Calming tile styles

As places where we go to relax and unwind, our bathrooms are increasingly considered spa-like spaces which help to boost our general wellbeing. With this in mind, how you decorate your bathroom will influence how calming it is – and how much it benefits you in terms of relaxation.

Commonly used throughout bathrooms – whether on the walls and floor or on both – tiles play a central role in determining the ambience of the room. We’re therefore here to give you some inspiration when it comes to choosing more calming tile styles for your home.

Whether you’re thinking of redesigning your space or are planning a new bathroom project, read the full blog below to find out what we recommend.

Bathrooms are places where we go to relax and unwind, so using neutral tile tones will help set the ambience.

Colour psychology

When it comes to creating a calming space, colour psychology plays a key role in how an interior will make you feel. Staying away from bold, vibrant hues is best if you want to invoke a relaxed ambience, while neutrals and muted colours are more suitable for cultivating a tranquil mood.

Nature-inspired tones and pastels, as well as creams and greys, are therefore great in this regard. Blue, for instance, evokes a sense of sky and sea, with research proving that blue generally inspires a sense of calm and relaxation, as well as trust and tranquility. If you’re wanting to create a soothing, safe space in your bathroom where you can unwind, rest and de-stress, it’s therefore ideal.

Green is another calming colour, if paler tones are used, such as pastel, as it conjures up imagery of forests and trees and being outdoors. Grey, meanwhile, is a soothing, calming tone, with lighter greys being particularly comforting, making them ideal for a bathroom. This colour also works well with many other tones, so is a flexible choice.

Nature-inspired tiles

The Reprise Perla Ceramic Tile has a soft, dove-grey tone which is perfect for creating a spa-like vibe that inspires a sense of calm and tranquillity in your bathroom. These large-format rectangular tiles also have a satin finish, which further softens the overall aesthetic and gives them a subtle sheen and luxury look.

The Reprise Perla Ceramic Tile has a calming grey tone.

The Glamstone Beige Rectified Porcelain Tile meanwhile, has an earthy colour palette, with a creamy base tone which features subtle speckled and veining detail. This adds texture and depth to the design, while the colour palette is warming and the rectified edges allow the tiles to be laid closely together, minimising grout lines and creating a more seamless, flowing look.

Texture is added to the Glamstone Beige Tile through subtle speckled and veining detail.

The Glamstone Beige Rectified Porcelain Tile has a natural, earthy colour palette.

If you prefer something on the blue colour palette, however, then the Cool Blue Brick-effect Wall Tile combines a mixture of calming tones in smaller square-shaped tiles which have a water-like appearance. The gloss finish also adds to the effect and helps to reflect light, which further creates a sense of spaciousness and in creating a relaxing atmosphere.

The Cool Blue Brick-effect Wall Tile combines a mixture of blue tones.

The Mijas Celeste Pattern Tile also has a soothing pale blue tone which is ideal for bringing some calming energy to your bathroom, with the blue base complemented by white lined and petal-style detailing. Suitable for both walls and floors, these tiles are very versatile and will lighten both the look and mood of your bathroom, ultimately making it feel more relaxing.

The Mijas Celeste Pattern has a pale blue background with white detailing.

Marble-effect tiling is also great for introducing calming vibes into your bathroom. For example, the Marmori Carrara Luster Porcelain Rectified Tile has a white background with wisps of pale grey running across the surface, creating a marble-effect design. The grey detail adds depth to the tiles while also ensuring that they aren’t simply cold white, giving them a spa-like appearance and again, helping to evoke a tranquil ambience.

The Marmori Carrara Luster Porcelain Rectified Tile has a marble-effect design.

Tile texture and light

As well as colour, the texture and light-reflecting properties of the tiles you use in your bathroom can also affect how calming the space is, so these should also be considered. Texture, for example, can affect the acoustics of a room – absorbing or echoing sound – which can influence how calming it feels. Smooth surfaces can also create a sleek, soothing aesthetic, while rougher ones might convey a grittier, less relaxing vibe.

The relationship between tile texture, colour and finish is ultimately key to creating a calming ambience that will make your bathroom feel lighter and more welcoming.

When it comes to light, although polished, gloss surfaces like those of the Onyx Turquoise Polished Rectified Tile reflect this better and bounce it around the room, making it feel airier and more spacious, matt tiles which absorb light can also induce relaxing vibes. That’s because, by absorbing the light rather than reflecting it, they can create a cosy environment which is welcoming and relaxing in a different way.

The Onyx Tile also has a marble-effect design, mixing in the blue tones with copper and white, so it’s another nature-inspired tile which would look great as a feature wall and draws on the tranquility of the outdoors to inspire calm.

The Onyx Turquoise Polished Rectified Tile has a smooth, polished finish which will reflect light and help create a sense of space.

With this in mind, if you want to create a bathroom which feels snug and cosy, matt tiles like the Nebraska Marron Wood-effect Tile could work well, while glossier tiles are best for creating a more luxurious, spacious spa-like vibe. The Marron Tile is also a good choice if you want to create a comforting vibe as the wood-effect style is perfect for cultivating a nature-inspired look and evoking all the peacefulness of nature.

The Marron Wood-effect Tile has a warming, natural aesthetic.

No matter which look you prefer, if you want to your bathroom to feel calming and relaxing then hopefully we’ve given you some inspiration for how to create the perfect tranquil space. Whether you prefer blues and greys or would rather have a more neutral, earthy aesthetic, there are lots of ways to use tile colour and texture to design your dream space.

To view our full range of tiles visit tileshack.com and if you have any queries, just email us at info@bathshack.com, call (028) 9077 0188 or use our online chat.