How To Choose The Best Tiles For Your Bathroom

Regardless of whether you have a specific interior style in mind, choosing your bathroom tiles is far easier said than done. Often, that’s because there are so many factors to consider and – at least, when it comes to Tiles Direct’s range – so many options to choose from!

Luckily for you, that’s where we come in. We’ve utilised our years of experience as one of the UK’s leading bathroom tile suppliers to create an all-encompassing guide on how to choose the right bathroom tiles for you.

By breaking down the decision-making process, we’re helping you find the best bathroom tiles to suit your space and style. So, without further ado, let’s get started – your dream bathroom tiles are only four questions away… 

Wall or floor?

First things first, you’ll need to decide where your bathroom tiles are best placed. Here you have three options: your walls, your floors, or both!

Let’s start with the former. As functional as they are stylish, tiles have been a staple bathroom walling solution for years. Boasting minimal maintenance and maximum water resistance, brick and metro tiles have become synonymous with bathroom splashbacks worldwide. Use these tiles around features such as sinks, showers and bathtubs for a practical, long-lasting solution for your bathroom walls.

Alternatively, you can go all out and tile your bathroom walls from bottom to top. Eye-catching patterns and colours like those found in our Naples Hex range are the best bathroom wall tiles for making a statement, whereas subtler options like our Underground Bathroom Tiles will effortlessly complement wood or laminate flooring.

Of course, you also have a whole host of options for tiled flooring, too. Highly durable and easy to clean, tiles are the best bathroom flooring option if you’re looking for practicality and aesthetics in equal measure.

Consider whether you want your floor to make a statement or create harmony among other elements of your bathroom interior. For focal floors, be bold and adventurous. Whether it’s unique tones, distinctive textures or striking patterns, there are tiles galore ready to take centre stage in your bathroom.

That’s not to say you have to go overboard with your tiled floors. You may want to keep things simple to draw attention to your bathroom’s features, combining plain ceramic or porcelain with a painted or wallpapered wall.

You can even replicate the look of coveted natural flooring solutions including wood, stone and marble, unlocking a world of new interior design possibilities.

Traditional or contemporary?

Next, you’ll want to consider your overall interior style.

But fear not – this doesn’t mean you have to know your cottagecore from your bohemian chic. Instead, think in more general, overarching terms – more specifically, traditional or contemporary.

Traditional bathroom interiors hark back to a golden age of interior design. Lovers of traditional interior design aren’t afraid to experiment with lavish, indulgent features to evoke a sense of timeless sophistication.

If your space has freestanding features and brass accents, let these elements do the talking, complementing them with classic brick and metro tiles for your shower splashback – or all over your bathroom’s walls. If you’re after a bathroom tile with a little extra razzmatazz, consider patterned tiles that embrace a classic vintage style.

On the other end of the spectrum, you have a wide range of options for adding a more modern touch to your bathroom interior. Contemporary bathrooms celebrate minimalist design, but this should never be mistaken for boring. On the contrary, opt for sleek and stylish for the best contemporary bathroom tile, complementing modern fittings with a powerful black or a vibrant base colour for a contemporary bathroom that’s on-trend and highly functional.

Having a strong idea of the overall aesthetic you’re working towards will give you a welcome head start when it comes to narrowing down your tile options. With your direction decided, dig deeper into the various approaches that come with traditional and contemporary interior design. From rustic to industrial chic, there’s something for everyone.

Light or dark?

With your overall approach decided, it’s time to think about colour.

Again, this doesn’t mean having your bathroom’s colour palette picked out and ready to go. Instead, begin at the beginning, and consider whether a dark or light tone best complements your contemporary or traditional design.

To reach your decision, it’s worth paying close attention to the layout and design of your bathroom. In particular, consider how light reflects around the room.

If your bathroom lacks natural light, you’re better off sticking to lighter shades. Darker shades in dimly lit bathrooms can make a room feel cluttered and cramped, even with the addition of artificial lighting. Lighter shades, on the other hand, will reflect any light around the room, helping to make spaces feel bigger and brighter in the process.

If you have plenty of natural light bouncing around your bathroom space, the world is your oyster! The best bathroom tiles for well-lit spaces come down to your desired outcome – lighter shades will reflect light for an airy, spacious feel, whereas darker shades will embrace the light for a more relaxing, intimate vibe that never feels claustrophobic.

Big or small?

When it comes to choosing bathroom tiles, size matters.

Of course, there’s one factor that matters more than most here: the size of your bathroom space. While it may sound practical to opt for smaller tiles in smaller spaces, the number of grout lines this requires (and the complex patterns they create) can quickly make modestly sized bathrooms feel cluttered.

As a rule of thumb, large tiles with few grout lines are the best option for small bathroom spaces.

You have a bit more freedom when it comes to larger bathroom spaces. If you have plenty of floor space to play with, why not embrace small tiles? Go plain and simple, using the grout lines to add a patterned dimension to your floor, or embrace hexagonal floor tiles and let the tiles themselves do the talking!

If you’d prefer to go big, large tiles are equally at home in spacious and smaller bathrooms. Capitalise on the advantage of space by installing extra large floor tiles for a bold and impactful interior.

Choosing your bathroom tiles is easy once you’ve got your grand vision clear in your mind. If you’ve got your answers to all of the above, you’re ready to choose the best bathroom tiles for your space.

Head on over to our extensive collection of bathroom tiles now. Your dream bathroom is just a few clicks away.