Best Bathroom Tile Ideas for Lakewood Homes
Tile is the defining feature of any bathroom. It sets the tone, dictates the maintenance routine, and is usually the first thing you notice when you walk into the room. If you are planning a bathroom remodel in Lakewood, CO, choosing the right tile is the most impactful design decision you will make.
But with thousands of colors, shapes, and materials on the market, the options can feel paralyzing. Should you go with classic subway tile? Trendy hexagons? Are wood-look planks still in style?
We've installed countless square feet of tile flooring in Lakewood CO — from mid-century homes in Applewood to modern condos in Belmar. In this guide, we are sharing the best bathroom tile ideas that perfectly blend Colorado style with everyday durability.
Need help visualizing your new bathroom?
Our design team can help you select the perfect combination of floor and wall tiles to match your home's aesthetic and your budget.
Book a free design consultation today →1. Large-Format Porcelain: The Low-Maintenance Luxury
If there is one overriding bathroom tile trend right now, it is large-format tile (typically 12x24 inches or larger).
Why is it so popular? Grout lines. Grout is the hardest part of a bathroom to keep clean. By using large-format porcelain tile, you dramatically reduce the number of grout lines on your floor and in your shower. This creates a sleek, unbroken surface that is incredibly easy to wipe down.
Additionally, large tiles make small bathrooms feel bigger. A compact bathroom in an older Eiber or Alameda home will feel much more spacious when the floor isn't chopped up by hundreds of tiny squares.
2. Wood-Look Porcelain Planks: Warmth Without the Worry
Hardwood floors are a staple of Colorado interior design, but real wood and water do not mix. If you want the cozy, organic warmth of wood in your bathroom, wood-look porcelain planks are the perfect solution.
Modern inkjet printing technology makes these tiles nearly indistinguishable from real hardwood, complete with grain texture and knots. They are 100% waterproof, making them ideal for bathroom flooring or even running up the back wall of a walk-in shower for a dramatic, spa-like accent wall.
Design Tip
When installing wood-look tile, ask your contractor to use a 1/3 offset pattern (staggered) rather than a 50/50 brick pattern. This mimics how real hardwood floors are laid and prevents "lippage" (uneven edges) on long tiles.
3. Vertical Stacked Subway Tile: A Modern Twist on a Classic
Classic 3x6 inch white subway tile laid in a traditional brick pattern will never go out of style. However, if you want a more modern bathroom design, consider the "vertical stack."
Instead of staggering the tiles horizontally, install longer subway tiles (like 2x8 or 3x12) vertically, stacked directly on top of one another. This geometric, clean look draws the eye upward, making standard 8-foot ceilings feel much taller. It is a highly cost-effective way to make standard ceramic tile look incredibly custom and high-end.
4. Hexagon and Geometric Mosaics
If you are using large-format, neutral tiles on your bathroom walls, the floor is the perfect place to introduce pattern and personality.
Hexagon tiles, penny rounds, and intricate geometric mosaics are making a massive comeback. We frequently install matte black or slate-colored hexagon tiles on bathroom floors in Green Mountain and Belmar to contrast with bright white shower walls.
Safety Bonus: Small mosaic tiles require lots of grout lines. When used on a shower floor, these grout lines act as built-in traction, making the floor highly slip-resistant.
5. The Slate and Stone Look (Without the Maintenance)
Natural stone like slate, marble, and travertine are gorgeous, but they are highly porous and require strict annual sealing to prevent water damage and staining.
Instead, we recommend using high-definition porcelain tile that mimics natural stone. You get the rugged, Rocky Mountain aesthetic of slate or the luxurious veining of Carrara marble, but with the zero-maintenance, waterproof durability of porcelain. This is especially popular for master bathroom remodels in Applewood and Bear Creek.
Ready to Upgrade Your Bathroom Floors?
We specialize in precision tile installation, from complex mosaics to large-format porcelain. Let's create a beautiful, waterproof bathroom that lasts a lifetime.
3 Rules for Choosing Bathroom Tile
As you browse Pinterest or walk through showrooms, keep these three golden rules in mind:
- Matte on the Floor, Gloss on the Walls: Glossy tiles are slick when wet. Always choose a matte finish or a textured tile for your bathroom floor to prevent slips. Glossy tiles should be reserved exclusively for walls and backsplashes, where they beautifully reflect light.
- Consider the Rule of Three: To keep your bathroom from looking chaotic, limit yourself to no more than three different tiles. A classic formula is: one tile for the main floor, one tile for the shower walls, and an accent tile for the shower floor or a niche.
- Don't Forget the Grout: Grout color drastically changes the look of the tile. Using a dark grout with a white subway tile makes the pattern pop and hides dirt perfectly. Using white grout with white tile creates a seamless, monolithic look, but requires much more cleaning. According to the Tile Council of North America, using high-quality epoxy or urethane grout can significantly reduce staining.
💡 The Bottom Line
Tile is permanent. It is much easier to change a paint color or swap out a mirror than it is to chisel up a tile floor you ended up hating. Stick to timeless, neutral colors for your expensive, hard-to-replace tile, and use paint, towels, and hardware to add trendy colors.
Start Your Lakewood Bathroom Remodel
From pulling the permits to laying the final tile, we handle every step of your bathroom renovation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most popular bathroom tile trend in Lakewood?
Currently, the most popular trend in Lakewood is large-format porcelain tile. Homeowners love it because fewer grout lines mean less cleaning, and the large scale makes small bathrooms feel significantly bigger.
What is the best tile for a small bathroom?
For small bathrooms, we recommend using light-colored, large-format tiles on the floor and carrying the same tile (or a coordinating light color) up the shower walls. This creates a seamless look that visually expands the space. Vertical subway tiles can also draw the eye upward, making the ceiling feel higher.
Are wood-look tiles good for bathrooms?
Yes, wood-look porcelain tile is excellent for bathrooms. It gives you the warmth and aesthetic of hardwood flooring, which is very popular in Colorado homes, but provides the complete waterproof durability of porcelain.
What is the best tile for a shower floor?
The best tile for a shower floor is a small mosaic porcelain tile (like a 2x2 square or hexagon). The high density of porcelain prevents water absorption, and the numerous grout lines provide essential slip resistance for wet feet.
Is matte or glossy tile better for a bathroom?
Matte tile is always better for bathroom floors because it provides traction when wet, preventing slips. Glossy tile is beautiful and highly reflective, making it a great choice for shower walls and backsplashes to bounce light around the room.
Should bathroom floor and wall tile match?
They don't have to match exactly, but they should coordinate. A popular design strategy is to use a dark, textured tile on the floor to ground the space, and a light, glossy tile on the walls to make the room feel bright and airy.
Related Reading
- Porcelain vs Ceramic Tile for Lakewood Bathrooms
- How Much Does a Bathroom Remodel Cost in Lakewood, CO?