Herringbone Ceramic Tiles: What to look for when Buying Bathroom Tiles

Herringbone tile patterns are a popular choice for the bathroom thanks to the vast range of options available and the material’s impressive versatility. These tiles can be used in both classically styled and contemporary design schemes to add an elegant decorative touch to the space while providing a timeless feature wall solution, all while providing a range of benefits in your overall design scheme.

The Benefits of Ceramic Tiles in the Bathroom

Ceramic tiles are most often used as a wall option in the bathroom as their lightweight nature provides a range of benefits during the installation process. Being lighter and thinner than porcelain floor tiles, ceramic tiles provide a wall tile solution that can be swiftly applied, minimising the labour costs involved in the tile laying process. This quality also ensures that the tiles are easier to drill through, making the process of installing bathroom accessories (such as towel rails, robe hooks and wall shelves) much simpler.

A classic combination of sandy tones paired with soft white bathroom tiles, our rustic Arabian Handmade tiles are handcrafted using traditional techniques. These stunning tiles are a celebration of imperfections with each piece being unique to the next, creating a wonderfully tactile wall solution for the bathroom.

How to use Herringbone Tile Patterns in your Bathroom Design

Herringbone tile patterns can be used in the bathroom to create a striking feature element in your overall design scheme. Herringbone tiles that are made of thick, durable porcelain can even be used as a floor finish in the space, allowing you the option of carrying the pattern from your bathroom feature wall down to your flooring. As ceramic tiles are most often used as a wall solution, you will find a range of more decorative options available that cannot be achieved in floor tile collections. Ceramic bathroom wall tiles are available in a vast range of sheen levels, from ultra-high gloss varieties to smooth matte surfaces. Etched and 3D designs are another creative tile solution that will add a bold, modern touch in your bathroom’s overall design.

Our modern Konvek subway tiles can be laid in the traditional herringbone tile pattern while creating a stunning contrast between light and shadow with their 3D convex profiles. The collection includes an elegant selection of neutral tones along with aquatic themed colour options for a unique touch in your home!

Where to Start a Herringbone Tile Pattern

A traditional herringbone tile pattern will usually start from the central point of the wall being tiled with the pattern running outwards from there to meet the walls on either side. This technique ensures a symmetrical pattern in the space for an aesthetically pleasing outcome in your bathroom design scheme.

Which Tiles will I Need to Cut in a Herringbone Tile Pattern?

The best way to ensure a quality finish in your herringbone tile layout is to perform a ‘dry lay’ prior to actually installing your ceramic bathroom wall tiles. Lay down a drop sheet and experiment with the pattern of your tiles starting the design from the central most point of the area being tiled and continuing the pattern outwards towards the walls on either side. This process will allow you to experiment with the pattern, scale and layout of your tiles before actually laying them, offering you a clear view of what the final outcome will be prior to actually laying the tiles themselves.

Are Herringbone Tiles Expensive?

The process of laying traditional herringbone tiles is quite labour intensive. There is an extensive amount of planning, cutting and arranging that goes into creating that perfectly symmetrical finished look which in turn will attract a higher labour cost (both in terms of time spent on the project as well as the experience level required to achieve the best outcome). The tiles themselves can be found in any style and budget though so with this information in mind, you can opt to select from a more economical range of tiles as a means of balancing out the price.

The stunning beauty of natural marble is celebrated in our extensive Carrara collection which includes a vast range of sizes and formats to choose from, each created using natural Carrara marble.

If you are looking for an option that is less labour intensive however, you will find many options in mosaic herringbone tiles available that arrive already laid out on a mesh sheet (these sheets are most often approximately 30 x 30cm in size) which will streamline the laying process while still giving you a stylish pattern tile option for your next project.

Herringbone tiles make for a stylish yet classic design feature in the bathroom whether they are used to create a feature wall or floor finish. Their unique pattern add a strong element of interest in the space while effectively adding a dramatic touch to the home. Our Richmond tiles showroom showcases all the latest trends in herringbone tile options along with timeless classic pieces. Our team of experienced design consultants are available to guide you through the process of selecting your perfect bathroom feature tiles while offering expert tips and guidance at every step of the way.