Should I Half Tile or Fully Tile My Bathroom?

Ariel is the lead residential sales and design consultant at Artaic. She works with members of the Trade across the country throughout the entirety of the design process, creating custom mosaic tile designs for their clientele. Inspired by material, texture, and color, she loves the world of interiors and understanding “buy-ology” (or, why people buy).

With definitions out of the way, you now need to consider which type of bathroom tile layout works best for your space. As touched upon by Ariel, fully tiled variations are usually the most practical choice in terms of upkeep and maintenance, a sentiment shared by interior designer Jennifer Jones of Niche Interiors.

“A completely tiled bathroom is best for spa bathrooms, steam showers, and wet rooms where there are multiple shower heads,” she says. “This is also a great choice for kids’ bathrooms as you never have to worry about walls getting wet or damaged.”

There are also various aesthetic advantages to fully tiling your bathroom, too. With all four walls to play with, as well as “zoned” areas like the bath and shower, you can play around with different tile shapes, finishes, and configurations for a dramatic contrast. For example, consider glossy subway tiles in a deep red as a backdrop to your basin, alongside vertical pink and white zellige stripes to add height in a shower. “Tile drenching with a bold style can completely transform the feel of a bathroom,” says Lee Thornley, tile expert and founder of Bert & May.

Ariel is quick to note that a fully tiled bathroom is typically a more costly option, but also emphasizes the visual power it holds. “Almost like the color-drenching trend, tile-drenching creates a cohesive space that can feel really unique and all-encompassing,” she says. “I’ve seen a lot of really impressive contemporary spaces with tile-drenched bathrooms with really fun, bold colors, and I am loving that lately.”