped vertical tiles with a modern white tub, black plumbing fixtures, and a glass partition for an updated and visually uncluttered feel, like this bathroom from Leclair Decor.

Tile Architectural Features

In a bathroom with architectural details like an arch over the clawfoot bathtub, extend your bathtub wall tile to create more drama, like this bathroom from Ashley Montgomery Design that is clad in glossy light blue subway tiles, wood trim, and patterned wallpaper for an elegant feel that recalls bygone eras.

Match to the Shower Curtain

Match the shower curtain to the tile for a polished feel, like this bathtub tile from Leclair Decor in soft shades of blush pink that is complemented with a shower curtain in a similar tone.

Add Subtle Texture

If the highlight of your bathroom is a colorful patterned tile floor, clad the walls of your bathtub shower with bright white tiles to match the walls. Emily Henderson Design chose tiles that blend into the white walls but are laid in alternating vertical and horizontal patterns for a subtle dose of texture that is visible close-up.

Create a Giant Wet Room

Create a modern wet room by tiling the walls and floors in the same large-scale tiles. Brophy Interiors chose large scale gray textured cement-effect tiles in this spacious primary bathroom with a large walk-in shower and adjacent standalone tub.

Contrast With Floor Tile

In a small bathroom, contrast black floor tiles with white grout with white bathtub tiles and black grout for a modern feel, like this compact space from Emily Bowser for Emily Henderson Design.

Read the original article on The Spruce.