TRENDING WAYS TO LAY TILE IN BATHROOMS: 2026 DESIGN IDEAS

Bathroom tile has moved far beyond the traditional grid. One of the biggest bathroom design trends right now is using the way tile is laid to create interest, rather than relying solely on bold colors or complicated materials.

Whether you’re renovating a bathroom, designing a custom home, or simply looking for inspiration, here are some of my favorite ways to lay tile for a bathroom that feels current while still having longevity.

1. VERTICAL STACKED TILE

Instead of installing rectangular tile horizontally, turn it vertically and stack it in clean columns.

This is especially beautiful in a shower because the vertical lines naturally draw your eye upward and can make the room feel taller. It works particularly well with handmade-look tile, elongated subway tile, and soft neutral colors.

2. HORIZONTAL STACKED TILE

Horizontal stacked tile gives you the simplicity of subway tile without the traditional brick pattern.

Rather than staggering each row, the grout lines align perfectly. The result feels clean and architectural while still being subtle enough to work in almost any home.

I particularly love this treatment when using a tile with variation in its color or texture—the simple layout allows the material itself to become the feature.

3. HERRINGBONE

Herringbone continues to be a favorite, but we’re seeing it used more selectively.

Instead of covering an entire bathroom, consider using herringbone on the shower floor, behind the vanity, inside a shower niche, or on one feature wall.

This gives you visual interest without overwhelming the room.

4. LARGE-FORMAT TILE

One of the strongest trends in luxury bathrooms is going bigger.

Large-format porcelain and stone-look tiles create fewer grout lines and a much cleaner appearance. In the right bathroom, they can almost give the impression of continuous slabs of stone.

They’re particularly effective for creating the spa-like bathrooms we’re seeing in new construction.

An added bonus? Fewer grout lines can also mean easier maintenance.

5. FLOOR-TO-CEILING TILE

Tile isn’t stopping halfway up the wall anymore.

Taking tile all the way to the ceiling—particularly around a shower or behind a vanity—creates a much more finished, custom appearance.

For a luxury bathroom, this is one of those details that can make the entire space feel more elevated.

6. CHECKERBOARD FLOORS

Checkerboard flooring has made a major comeback, particularly in bathrooms with a classic or European influence.

But today’s versions don’t necessarily mean stark black and white. Think cream and taupe, Carrara and warm gray, or limestone and marble.

Using softer tones gives this traditional pattern a much more updated look.

7. BASKETWEAVE & MOSAIC FLOORS

For homeowners who love a more timeless bathroom, smaller mosaic patterns are also having their moment.

Basketweave, penny tile, hexagons, and marble mosaics can bring character to a bathroom without making it feel overly trendy.

They’re especially beautiful in powder rooms, secondary bathrooms, and shower floors.

8. CONTINUOUS TILE

Instead of introducing several different tiles, we’re seeing bathrooms become more cohesive.

Using the same—or coordinating—tile across the bathroom floor and into the shower creates a seamless look.

Pair it with a frameless glass enclosure and the bathroom can instantly feel larger and more luxurious.

9. MIXING TILE SCALE INSTEAD OF COLOR

One of my favorite approaches is keeping the color palette consistent while changing the size or pattern of the tile.

For example, you could use large-format warm white tile on the bathroom floor, an elongated tile vertically stacked on the shower walls, and a small mosaic on the shower floor.

Everything coordinates, but the different scales create dimension and interest.

10. WARM, NATURAL TILE

Perhaps the biggest shift isn’t actually the pattern—it’s the color.

We’re moving away from the cool gray bathrooms that dominated for years and toward warmer materials and colors:

CreamIvoryTravertineLimestoneWarm WhiteTaupeSoft GreigeNatural Marble

Paired with natural white oak cabinetry, warm metals, and softer lighting, these materials create bathrooms that feel calm, elevated, and timeless.

WHICH BATHROOM TILE TREND WILL LAST?

When I’m looking at finishes from both a design and real estate perspective, I always come back to the same idea: use trends in ways that can still feel timeless.

A beautiful natural stone, warm neutral porcelain, or classic subway tile can feel completely different depending on how it’s installed.

That’s why changing the layout rather than choosing an extremely trendy tile can be such a smart design decision.

Vertical stack it. Take it to the ceiling. Introduce a herringbone feature. Mix tile scales. Or use oversized tile with minimal grout lines.

You can create something that feels very current today without designing a bathroom that immediately tells a future buyer exactly what year it was renovated.

DESIGNING OR BUYING A HOME IN CHARLOTTE?

I love seeing how thoughtful design choices can completely transform a home—and bathrooms are one of the places where those details really matter.

If you’re building, renovating, buying, or selling in the Charlotte area, I’d love to help you think through not only what looks beautiful, but also the design decisions that can help your home stand out when it eventually comes to market.