23 Minimalist Tile Ideas That Could Lead to the Bathroom of Your Dreams

Modern, sleek bathroom in shades of cream

Design: Hive LA Home; Photo: Amy Bartlam

Renovating your bathroom or kitchen is one of the most surefire ways to increase the value of your home while also improving your day-to-day living space. It's a win-win, really. But the increase in value is directly related to whether you can create a design that will entice potential buyers once you decide to sell. While there are a ton of decisions to be made during the renovating process, one of the most consequential decisions is the tile

Whether you're planning to tile only the floor and wet areas or you want to cover your entire walls in it, tiles are impactful in large part because of the surface area they cover. And while a highly ornate tile might be your personal preference, chances are it won't translate to potential buyers. So if you're looking for minimalist ideas to inspire your next bathroom tile renovation or backsplash upgrade, we rounded up some of our favorites.

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Keep It Clean

Chic minimal bathroom

Cathie Hong Interiors

Designer Cathie Hong knows that one of the simplest ways to achieve a minimal aesthetic is by carrying the same tile from floor to ceiling. What really keeps the look clean, though, is the large-scale gray tile with nearly invisible grout lines

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Let It Blend In

Small kitchen with grid tiles

Design: Velinda Hellen for Emily Henderson Design; Photo: Sara Tramp

The ultimate minimalist tip is to select tile that nearly blends in with its surroundings, especially when working in small spaces. With white walls, pearly white tiles, and even white metal shelves, everything above the counters in this kitchen is working to create a chic but minimal backdrop to maximize the small space.

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Wrap It All Around

Modern, sleek bathroom in shades of cream

Amy Bartlam

This dreamy peaches 'n' cream bathroom is an expert lesson in color pairing. We're obsessed with the vertically stacked beige tile wet room that wraps around the space and how it sets off the salmon sinks and wood vanity.

Take note—when pairing floor and wall tile, large-scale juxtaposed with small-scale will always look sleek and chic.

04 of 23

Take It to the Top

Minimal gray kitchen

Liljencrantz Design

One look at this kitchen from Liljencrantz Design demonstrates how this interior design studio has managed to strike a beautiful balance between maximalist and minimalist interiors. We're in love with the simple rounded gray tile that's carried from counters to soaring ceilings for a dramatic impact.

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Save a Penny

All-white kitchen with penny-tile backsplash

Desiree Burns Interiors

Want to revive an old classic? Do as designer Desiree Burns did in this kitchen and opt for a wall made of penny round tiles. A bright white tile in an all-white kitchen is an easy way to make your space feel luxe and elegant. What you'll save on this affordable tile choice you can later splurge on countertops and appliances.

White Penny Tile
Clé Tile Porcelain White Gloss Penny Round Tile $12.00
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Update a Classic

Minimal and modern shower with subway tiles and teak stool

Reena Sotropa

Subway tile is a classic choice because of how well it translates into just about any aesthetic. To really modernize and streamline, ditch the typical running bond pattern for something more geometric like a simple basketweave.

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Cover the Ceiling

Modern bathroom with all marble shower

Maite Granda

Take a page out of designer Maite Granda's book and tile your shower stall from floor to ceiling for a streamlined look. Bonus: Bathing in a marble-on-marble wet room like this one might feel more like a spa than your bathroom.

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Go Retro

Kitchen with minimal grid tile

Cathie Hong Interiors

If you're a minimalist who enjoys a bold statement, try the '90s-approved stacked square tile in a smaller size. Choose any color, from a simple black or white to a hot pink or navy blue to give your space some punch.

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Flip the Script

Minimal shower stacked tiles

Reena Sotropa

Another take on the classic subway tile is a longer, thinner variation. We love how a vertical running bond pattern in this tile is just different enough to look like a new take on the trend and vertical lines make the space appear taller.

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Get Textural

Wood kitchen with tile backsplash

Laura Brophy Interiors

For a soft texture and instant sophistication, try the increasingly popular Moroccan Zellige tile in a soft tone like blue-gray or greige. This highly textured glazed terra-cotta tile will give your space patina and visual interest while still feeling minimal enough for pared-back spaces.

Zellige tiles
Floorzz Zellige Glazed Ceramic Wall Tile $8.00
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Aim for Seamless

Gray stone and dark wood bathroom

Liljencrantz Design

Another space from Liljencrantz, this bathroom is a modern minimalist's dream. From large tiles to stone countertops to rich wood, everything looks seamless and sleek. Even chrome fixtures seem to melt right into the walls.

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Pick a Classic Pattern

Modern kitchen with herringbone backsplash

Devon Grace Interiors

Opting for a neutral-colored tile gives you a little more freedom to play with pattern without overwhelming the space. Case in point—this wet bar with a herringbone accent wall in a skinny greige tile. Because the rest of the space is also fairly neutral, a subtle statement backsplash feels appropriate.

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Fall Back to Black

Kitchen with black tile backsplash

Reena Sotropa

Black tile will always, always, always be in style—you can quote us on that. We can't get enough of the black stone tile with natural color variation in this kitchen. Designer Reena Sotropa really considered how wood elements would pop right off the wall while darker metal accents blend right in.

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Get a Little Rustic

Minimal white bathroom

Design: Emily Henderson Design; Photo: Sara Ligorria-Tramp

In the bathroom or the kitchen, swap a classic subway tile with a slightly more elevated brickworks tile—which has a subtle rustic texture that will give your space depth and character without breaking from the minimal aesthetic.

Brick tiles
Waterworks Grove Twenty Field Tile $16.00
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Mix in Midcentury

Minimal tile backsplash

Cathie Hong Interiors

Midcentury Modern design is all about a streamlined aesthetic, which means minimal tile treatments fit right in. Take this kitchen—horizontally stacked navy tile creates clean lines and a graphic color-block effect under that sleek floating shelf.

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Think Thin

Minimal kitchen tile

Cathie Hong Interiors

Add visual interest to your minimal space with a super-thin stacked tile. When set against clean, minty cabinets, the white backsplash-gray grout combo in this modern kitchen creates depth with its grid-like pattern.

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Marbleize It

Ultra modern and sleek shower area with stacked marble tiles

The Home Consultant

Marble is often thought of as a luxury material, but it's versatile enough to adapt to any aesthetic. For example, horizontally stacked marble tile, a floating bench, and matte black fixtures add up to an ultra-modern finish in this minimal shower stall.

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Mix Materials

All back modern bathroom

Laura Brophy Interiors

This dreamy bathroom is all about drama in the most minimal way possible. Designer Laura Brophy expertly mixes materials like marble and stone tile by keeping the color palette almost entirely black.

Also consider adjacent spaces when selecting tile. For example, here, a peek into the bedroom beyond reveals black accents that tie back into the bathroom tile.

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Let It Shine

Kitchen with mirror-shine tile backsplash

LeClair Decor

Love the minimal aesthetic but crave luxe finishes? Take a look at this sleek kitchen from LeClair Decor. That bronze mirror tile backsplash installed in a vertically stacked pattern is everything we didn't know we needed.

Mirror tile
Abolos Reflections Silver Straight Edge Glass Mirror Subway Wall Tile $10.00
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Carry It up the Wall

Light, bright bathroom with light gray chevron tile floor and wall

JK Interior Living

Give your space a subtle pop by carrying your floor tiles all the way up one wall like in this elegant gray bathroom. It's a subtle way to get the look of an accent wall while maintaining a minimal aesthetic.

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Make It Monotone

Minimal beige kitchen

Liljencrantz Design

These days, it's hard to find kitchen inspiration that offers something beyond all-white or two-tone cabinets. But this beige-on-beige kitchen from Liljencrantz Design is all the proof we need to get on board the monotone train. Sleek taupe cabinets and beige-tinted zellige tiles are a dreamy, minimal combo.

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Scale Down

Black kitchen with black backsplash

Royal Roulotte

In this tight French kitchen, the designer opted for a small-scale square grid tile backsplash. The result is sleek and modern but with a gemstone-like quality that adds just the right touch of bling.

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Stick to Simplicity

Plywood kitchen with minimal backsplash

Margaret Wright

Fans of a more industrial approach will appreciate this plywood kitchen that's modern and minimal in all the best ways. Large-scale, horizontally stacked subway tiles, metallic fixtures, and white countertops are sleek and edgy while wood tones warm up the look.