2025 is the year of the shower tile! Not only do they play a crucial role in creating a welcoming environment, but if done well, they can set the tone for the rest of the house. If you want to break away from your age-old bathroom design and dive into more creative bathroom tile trends and ideas, you’ve come to the right place.
Read on to learn about the newest trend: vertical shower tiles for 2025. We’ll give you a glimpse of some of our favorite vertical shower ideas as inspiration and show you why opting for this type of tile can transform your bathroom.
Are Vertical Shower Tiles Trendy in 2025?
Absolutely! Of all the shower tile ideas for 2025, unlike traditional bathroom tiles, vertical shower tiles are indeed one of the most trendy because they offer a modern and elegant look.
With various styles, textures, and vibrant colors, vertical tiles in the shower or anywhere else in the bathroom can add a calming or sophisticated touch, depending on the shade and material chosen.
Do Vertical Tiles Make a Bathroom Look Bigger?
In short? Yes!
While other factors such as lighting and layout can affect how big a bathroom feels, vertical tile in the shower contradicts what the eye is used to seeing. They direct attention upward toward the ceiling rather than outwards across floors and walls. There's less of a 'wrap-around' effect, making a room feel less overwhelming and more open.
Vertical tiling can also give a contemporary touch to showers through its natural illusion of height and grandeur. Projects with this relatively new take on tile design are guaranteed to look different from the average bathroom.
Vertical vs. Horizontal Tiles for Showers and Bathrooms
The biggest difference you'll notice between vertical vs. horizontal tile in the shower is space- or at least the perception of it.
Horizontal tiles can make a bathroom feel more closed-in, as the lines of grout and tiling create a boxy, uniform look. This goes hand in hand with the classic shower tile installation mistake of leaving too much space between tiles.
By comparison, nothing creates that sense of airiness and height in a small bathroom, like vertical iles in the shower or throughout the bathroom. Vertical tiling is crucial if you want to make your bathroom feel more spacious. The alignment of vertical tiles mirrors the flow of water from the shower head, creating a directional and cohesive effect that horizontal tiles may not achieve.
Choosing between these two directions is ultimately a matter of preference, but consider how the tiles will alter the perception of space in your bathroom before you commit. One of the best advice we can give anyone using tile in a shower is to draw or print out some layouts on paper to see how both flows look in the greater context of your bathroom. You don't necessarily have to stick to one end of the spectrum, either - 4:6 ratio-sized tiles will usually have a less directional effect than longer ones.
What Is the Best Tile Color For Vertical Shower Tiles?
With an already slightly creative layout choice like vertical tiles in the shower, most home designers opt for a safe color like white porcelain tiles. It's clean, sleek, modern, versatile enough to blend well with any bathroom decor, and has a timeless bathroom design.
If you're yearning for something different, neutral tones can also work. Go for subdued earthy brown, beige, or cream to accent your shower from the rest of the space.
To that end, nothing says you can't use vertical tiles compared to horizontal tiles. If your bathroom floor tiles run straight from the entrance, flipping things 90 degrees on the walls will mix things up and add interest. Even on the same surface, shower tiles don't have to follow the rules of the rest of the room and, in many cases, look better when their direction contrasts that of peripheral walls.
Is It Better To Use Small or Large Vertical Tiles In A Small Bathroom?
While it may only seem like a matter of preference - and it is, in some areas of the house - shower tile size and shape have both practical and visual implications to keep in mind. Generally speaking, the larger individual tiles are, the better, as fewer are required to cover a shower's surface. That equates to less of a cleaning and maintenance concern and a more expansive look overall.
Mosaic tiles always look great, and plenty of people design their showers in such a style. We'd just recommend avoiding close-together, grid-like arrangements in small spaces.
Nine Vertical Tile Shower Ideas for 2025
With a new year ahead comes a new opportunity to make your bathroom tile look better than ever. Vertical shower tile has the potential to look great in virtually any space, especially when it's applied with these tasteful design trends in mind:
1. Embracing the Regal Look
Who says small bathrooms have to feel like a compromise? Although conventional horizontal shower backsplash ideas may cramp a space, vertical subway tile like the Evermore Forest Green creates a sense of luxury.
2. White Porcelain
White porcelain tile is a timeless bathroom trend that never goes out of style. Whether you're considering vertically staggered shower tile or vertically stacked shower tile, tiling a bathroom backsplash with, for example, our Evermore London White Porcelain Tile is an intelligent move in practically every case. The sleek surface and classic color can be the basis for traditional and modern designs.
3. Going Wavy
Vertical tile in the shower doesn't have to follow a conventional vertical staggered shower tile format. Vertical wavy tiles such as our White Rose Waterfall Wave Glass Tile - or any creatively shaped wall tile - look fantastic in a modern bathroom. Whether you opt for an articulated wave tile or one with subtle curves, this accent tile can make the walls pop.
4. Mosaic Tiles
Like white tiles, mosaic tiles are another classic bathroom tile idea that never goes out of style, like our Greek Key Black and White Glossy Glass Tile. The popularity of mosaic tiles will not fade in 2025. Thanks to the fact that these tiles come in multiple colors, materials, and patterns, allowing for endless possibilities.
5. Multicolor
One of our most rule-breaking shower backsplash ideas for 2025: multicolored vertical shower tile is a great way to add impact and vibrancy to an otherwise plain bathroom. All kinds of subway tiling can make your shower stand out in style, like our Multicolor Green Glossy Glass Tile. Or you can mix different colors with options ranging from black, white, blue, and green. Don't go overboard - it's best to stick to just two or three bathroom tile colors at a time.
6. Matte Stone Tiles
Matte stone tiles, such as natural stone and our Phoenix Hexagon Taupe Porcelain Tile, will continue to dominate the trends in 2025. This bathroom tile is earthy and neutral, adding a timeless elegance to any bathroom. The matte colors pair well with the natural wood, stone, or metal accents equally popular in 2025 bathroom tile trends.
7. Terrazzo Tiles
Terrazzo tiles stand out because of their distinctive combination of durability and style.Our Aquaterra Green Brick Terrazzo Tile is a modern and trendy twist to this traditional tile, containing larger stones and intense colors.
8. Patterned Tiles
One of the simplest ways to add your personality to a bathroom space is by incorporating a patterned tile like our Crystal Lagoon Aqua Random Glossy Glass Tile. From bold hexagon shapes to subdued and classic herringbone layouts, patterns are popping up all over bathrooms, from the vanity to backsplashes and the shower. Patterned tiles make small bathrooms feel more dynamic and engaging without overwhelming the space.
9. Hexagon Tiles
Vertical large format tiles such as our Miami Hexagon Blue Porcelain Tile will see a resurgence in 2025. The popularity of these vertical tiles lies in enabling you to create any design in your bathroom. Their five sides allow you the freedom to craft a shower backsplash that’s as unique as you. The choices are endless, from black, white, and grey-colored hexagon tiles to larger format or penny-sized.
10. Herringbone Tiles
Herringbone flooring tiles in the home have been popular for years, but it’s an increasingly popular choice for vertical shower tiles. Herringbone tiles such as our Himalayan Arches Nanda Blue Glass Tile can make a shower appear taller when installed. This is a great trick if your bathroom has a lower ceiling. The herringbone tile breaks up the monotony associated with shower tiles, adding a dynamic and visually engaging look to shower walls.
Choose Oasis for All of Your Tile Needs
The possibilities for home design are endless, especially when working with a material like tile. Hopefully, our vertical shower tile ideas for 2025 have ignited your creativity and will help you make a bold statement in your bathroom.
Whether it's a modern integration of subway tile or a multicolor pattern that adds personality to the space, Oasis’s vertical tiles in the bathroom will deliver both style and durability that will exceed your expectations. Are you ready to transform your space?
