Does Bathroom Floor Tile Have To Match Shower Tile?

It's time to pick out tile for your bathroom, and you're wondering if the bathroom floor tile needs to match the shower tile? There are so many choices out there! We've done some research to help you with your tile decision and the answer to that question.

Your bathroom floor tile doesn't have to match the tile you use in your shower. Many homeowners prefer to mix things up a bit and choose unique tile for each.

Though it may seem daunting to have to pick out more than one type of tile, it's not complicated. We'll take a look at popular options as well as answer your questions about tile size and color in the post below.

Does The Floor Tile Have To Match The Shower Tile?

In our research, we found it's less common to have everything match than it is to have different styles of tile. If you like things super clean-lined, or maybe you hate making decisions about home decor, this is a perfectly acceptable way to go. This bathroom is a superb example of a matching floor and shower tile.

Choosing Different Floor Tile Than Shower Tile

Now that you know the tiles don't have to be the same, how do you pick different tiles? With all designs, one trick is to start with a color scheme. If you know you're going grey and white, then stick to those colors for your tile. Many tile sellers will allow you to bring home samples to try out in your bathroom. Take advantage of this.

This bathroom's designer uses the same tile for the floor, wall, and sink basin, but the shower floor is a smaller tile (great for grip for wet feet) in the same style.

In this shower, a bit of the floor tile used in the wall niche carries the accent up. The palette of brown and wood tones is one that is easy to clean.

In this example, every tiled area is a little different. The designer used a large rectangular tile for the floor, subway tiles for the wall, a small square tile for the shower floor, and the trendy black and white tile for the niche inset. If you love all sorts of color, design, and pattern, why not go for it?

Tile Rules Are What You Make Of Them

We think design is fun. Bathroom tiles come in so many colors and varieties and styles, be sure and check out all sorts of combinations before settling on what you want. Here are some inspirational bathrooms that veer off the beaten track a bit.

Why not choose a bold blue tile for the wall and a retro hexagon for the floor? 

You can also play with the pattern when laying tile. Breaking the rules might net extraordinary results.

Don't be afraid to use what you love. Is color your thing? Then use it. Remember, it's your bathroom, and you get to pick the tile you love. 

Can Floor Tile Be Used In A Shower?

We've got great news for you. Tile is tile, especially when it comes to ceramics and porcelain tile, which means that there's no such thing as "shower" tile. It's all simply tile. And yes, the tile you use on the floor may also be used on the walls of your shower.

What Tile Size Is Best For Flooring?

In general, you want to think about tile size in relation to the size of your room. If you have a very tiny bathroom, you may want to choose a smaller sized tile or medium-sized tile. 

This small bathroom uses a petite hexagon style tile. Though the homeowner has chosen a slightly darker grout line for aesthetic reasons, you could go lighter if you want the tile to blend seamlessly.

If you have a larger bathroom, bigger tiles can make a space seem even more expansive. Here large square marble tones, set on the diagonal, play nicely off of the smaller shower tile.

What Tile Size Is Best For The Shower?

Choosing a tile size is not only about personal taste but also overall effect. So what tile size is the best for the interior of your shower? Most homeowners will choose a larger tile for the vertical walls of the shower, and something smaller for the shower pan. Larger tiles mean fewer grout lines to clean and less visual business.

This shower utilizes larger marble tile for the walls, a herringbone pattern of smaller tile on the floor, and a border of medium-sized tiles 2/3 of the way up the shower walls. This is a common and attractive choice to make when retiling a shower.

In this bathroom, subway tile lines the shower walls, a small hex finishes the shower pan, and larger square tiles laid for the floor. If a small tile were in use on the floor, the room might look too crowded.

Should Bathroom Floors Be Light Or Dark?

With so many tile choices on the market, is there a strong reason to choose light tiles over dark tiles? Or vice versa? As with tile size, the decision is both aesthetic and practical.

Dark tiles will show less hair if your family members have dark hair colors. Dark tiles can center a space and create some drama if that's what you're going for.

In this bathroom, charcoal tiles ground the light colors chosen for the fixtures and walls. They create some depth in the room.

Light tiles will make a room seem larger and airier. They're a good choice if you're choosing bolder paint colors for the wall. Lighter colored tiles also hide dirt and dust a bit more easily than darker colored tiles do.

What Is The Best Color Tile For The Shower?

Is there a single tile color that is the best for the shower? We don't think anyone should limit themselves when it comes to design choices, but there are undoubtedly popular tile colors for the shower. Right now, these are the most popular colors of tile for the shower:

• Grey
• White
• Charcoal
• Tan
• Light Blue

The one thing that all of these colors have in common is that they will go with pretty much anything. Since tile is a semi-permanent fixture and challenging to replace, choose a color that's going to stand the test of time. You don't want something too trendy unless you're prepared to switch it out in a couple of years.

Lovely glass subway tiles like this have grown in popularity in the last ten years. They are simple enough in design that, with the right fixtures, they will stand the test of time.

It's Fun To Pick Out Tile

Now that you have a better understanding of how you can structure your bathroom tile, it's time to choose. Don't be afraid to bring home samples and see what they look like in your bathroom. Keep in mind paint color and type of vibe as you're choosing.

If you enjoyed this post here at HomeDecorBliss.com, please check out a couple of other great posts below:

Gray Tile Bathroom: What Color Should The Wall Be? [Inc. 26 Photos Examples]

Where to Buy Bathroom Tiles [30 Online Stores]