Georgina

How to use pattern and texture in your bathroom

Posted on 15th March 2026

Move over white gloss – tactile materials plus bold shapes and motifs are taking over bathrooms this year. We ask why the sudden shift…

While writing a piece on 2026 kitchen trends, a designer said to me, “texture is the new colour,” and it struck me that this movement is spreading to bathrooms as well. Combining different textures and tactile materials moves bathroom design away from the stereotypical white, clinical, and often overly-shiny schemes we’re used to, and turns them into calming, warmer, and atmospheric spaces instead. But why this sudden shift from colour to layers of tactility, I wonder.

A neutral bathroom layered in texture with metro and patterned tiles in earthy hues, with gold brassware, and tactile flooring. — Madinat Cotto Arches Porcelain 15cm x 15cm tiles, £77.99 per sq m, Baked Tiles.

A textured bathroom with a walk-in shower, dark brassware, and zellige tiles. — This shower room project by A New Day brings together limestone herringbone and hand-glazed zellige in a grounded, earthy palette. Wall tiles are by Mosaic Factory and floor tiles from Starel Stones. Photography: Anna Stathaki.

Part of it could be the trend for ‘living’ bathrooms – creating spaces that don’t look like bathrooms (i.e., a ‘non-bathroom’ bathroom). Maybe it’s because, really, while the idea of bringing back the avocado suite in theory sounds exciting, in practicality, would this actually last?

Adding in texture and pattern to a space – such as wood-effect floor tiles in a herringbone format, or a fluted showerscreen – is an easy way to create interest and charm without the worry it would soon look old-fashioned. (These features are also a bit easier to replace, should the need arise.) And I’m not alone in thinking this.

A wood clad bathroom with fluted panelling, fluted vanity, chrome brassware, and a freestanding tub. — Sivara oak slatted wood-effect PVC shower panel, from £74.99, Naturewall.

Using texture in your bathroom

“Texture is definitely having a moment, but it’s more than a trend; it reflects how people actually want their homes to feel,” Urvashi Agarwal, creative director at Stone World London, tells me. “In bathrooms especially, we’re seeing homeowners move away from the very polished, glossy look in favour of finishes that feel more natural and tactile.”

A neutral spa-like bathroom with plaster walls, a marble niche, freestanding tub, and a fluted vanity with a countertop basin. — This master bathroom marries soft plaster-toned walls and marble-effect tiles, as well as a custom arched niche framing the freestanding bath. Design by Ripples.

“Honed and leathered stones are among our most requested finishes. They diffuse light beautifully and reveal the stone’s real character, the details, the movement, the subtle variations you rarely notice on a high-shine finish,” continues Urvashi.

Closeup at a vanity zone with a dark stone basin, fluted wall tiles, and a mirror. — Designo Panda countertop basin and Romano Travertine fluted tiles, both Lusso. Project by Dara Huang and Lusso.

Louisa Morgan, creative director at Mandarin Stone, agrees and says, “In 2026, tiles are no longer just visual, they are tactile, sculptural, and light-reactive. Fluted forms, rippled finishes, and softly undulating surfaces add depth and rhythm, creating walls and floors that feel architectural rather than decorative. These are surfaces designed to be experienced.”

A modern bathroom with a freestanding wood vanity with double basins, a large circular mirror and textured floor tiles in an undulating pattern. — Walcot 1200 freestanding four-drawer double basin vanity unit in Walnut, £1450, Roper Rhodes.

Pattern takeover

But it’s not only texture that is overtaking bathrooms – pattern is a favourite now, too. From floral wallpaper, bold bookmatched marble, motif tiles, to classic chequerboard. “Ensure you use pattern and texture with intention, not just for the sake of a feature,” suggests Adam Wollerton, design manager at Bathroom & Kitchen Eleven.

“Use it to highlight a key area. Pattern can help distract your eye from a short ceiling, an awkward slope, or a narrow width. While colour, tone, and texture can help define a dedicated zone, such as a cosy bath nook, or help create a statement shower space.”

A colourful bathroom with patterned wallpaper, a painted freestanding tub with brass feet, and a chunky bath filler. — Safari Soiree wallpaper in Mushroom, £159 per 10m roll, Divine Savages.

A blue bathroom with geometric tiles, a quirky basin, large circular mirror and wall lights. — Dulce Arch Lake Cement tile, £225.54 per sq m, Bert & May x Elisa Passino.

A spa-like bathroom with large-format tiles, a fitted tub, and chrome brassware. — Indas Storm tile, £34.56 per sq m, Topps Tiles.

A playful bathroom design with kitkat tiles, neutral and green checkerboard floor and wall tiles, a fitted bath, and industrial-like basin with a white tap. — In this project by Fraher Architects, creative spaces were designed for adults and children to enjoy. Photography: Chris Wharton.

How to use pattern and texture in your design

How about when you combine the two? “When mixing pattern and texture in a bathroom, I always start with one hero element that the client really loves, whether that’s a roll-top bath, a coloured finish, or a very modern set of wall-mounted taps,” says Kate Clare, founder of Loud Architects. “Once that anchor is in place, the rest of the design tends to resolve itself.”

An exotic bathroom layered in colour and texture with yellow wall and floor tiles, blue concrete basin, quirky mirror, and patterned wallpaper. — Kast’s Sono basin in Blue, from £3000, in a room designed by Sara Story as part of Kips Bay Designer Showhouse.

A pale pink bathroom with a black fluted vanity with a stone basin black and white marble floor tiles, and gold decor. — Within this project by Fraher Architects, a fluted vanity sits on a mishmash pattern of monochrome metro tiles. Photography: Adam Scott.

“Pattern should always be balanced with longevity and practicality,” continues Kate. “Floors work hard, so darker or patterned tiles often make sense there, particularly around showers, where water and grout lines are more exposed. Walls allow more freedom, from fluted and handmade tiles to glazed finishes, but these need to work with fittings and junctions so they don’t feel overworked or become maintenance traps.”

A showering space with green marble wall tiles, terrazzo flooring, a fluted panel. and tall frosted mirror. — This guest bathroom features terrazzo flooring, brass accents, and a fluted shower screen. Design by Loud Architects. Photography: Chris Snook.

She also says she often pairs a patterned floor with a quieter wall tile that picks up a colour from it, and then uses the ceiling as a fifth wall through colour-drenching or carrying tone above half-height tiles.

Whether you choose one key pattern to add another layer of interest to your design, or combine multiple motifs, tones, and materials, you’ll be left with a bathroom that feels just right for you and your home.