I like a simple choice for all items that are more permanent. My go to is a 12 x24 porcelian tile for bathroom floor and shower walls a plain tile in a color you like then you have a good back drop for a nice counter in a bit more busy granite or marble depends on the color of the porcelain . THis gives you a simple restful space where you can change accent colors , wall color easily and also very little expense . I like the tiles stacked for a more contemporary look and if you lean a bit more traditional have the 30/ 70 split layout never 50%. I think all the choices you show are busy and not timeless .

I'm not a designer, so I'll let others weight in on color choices. But if that's penny tile you're holding up, you should know that most tile installers screw that up. It takes a high level of skill to install penny tile correctly, in a way that you can't see the lines of demarcation between the sheets. I only know 1 tiler in my whole metro area that can do it. And what he does is remove some of the penny tiles from the edges of the sheets, jigs things around to get everything aligned just right and then hand-places the pennies so that the whole floor is cohesive and you can't tell where one sheet ends and another begins. It takes a lot of time and skill and most tilers will not be willing or able to do it right. If done right, penny tile is beautiful, but if you search on this forum you will see a lot of pics of penny tile gone wrong.

And the reason why people say river rock is high maintenance is because the grout lines are irregular and thicker requiring more cleaning, and possibly more pooling of small bits of water. We choose a charcoal colored 3x3 shower floor tile that looks rustic but since they are squares, the tiler was able to get a nice skinny grout line and it doesn't require extra cleaning efforts.

Patricia,

Thank you so much for your comment! I had not considered a larger tile size like that. Is there a place you recommend I look for one? And, I appreciate your last comment about these being busy. I definitely want to be timeless with the tile design as I don’t plan to change it! Do you have recommendations for more timeless design?

We moved into a home a few years ago that had river rock (very similar to your sample) in the owner's shower. Home is now 10 years old, and the tile looks like new. Very easy to maintain.

12 X 24 is a standard size these days, so you should be able to find it anywhere. Are you looking at tile in a tile store, or at a big box store? Dedicated tile stores usually have more competent salespeople who can help you put things together. Employees at big box stores are just spread too thin. I like hex tile floors as well as 12 X 24. While you say you want a dark floor, just remember that either very dark or very light floors will show fallen hairs, dust and dirt more easily.

I agree with the other commenters about keeping it simple for longevity. Don't forget you are going to have mirrors, light fixtures, faucets, cabinet pulls and towels to add color and interest. The tile doesn't have to do all the heavy lifting. Based on the pictures in your Ideabook and what you've said I would expect you to like a dark gray hex tile for the floor, white subway (just referring to a rectangular tile) on the shower walls and black framed mirrors. The shower floor could be smaller hexagons in the same color as the main floor, or a mix of white and gray. Or you could use 12 X 24 tiles throughout. There are so many choices required when you're doing a new build. Just remember there isn't one right answer. You may be able to conceive of a couple good solutions. In that case, any of them will be fine.

@AJCN thank you very much for your input. I had no idea about the penny tile and this is good to know now instead of too late. Charcoal tile for the shower floor was another option I had considered. It’s encouraging to hear that it sounds low maintenance while looking nice. Thank you!

@S J - thank you for giving me a review about the river rock! It is so hard to know without having tile experience myself.

@kandrewspa - I have looked at tile at big box stores as well as tile stores. You are correct that I am drawn to the charcoal floor and rectangular white for walls. I have been nervous that I would choose this combination and end up with a cold, sterile look. I suppose that is where the warmth of the wood cabinet and colorful towels come in? Thanks for your advice, I really appreciate it!

Q - what type of board has been installed on your shower walls? If it’s something similar to GoBoard = your shower walls are waterproofed.

HOWEVER - if it is regular cement board (like Wonderboard) - there needs to a surface waterproof membrane (either a fabric type - like Kerdi OR liquid type - like RedGard) added prior to tile being installed.

I can’t tell what type of board it is based upon your one photo.

I just wanted to make you aware of this - maybe your builder just hasn’t added any yet. There just have been WAY too many posts over the past 3 1/2 years that I’ve been on Houzz where showers have been built incorrectly. I don’t want you to become another one!

AJCN has made a great comment re: penny tiles. I’ve seen many more poorly installed sheets of penny tiles than I’ve seen nicely installed ones. River rocks have also caused issues for many people as has been explained.

AJCN also understands the importance of watching how your shower is built. Unfortunately, AJCN had to have an entire shower ripped out and reconstructed due to contractor issues.

I’m persoanlly not a big fan of using the same 12x24 tiles on the bathroom floor + shower walls. It does keep a bathroom from becoming too busy - which is important. However, there are so many interesting/pretty tiles out there. Just a different opinion than provided above.

FYI - I’m a little bit tile “obsessed“ - luckily, I have three bathrooms + a kitchen + laundry room + powder room + four fireplace fronts to renovate/update = many places to install different tiles (I’ve finished two bathrooms so far). So, I’ve been viewing a lot of different tiles - while still trying to keep things a bit timeless (but not boring).

kandrewspa has provided some great ideas - which can be used with either the LFTs (large format tiles) or with the hexagon + rectangular tiles (ones that are not LFTs).

If you can visit a specialty tile store (instead of only big box stores), you should receive some helpful advice.

Let us know what you decide!

The penny rounds, the river rock and the small black chevrons ... they're all roughly the same size /register as the same category. Choose ONE of these and forget about the others.

As someone else said, yes, penny rounds are very easy to mess up. If you go with that (and I love it), insist that your installer give you evidence they can do it right.

If you go with the river rock, I think you should discard the hexagons. They don't seem to be rustic. Rather, if you go with the river rock, I'd go with a solid shower bottom of river rock and a bathroom floor of a light beige rectangle with a little bit of veining.

I usually like hexagons, but I'm not so sold on those black hexes. I think it's because I prefer smaller hexes ... but that takes us back to the first comment: Only ONE small tile.

dani_m08 appears to me to be normal cement board which really needs to have a topical waterproofing.

We used a ceramic tile that looks like slate that has warm tones including greys and browns. It came in a bigger size for the floor and a small size for the shower. We used different tiles on walls. So far I really love it.

For those commenting on the cement board, see below. there are diff ways of installation. it does NOT HAVE to be coated on the front. In fact, if you read the specs for Durorock on the website, it can be used alone. I prefer a vapor barrier behind it.

forgo river rock. i had it. PIA.

similar items to what you're asking about.

Pennyround tile takes an expert tile installer to ensure you don't see the grid lines.

I did a customers bath in this 12x24 charcoal floor tile, porcelain gray chevron, and a smoke blue subway tile

The curb was a solid quartz backsplash piece cut to size in the same charcoal color

on my own shower I did a 3" black hex marble floor, 3x12 subways, solid marble on the curb and pony wall, and marble in a herringbone outside

this one has a similar layout to yours. the blue is cloe tile done in a crosshatch layout

8" hex done w/white subway in a stack pattern

here's your black hex on the outer floor. for the shower floor you could do a 2 or 3" hex to match

This is a porcelain floor tile

I used it on a bathroom for a air bnb I'm doing

the shower surround has bedrosians tile in ithe black and the white

btw,

if it is regular cement board (like Wonderboard) - there needs to a surface waterproof membrane (either a fabric type - like Kerdi OR liquid type - like RedGard) added prior to tile being installed.

This is not entirely true.

Cementboard only need the seams taped and mortared

AND a vapor barrier BEHIND the cement board. you do NOT have to waterproof the front.

If you do not use the vapor barrier behind, then it's a good idea to Redgard the face of the cement board. Never do both.

Cementboard is mositure resistant, but not waterproof

Wow, thank you ALL for your time and advice!!!

@dani_m08 thank you for noticing the board. I do not know which type of board it is, but I do plan to inquire about where the waterproofing is. And, I really appreciate your input re: the penny tile and river rock. I think I will stay away from those as they sound like more hassle than I am wanting to sign up for! It sounds like you have quite a bit of experience with this! I will be sure to update the post with what I find next to see what you think. Thank you!

@millworkman I appreciate your input about the cement board. I will be sure to inquire this. Thank you!

@Mrs Pete thank you for your advice about the smaller tile! I will be sure to choose just one. I am just trying to figure out how to make it cohesive/timeless/interesting....what a task!

@Janet your colors are very pretty and your bathroom looks wonderful!

@Beth H. :Wow. I am loving everything you put in your comment. Thank you for taking the time to do that!!! Your bathroom is beautiful! I also love the two photos you included of the black hex floor w/black shower floor and white subway walls (wood vanities). Is the subway tile in your bathroom just a white? I have been worried that I would be creating a cold space if I did a white subway with black flooring in shower and on floor, but I do really like the look. Would this be considered timeless?

Thank you for the additional information about the cement board, I value all of this input! Also, I think your design projects are quite wonderful. Thank you for sharing!

I wasn’t going to add to this post, because I really hate people who argue on Houzz. However, I am a researcher in terms of methodology and installation, especially because I do a lot of my own tiling – because I’m cheap. I 100% do not agree with what Beth says about the vapor barrier and the waterproofing. If you go look at the tile standards for installation and you talk to anyone who has tiled for 30 years, you will get a different Standard. Not trying to be contentious here, just trying to make sure that somebody doesn’t get a poorly done shower that will leak.

Beth - I usually add the option of using a vapor barrier behind the cbu instead of a surface waterproofing membrane - but sometimes that seems to either (i) confuse people, or (ii) someone comments that it’s incorrect.

After all, I learned this from you!

Just one of many posts I’ve saved over the past 3 1/2 years:

FYI - your showers in your air bnb are really nice! I’ve seen that faux wood ribbon tile used in a few bathrooms before - but I didn’t know that it came in black - I think that bathroom is my favorite out of the three. I hope you’ll post photos of all three when finished! Of course, your master bathroom in your home is still one of my very favorite bathrooms!

And it’s your fault that I’ve become obsessed with tile!! 💜

jrinn33 - unfortunately, I know A LOT about shower construction because I had issues during the initial construction of the shower for my master bathroom (first issue: pvc liner was installed flat on the subfloor = no pre-slope = not correct for a traditional mud shower pan). I had to have it torn out + there were a few other issues = hired a new TCNA certified tile professional.

I shouldn’t have to know how to build + tile a shower - but I bought (downloaded) the TCNA handbook (based upon AJCN’s recommendation) - and read all the sections applicable to bathroom renovations/construction after reading a bunch of issues re: shower construction/tile installation on Houzz. FYI - I didn’t search for these issues - they just kept popping up during desgn dilemma threads!

JMig, sorry to disappoint you. but all of the houses that were built decades ago where I live were either done w/old school mud, or the cement board vapor barrier (most of those barriers were tar paper) That Redgard hasn't been around for 50 years. This is how showers were built.

If this is done properly, there will be no damage to the wood behind the barrier

If you actually go to Durock or Hardieboard website and read their install requirements, along w/the TCNA handbook, you'll see where a vapor barrier is very much approved. Why wouldn't you think it would work?

the whole point is to prevent water damage to the stud/structure of the home. if a barrier is in place the water will condense and drip down to shower floor (if constructed properly) and drain off.

It will also have some air exchange (which is why you never do both vapor barrier and the water proofing membrane) and the mositure will evaporate.

If it 'leaks', then the installer didn't know what they were doing. Most tile people I've seen on here don't even know how to properly tape and motar joints/seams, they don't know that Grout doesn't belong in change of plane joints, they don't know about proper sloping and tile layout. This leads to leaking and damage, not the vapor barrier.

Also, if you read the TCNA handbook, you'll see that mositure barrier, done correctly is perfectly acceptable. There is more than one way to skin a cat.

I've also been doing showers for 25 yrs. all the showers in my homes, and the homes where I live, have been done this way. i've redone a few them along the way and in no instance ever was their any mold or moisture damage to the structure.

if someone building a shower is inexperienced or doesn't want to do the barrier, by all means, Redgard or other membranes are perfectly fine. Either way works. Sorry you don't agree