The 6 affordable bathroom tile designs I recommend to clients
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Choosing bathroom tiles might seem easy enough when you begin your bathroom makeover. After all, they're just tiles, and surely they can't be that different in style?
You confidently head to the bathroom tile section in the DIY shop or hit the tile search online.
After a very short moment, you realise you have choice paralysis.
Why you need to choose your bathroom tiles wisely
What's the big deal? Well, they’re permanent fixtures that will make or break your entire bathroom design. Once they're in, they're in. It's easy to underestimate the time and skill they need to install, making it an expensive mistake if you make the wrong choice.
What makes a good bathroom tile?
The bathroom tiles I’m about to recommend, are some I’ve spent years in my professional work trying to find. Yes, that long! These bathroom tiles tick every box for function, price, style, and maintenance:
They look expensive,
They’re stain-resistant and low-maintenance,
They’re a breeze to keep clean and mould-free,
They’re very reasonably priced too!
I return to these tiles again and again in client designs, and now I want to share them with you.
Keep reading until the end of the blog post for the worst type of bathroom tiles to avoid. OK, let’s get straight into our tile talk!
The ultimate versatile bathroom tile
First up is my good old friend the Framura tile from Claybrook, specifically the 80 x 80 Framura clam. What I love about this tile is its adaptability to more than one bathroom style.
It brings warmth and a clean look to a modern, contemporary bathroom. It also works wonderfully well in a traditional cottage bathroom by providing a contemporary touch.
A warm, sandy tone
The Framura looks stunning next to any metal finish you’re going for, from brass to chrome, as well as other tiles. The sandy tone and texture mimics real limestone but doesn't require constant sealing or maintenance. Made of porcelain, this tile is rectified — meaning it has sharp, straight edges to give a flawless finish.
The benefit of ceramic and porcelain tiles
Most of the tiles I’m sharing with you are porcelain or ceramic. These are go-to material choices for bathrooms because they’re stain-resistant, have zero maintenance, and you can go to town with any cleaning products. Just make sure you didn't choose a ceramic tile with a crazing effect.
The fight against mould and mildew
The biggest selling point with the Framura Clam is less mould and mildew to fight off. Battling that black icky pestilence has to be the most dreaded part of cleaning the entire house. Nobody enjoys scrubbing that stuff, which seems almost glued to the tiles.
So, if you’re fed up with mould and mildew build-up in the nooks and crannies of your bathroom tiles, this tip is for you. Installing a large, thin, stone-effect tile like Framura, will give you fewer grout lines.
For example, 3mm grout lines in a grout colour matching the tile have less space for mould to occupy. It also leaves you with a high-end micro-cement look.
Avoiding grout lines
The other options to avoid groutlines are shower walls and mermaid panels. But truthfully, I’m not sold on their colours or design options yet. I personally just prefer tile. The Framura's large format and matching grout combination give you a similar look at a much more affordable price.
Styling large format bathroom tiles
When going for a large format bathroom tile, it’s a good idea to pair it with a smaller tile to provide contrast and depth in your bathroom. All of the other tiles I’m suggesting will also complement the Framura perfectly and bring a sense of interest when they’re side by side.
Oh, and I forgot to mention this article isn’t sponsored by any of the suppliers I’m recommending. These are genuinely the brands I loyally turn to!
2. The Aged White Dorchester tile by Quorn Stone
A porcelain bathroom tile that mimics limestone
Next, we have the tile I spent far too long trying to find. I desperately wanted to install beautiful limestone flagstone floors in many of my client's homes.
Limestone brings a lot of character, the natural stone has a pretty texture and an inviting colour, and the tumbled edges make a house feel homely, cosy, and lived-in. However, a huge downside to limestone or travertine, is it requires sealing and annual maintenance. Plus, as a porous material, it's easy to stain.
Compatible with underfloor heating
A perfect alternative to limestone is the Dorchester Aged White tile by Quorn Stone. I must tell you, I was buzzing when I first found it. It’s a porcelain tile that's underfloor heating compatible, ideal for bathroom floors, and looks identical to real stone with its variation and irregular edges.
So many texture variations
Normally porcelain tiles will have about 10 to 20 variations in a set yet, the Dorchester has about 100 variations so you’ll rarely get two identical tiles next to each other. You can lay Dorchester tiles across a full house and it will bring an amazing sense of warmth and cohesion. Am I being a little bit too obsessed?
3. The Pebble White tile by Mandarin Stone
A terrazzo-esque moment without being too bold
OK next up, it's time to address the popular terrazzo tiles. I don’t mind them, they’re OK. But I wouldn’t personally choose them because I prefer simple, calmer bathroom tile designs that exude elegance.
Terrazzo can too easily look outdated with its kaleidoscope of irregular shapes splattered across the tile.
The good news is, I found one that doesn't hurt the eyes. The Pebble White tile from Mandarin Stone is an excellent in-between.
Timeless in a neutral shade
The Pebble White tile is a calmer version of your usual terrazzo porcelain tile. It looks warmer and less grey in real life, with a colour that is 100% neutral with no orange or red tones usually seen in typical terrazzo designs.
The pale colour suits any bathroom colour scheme and complements whichever tap finish you desire. The pebble white tile would look great as a backdrop to your vanity, placed on shower walls or floors.
4. The Canvas White Satin tile by Mandarin Stone
Light-reflection without high gloss
The Canvas White Satin tile from Mandarin Stone is a classic, especially for those who are drawn to a tile with a shiny finish. My goodness, this is my favourite tile of all time.
High gloss tiles annoy me sometimes as the shine levels just scream “Someone’s going to slip over” if it’s on a bathroom floor. There’s just too much reflection if high gloss tiles cover a large area of the wall.
A satin finish to die for
As an alternative, I recommend matt or satin tiles, which soften the space and diffuse light well. The Canvas White Satin tile has a satin finish to give the perfect level of sheen.
I’ve proposed this tile in all different tile layouts, always with a plain white grout. You could have a traditional herringbone layout for visual interest or keep it contemporary with a vertical stack bond, or the traditional brick effect.
What about colour?
Now, you might be shouting, “Fi, give me some colour, woman!” but genuinely I think bathroom tiles age better if you go for neutrals. I recommend introducing colour into the bathroom with paint or wallpaper, which can be changed more readily if you grow tired of the colour scheme.
5. The Potter's Glaze tile by Claybrook
Bathroom tiles for a pop of colour
In the rare instance that I choose coloured tiles, my go-to is the Potter’s Glaze range from Claybrook. The muted, soft colour palette is gorgeous. They look so much more expensive than they are and come in different sizes to create a unique layout. I like to choose these as a feature behind a toilet, as a backdrop to a vanity or above a bathtub.
How to choose colourful bathroom tiles
When choosing colourful bathroom tiles, I want them to look luxurious and high-end. That means avoiding bold, jarring primary colours that often clash with other colours in the room. Instead, go for muted, soul-soothing greens and blues that are easier to live with over time.
6. The Safi Seashell tile by Quorn Stone
Ancient Moroccan mosaic
Finally, one of my favourite tiles for inside shower niches and on large walls is the Safi Seashell zellige tile by Quorn Stone. It gives the bathroom a sophisticated, refined, and graceful spirit.
Zellige or Zillij is a Morrocan style of mosaic using hand-cut, intricate tiles dating back to the 13th century. Being admired for so long in history in the mosaic craft, I have no doubt these tiles will never go out of style in your bathroom.
Arabic-inspired tilework
Often seen in old Spanish homes near Andalusia, Algeria, and Tunisia, the intricate tessellations and motifs in Zellige mosaic make a charming impression.
The Safi Seashell tile is inspired by Zellige but with a simplified design. The undulating surface, pale off-white colour, and captivating glistening finish truly give a delightful seashell appearance.
Ideal as feature tiles
The Safi Seasheet tiles suit different areas of the home such as kitchen or bathroom sink splashbacks. I wouldn't recommend it for showers or baths as they’re hard to squeegee down, making it more prone to mould and mildew in the grout.
That being said, if you want to bring delicate tilework to your bathroom, the Safi Seashell pairs fabulously with any colour scheme.
❌ The tile to avoid in your bathroom
Before I finish here, I promised I’d share my brutally honest opinion on the worst bathroom tile choice. If you want an amazing low-maintenance bathroom design at a great price, avoid this tile and opt for the alternatives I've provided!
Avoid marble! It's not as glamorous as it looks
Guys, marble may look beautiful but it is not practical and not cheap either. We see marble bathrooms looking next level on Instagram. They’ve gone for Calacatta or Carrara marble tiles, but don’t be fooled. These were likely styled and photographed straight after installation.
Cleaning marble will give you a meltdown
In reality, a year after installation you’ll be tearing your hair out because you used a cleaning product that’s stained your expensive marble tiles.
Plus, if any of you colour your hair at home like me, just remember life is way too short to be scrubbing spots of hair dye out of your marble tiles.
If you want to relax in your home, go for porcelain or ceramic. There are a lot of marble-looking porcelain tiles out there but if I’m completely honest, I’m still searching for the most realistic one.
Marble alternative: the Sea Cliff tile by Claybrook
A very close contender for the stunning marble look in your bathroom is the Sea Cliff tile from Claybrook. It's at a more affordable price and way easier to maintain.
In particular, the Clement Street Matt option. It's ideal for a light, simple, elegant bathroom scheme perhaps with chrome finishes.
Additionally, the Sea Cliff Anza Street tile is the darker version for a more moody, masculine, romantic bathroom. I can imagine it with deep olive paint like Farrow & Ball’s Treron. Stunning.
💡 Top tip: if you’re working with any bathroom tiles that contain a vein like the Sea Cliff, ask your tiler to bookmatch your tiles as much as possible. This means matching up the vein lines on each tile either exactly or as near as you can. It brings better symmetry to your bathroom tile design and avoids looking mismatched.
Summary
To conclude, the six tile choices I recommend for your bathroom are the Framura Clam tile by Claybrook, the Dorchester Aged White tile by Quorn Stone, the Pebble White tile by Mandarin Stone, the Potter’s Glaze by Claybrook, and the Safi Seashell tile by Quorn Stone.
Don't be tempted by marble and instead try the Sea Cliff tile range from Claybrook.
These are all high-quality porcelain and ceramic tiles that will give you the most value for your money.
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