Shower Accent Wall Tile Ideas

Featured Image: Geo 2 Bisou Midnight & Geo 2 Eclipse Glass Accent Shower Wall Tile from Arizona Tile

Designing the bathroom of your dreams—your personal sanctuary, if you will—goes far beyond the basics: toilet, sink, and shower (all with plenty of room to move around, of course). Before you begin the design phase of your new bathroom space, there are many design concepts and materials to consider. Shower accent wall tile is a transformative component that makes your bathroom truly stand apart and showcases your personal style.

Depending on the type of shower you install, your design ideas may vary, so read on because we will take a look at those options, too. Whether your design—or your preferences—allows for a small shower stall, a large shower area, or a wet room, think about adding a tile accent wall in your shower to add some character to the space.

What to Decide First?

Before you begin honing in on your favorite tile or slab options for your shower, it’s best to know the layout:

• Will it be large or small?
• What features will be incorporated, like shelving, a bench, or a window?

What type of entry do you want–standard shower stall with a curbed entry, zero-entry, or a wet room?

Image: Alpi Chiaro 6×36 Porcelain Shower Accent Wall Tile from Arizona Tile

A wet room is similar to an open-concept home where your kitchen, dining area, and living room  have a seamless flow from room to room, all within the same space.  Instead of separating the shower and tub into their own zones, a wet room blends everything into one continuous, waterproofed space—often featuring a large walk-in shower and a freestanding tub all within the same area. It’s a sleek, modern design choice that feels spacious, spa-like, and easy to maintain. Whether you’re drawn to the clean aesthetic or love the idea of a more open, flexible layout, a wet room can be a striking and functional addition to your home.

Image: CS-Calacatta Gris Honed Lotus Marble Shower Accent Wall Tile from Arizona Tile

Once you know the style of shower you want, there are features to consider. A shower bench is a popular feature and comes in a few different design options:

• Corner bench – great in a smaller shower, as they take up less space
• Floating bench – open space underneath the seat to place products, etc.
• Full, built-in bench

A bench is a good place to incorporate a solid slab into your design, like Taj Mahal quartzite. Quartzite is a stunning and exceptionally durable natural stone and a great addition to a shower design. Taj Mahal is a white stone with delicate beige ribbons streaming throughout. It has striking similarities to Italian Calacatta marble but is much harder and more durable. Read here for more shower bench ideas!

Image: Taj Mahal Quartzite Shower Accent Wall and shower bench from Arizona Tile

Some other features that will impact your design are recessed shelves and windows. Recessed shelves (or niches) can become their own focal point if you install tile on the inner section that’s different than the tile surround. For instance, Cemento Cassero, in one or several of its four colors, makes a stellar shower surround tile. Then, installing CS-Calacatta Gris marble on the shelf inset helps to emphasize the dimension. To further tie this design together, add CS-Calacatta Gris to the shower floor in an applicable size like Feather, Flower, or Penny Round.

Image: Cemento Cassero Antracite & Cemento Cassero Bianco Shower Wall and Bathroom Floor Tile from Arizona Tile

Regarding windows, adding a slab to the window sill breaks up the solid appearance of the tiled wall, which could add enough visual interest for your needs. To deepen the accent, consider using Gem glazed porcelain on the remaining shower walls in one or a few of the eight colors. The unique and delightful dimensional element of this tile presents a peaceful allure. A delightful pairing would be with Bio Attitude for your surround tile and shower floor. Its wood-inspired appearance of the truest essence of oak will connect you with the beauty of nature.  The juxtaposition of two completely different materials creates a stunning artistic balance in your shower space.

Image: BA-Barrel 8×48 Wood-Look Porcelain Shower Accent Wall Tile from Arizona Tile

Different Shower Tile Designs

In addition to the prior ideas, here are some designs that may be exactly what you’re looking for:

• Same color tile throughout, but with a different shape.

With this, there are many possibilities when a series has multiple colors and size options. The S-Series tile is a great choice because it’s a versatile collection of classic shapes and colors. To add dimension, it’s as simple as integrating more than one size with the same color palette. However, on the flip side, you could keep the same tile pattern but change the color.

Image: S-Soft Sage Glossy 2×12 Ceramic Shower Wall Tile & S-Soft Sage Glossy Scallop Mesh Porcelain Tile Shower Shelf

• Go bold with patterns.
  • Patterns are a super fun way to get creative without going too extreme. The Gioia series offers 16 showstopping colors, be it white, black, blue, orange, green, and more. These bright colors with undulated texture offer a beautiful accent to your at-home shower oasis.

Image: Gioia Milk 4×16 & Gioia Turquoise 4×16 Porcelain Shower Accent Wall Tile from Arizona Tile

• Add a vertical accent.
  •  A fun way to tie the bathroom together is by adding a vertical accent through the shower that pairs with the existing material. Alpi is another wood-inspired tile that offers both warm and cool tones. It would make a great floor tile and also an excellent tile accent within the shower. If wood grain isn’t your design preference, Chevron tile may be perfect. Be it a vertical or horizontal accent, this tile would make a dreamy focal area in your shower, especially if you have also used it as the backsplash behind your vanity or a whole accent wall.

Image: Chevron Silver Polished Limestone Shower Accent Wall Tile from Arizona Tile

Shower Tile Design Recommendations

Image: Gem Salvia Fluted 2×16 Glazed Porcelain Shower Accent Wall Tile & S-Canvas White Glossy Picket Mesh Shower Niche Tile from Arizona Tile

While there are plenty of design recommendations for your shower accent wall tile, finding the tile you love is paramount. A helpful way to visualize our products is with our Just Imagine- Tile and Slab Visualizer. Even better, visit an Arizona Tile  showroom or slab yard to see your favorites in person. If you have any product questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to our helpful and knowledgeable staff.