Showers with white tile create a perfectly clean, crisp look for your bathroom, but it can be hard to know where to start. We’ll provide some inspiration and ideas for incorporating white shower tile designs into your space.
A white tiled shower has the power to transform your bathroom, no matter your aesthetic. White tile is a timeless and versatile option, offering creative flexibility. From classic subway tile to bold geometric patterns, you can’t go wrong with incorporating white tile into your shower.
Explore Mercury Mosaics white tile to experience the look, and feel the difference of handmade artisan tiles for your bathroom.
1. Classic White Subway Tile Shower
White subway tile has been a timeless favorite for nearly a century, enduring due to its clean look, easy maintenance, and ability to complement many design styles. Showers with white subway tile allow you to play with layout, finish, and grout color to achieve your ideal look. The horizontal brick pattern is the most common, but a stacked layout (vertical or horizontal) can create a more sleek, modern white tile shower, especially when paired with a dark grout for contrast. For a more classic look, try a herringbone pattern with a light grout color to add a sense of movement and elegance.
2”x2” Squares, Bullnose Tile Trim Edges and Subway Tiles - Emerald and Deco White
Photography - Sage E Imagery
Styling - Creekwood Hill
2. Textured White Wavy Tile Shower
Changing up the tile shape can make a big difference in the overall feeling of a space. Wavy tiles in particular create a beautiful, almost water-like sense of flow and movement. Textured white tile adds depth, enhancing light reflection and making the space feel more airy. Both matte and glossy finishes pair well with wavy tile, so it depends on the desired outcome. A glossy finish amplifies light for brightness while a matte finish provides a softer, more understated look.
Medium Moroccan Fish Scale in Wave pattern - white
3. Contrasting Black and White Shower Tile
For a striking contrast in your shower, incorporate black accent tiles, or pair white shower tile with black grout. The black accent tiles can be as simple as a band of vertically stacked subway tile as shown, a black shower niche, or black tile edging. Black grout against white tiles defines each tile and makes the shape pop. High-contrast designs add depth and character to modern and traditional aesthetics alike.
2”x6” Subway - Navy
4. White Herringbone Shower for a Dynamic Look
Herringbone tile adds sophistication and movement to any space, whether used as the core pattern or as an accent. While it works best on shower walls as the main attraction, you can incorporate herringbone tile into shower niches, floors, or bathroom backsplashes. A white herringbone shower tile design will result in a truly timeless and elevated space. Pair this option with matching grout color for a seamless flow, or a darker grout for more definition.
2”x6” Subway in Herringbone - White
Photography and Interior Design: @joineryanddesignco
5. Geometric White Hexagon Tile Shower
Geometric hexagon tiles come in a variety of sizes and color variations, allowing you to add unique patterns to your shower. They are also easy to pair with other tile shapes to create a totally custom and fresh look. Small hexagon tile instantly evokes vintage charm, especially with patterns like the hex flower. Large hex tile offers a more contemporary look on its own, or a more mid-century modern aesthetic when paired with diamonds in a pattern like the geo-star.
Large Hexagons - Deco White, Iron Smoke, Silver Lining, Black
Find bathroom tile inspiration from Mercury Mosaics gallery of handmade tiles to brighten any space.
6. Large White Tile Shower for Seamless Simplicity
Large format tiles have the ability to create a more clean and expansive feel, reducing visual clutter and enhancing light reflection in the space. The minimal grout lines of large white shower tiles also make them easier to clean and maintain. Play around with the finish to either enhance or soften the light reflection. Many of our tile shapes at Mercury Mosaics are available in a larger format to create this feel, including our large hexagon, large square, and large fish scale.
6"x6" Subway Tile with Custom Tile Planters - White.
Photography - Weinstein Properties
7. Small White Tile Shower for Texture
Small white shower tile adds texture and dimension and can also provide some slip resistance when used on the floor. Small tiles allow you to create beautiful, intricate mosaic patterns by incorporating multiple colors. Some of our favorite shapes for this include small triangle, small hexagon, and small checkerboard tile. Since small tiles involve more grout lines, the grout color choice can make an even bigger impact with this option.
Small Penny Rounds – White, Deco White
8. Cohesive Floor to Ceiling White Shower Tile
Continuing your shower wall tile through to the ceiling creates a more elevated and serene feel, while also providing additional waterproofing. Using the same tile from floor to wall to ceiling eliminates visual breaks and adds cohesiveness, especially with large format tile, and makes the shower appear larger. This seamless look does require a bit of extra planning, so check out our guide on how to add tile to your shower ceiling.
Floor - Deco White, Emerald, Shower Floor - 2"x2" Stacked - Emerald
Photography - Sage E Imagery
Styling - Creekwoodhill
9. White Tile Shower Floor
A white shower floor gives you a clean base from which you can build off of with various wall tile patterns and colors. Popular floor tile shapes include the small or large hexagon, penny rounds, and the simple square. To add some dimension to white shower floor tile, try a contrasting grout color or matte or textured finishes. Small tiles on the floor of the shower have an added benefit of providing a nice texture and extra traction.
Small Hexagons – Deco White, Linen, Satin Black
10. Unique Ombre Tile Shower
An ombre tiled shower is a bold and unique way to infuse personality into your space. The tile shape really influences the overall effect, with shapes like the fish scale and cube tile creating a natural sense of movement, while small square tiles create a more modern, pixelated look. Your color choices also play a big part. Create a subtle transition by using colors within the same family or a bold contrast with complementary colors.
Explore Mercury Mosaics sample packs to experience the look, and feel the difference of handmade artisan tiles for your bathroom.
11. White Shower Niches for Stylish Storage
A white tiled shower niche blends function and style, providing a built in storage solution and enhancing the design. Shower niches give you the opportunity to change up the tile shape, color, or size to create a distinct focal point from the rest of the shower, or keep everything the same for a seamless look. In addition to considering the stylistic elements, think about placement, desired number of niches, and other tips for planning your shower niche for maximum convenience and elegance.
2”x6” Subway in Herringbone - White
Photography and Interior Design: @joineryanddesignco
12. Mixing Matte and Glossy White Tiles
One of our more unexpected yet stunning shower tile ideas is to combine finishes to enhance dimension and elegance. With white tile, it’s a subtle difference that really pays off. The glossy tiles reflect light while the matte tiles give a softer feel that grounds the space. This detail is sometimes hard to read with small tiles, so we recommend using a medium sized tile like the kenwood squares, geo-hex or herringbone.
Small Hexagons - White, Deco White.
13. White and Blue Coastal Shower Tile
The combination of blue and white shower tile instantly creates a breezy, coastal vibe. From soft sky blues to deep teals, white enhances the freshness of any blue or green shade. Whether you opt for a full accent wall, a subtle blue shower niche, or a fun patterned floor like the hexagon flower or chic plaid tile, this color pairing is sure to bring a sense of calm and understated elegance.
3”x8” Subway - Blue Bell
14. Mix and Match Shower Tile Patterns
Mixing and matching shower tile patterns allows you to create a one-of-a-kind space to suit your personality and style. Even if you gravitate toward the simplicity of all white tile shower designs, mixing multiple shapes or sizes of tile can add some depth and interest. It can be as simple as incorporating penny tile on the floor with large-format hexagon tile on the walls, or more intricate like blending subway tile with cube tile on a single shower wall, as shown.
Large Diamonds - Deco White, Grey, Silver Lining, Blue Opal, Cloudy Sky, Vivid Blue
3”x6” Subway - Deco White, Silver Lining
15. White Shower Tile Paired with a Bold Statement Floor
Pairing white walls with a bold, statement floor can create a striking end result. The pattern and colors on the floor really shine and stand out against the crisp, white walls. The shower floor tile ideas are truly endless with this one, so you can tailor it to your personal style and desired feel for the space. Pattern options range from a fully custom Victorian inspired design to a classic checkerboard or charming flower pattern.
Victorian Pattern - Deco White, Grey, Patina
Interior Design & Photography by Patti Wagner
Learn how artisan-crafted, handmade tiles like the ones from Mercury Mosaics can outshine and outlast the rest.
16. Retro Shower Tile
Vintage-inspired white tile can bring classic charm to your shower. Tile shapes and patterns like penny rounds, classic hexagon, and checkerboard emerged in the early 1900s and have all seen a resurgence in popularity. They add a nostalgic touch to modern spaces, especially when paired with other vintage touches like clawfoot bathtubs or antique fixtures, and work beautifully with other tile shapes as well.
Photography and Interior Design - Pencil Shavings
Hexagon Flower Pattern - Iris Blend. 3"x8" Subway Tile - Sapphire Blue.
Additional White Shower Tile Tips
White shower tile offers a clean look with the versatility to incorporate additional pops of color or design elements for an even more striking result. Mixing tile finishes and patterns keeps the space fresh, while grout color alone can totally transform the aesthetic. Walk-in showers provide even more design flexibility, such as extending the tile to the ceiling for a luxurious feel. While style is key, consider cleaning and maintenance as well when selecting your tile to keep your shower looking pristine.
Mixing White Tiles with Accent Features
White tiles offer a neutral base to build on with a variety of accents, colors, and even other design elements throughout the space. Opt for a soft and minimalist feel by pairing other neutrals like beige or light grey. Create a bold statement with a contrasting color or pattern for more energy and fun. Or, try something in the middle like a visually pleasing ombre tile pattern or a subtle change of tile shape or finish.
Choosing the Right Grout Color
Grout color has the power to either blend seamlessly or add contrast, especially with a neutral base tile color like white. Picking the right grout color can seem daunting, but it really just comes down to the overall feel you are going for. For a cleaner look against white tile, stick to whites or light greys for the grout. For a bolder, more modern look, try a black or vibrant color that complements other design elements in the space.
Maintaining & Cleaning White Shower Tile
To keep your white tile shower designs looking pristine for years to come, regular cleaning is essential. Use a gentle cleaner and brush to scrub away soap scum and help prevent discoloration and buildup over time. When properly installed and maintained, ceramic tile is a durable and long-lasting option perfect for wet environments like showers and bathrooms.
Explore Mercury Mosaics' full collection of handmade ceramic tile to create a design that suits your space.
Transform Your Bathroom with Mercury Mosaics White Shower Tile
White shower tile ideas are endless thanks to their timelessness and versatility. Whether you prefer a serene, calming oasis or a striking, modern statement, white tile is the perfect starting point. You can easily play it up or down with varying tile colors, patterns, and grout colors to create a unique and personalized space.
Ready to transform your bathroom with beautiful white tile? Explore our full collection of handmade ceramic tile at Mercury Mosaics to find the perfect tiles to elevate your space. We have the options and expertise to turn your shower design ideas into reality.
Order a sample to see and feel the product for yourself or reach out to our design experts today!
