Decorative Bathroom Tiles
That Elevate Your Space

Decorative bathroom tiles add texture, color, and personality to walls, showers, and feature areas. They create a polished focal point while staying practical for daily use: easy to maintain, visually timeless, and built for moisture-prone spaces.

• Moisture-Resistant Ceramic Tiles: Designed for wet environments like showers and splash zones.
• Handcrafted Details and Rich Glazing: Artisan finishes that add depth, movement, and character.
• Ideal for Accent Walls and Shower Surrounds: Perfect for feature niches, vanity walls, and statement showers.
• Suitable for Modern and Classic Bathrooms: Complements minimalist layouts and traditional interiors alike.

Bathroom Border Tiles

The most popular way to use decorative tiles in a US bathroom is as a border: a band of 6×3 inch decorative border tiles ($10 each) running through plain field tile, around a mirror, along a shower niche, or as a chair-rail line. Borders deliver the artisan color of the Balian workshop at a fraction of the cost of tiling a full wall. Pair them with our subway tiles or accent tiles for a coordinated look.

Decorative Shower Tiles

A shower is the most demanding surface in a bathroom, and it is also where a decorative tile has the most impact. Our glazed ceramic tiles are fired at high temperature under a hard, non-porous glaze, so they handle constant steam and direct water without absorbing moisture or losing color.

Three placements work particularly well. A single band of 6×3 inch border tiles at shoulder height carries a pattern around the whole enclosure without overwhelming it. A niche or shampoo shelf lined with 6×6 inch decorative tiles turns a functional recess into a deliberate feature. And one vertical run of decorative tiles from floor to ceiling behind the fixtures gives a small shower a focal point while keeping the tile count low.

For wet areas we recommend an epoxy or well-sealed cement grout over a standard waterproof backer board. The tiles themselves never need sealing.

Porcelain Decorative Bathroom Floor Tiles

Want the same artistry underfoot? We can produce porcelain decorative bathroom tiles for floor use — fired to porcelain-grade density so they handle foot traffic and constant moisture. Tell us the design and quantity and we will quote your floor project.

Porcelain is the right choice underfoot because it is denser and less porous than standard wall ceramic, so it resists staining and handles the wear a floor takes. For bathroom floors we usually recommend keeping decorative porcelain to a defined area — a central panel, a border framing the room, or the floor of an alcove — with plain tile around it. That controls cost and stops a fully patterned floor from overwhelming a small room. If the floor will be regularly wet, ask us about a textured finish for extra slip resistance.

 Small Bathroom Tile Ideas

Decorative tiles are often assumed to be too busy for a small bathroom. In practice the opposite is usually true: a small room tiled entirely in plain tile reads as flat, while one well-placed pattern gives the eye somewhere to rest and makes the space feel considered rather than cramped.

• Run a single border course at eye level instead of tiling a whole wall in pattern — it draws the eye horizontally and makes a narrow room feel wider.
• Tile only the vanity backsplash. A three-by-two block of 6×6 inch decorative tiles behind the basin is often enough for the entire room.
• Choose lighter grounds. Our cream and pale blue series keep a small room bright while still carrying detail.
• Keep everything else simple. One patterned surface against plain white field tile always reads better than two competing patterns.

How to Choose Decorative Bathroom Tiles

Start with placement, not pattern. Decide where the decorative tile is going — border course, backsplash, niche, floor or feature wall — and the size and quantity follow from that. A border needs 6×3 inch tiles; a backsplash or feature panel needs 6×6 inch.

Then work out the ratio. As a rule, decorative tile should occupy somewhere between five and twenty percent of the tiled surface. Below that it can look accidental; above it the pattern starts competing with the fixtures.

Match the ground color to your field tile before you match the motif. Our tiles are hand-painted on a cream or white ground, and getting that base tone close to your plain tile matters more to the finished result than which pattern you choose.

Finally, order a sample. Hand-painted glaze shifts noticeably under different lighting, and a tile that looks right on screen can read warmer or cooler on your own wall.

Decorative Bathroom Tile Prices

• $20 per tile — 6×6 inch decorative wall tiles, all series
• $10 per tile — 6×3 inch decorative border and subway tiles
• Porcelain floor versions and custom designs — quoted by design and quantity

Prices do not include shipping — we send an exact shipping quote as soon as you provide your delivery address. We ship door-to-door across the USA. Contact us for a quote.

 Decorative Bathroom Tiles: Frequently Asked Questions

How much do decorative bathroom tiles cost?

Balian decorative bathroom tiles cost $20 per 6×6 inch tile, and 6×3 inch border tiles are $10 each. Porcelain floor versions and custom designs are quoted individually. Prices exclude shipping, which we quote once you provide your delivery address.

Can decorative tiles be used inside a shower?

Yes. The glazed ceramic surface is made for wet areas — showers, splash zones and vanity backsplashes — and wipes clean with a damp cloth and a pH-neutral cleaner.

Can decorative tiles be used on the bathroom floor?

Standard glazed wall tiles are not rated for floors, but we produce porcelain decorative bathroom tiles specifically for floor use — the same designs fired to a denser, floor-safe body. Ask us for a floor quote.

Do you ship decorative bathroom tiles to the USA?

Yes — we ship door-to-door across the USA, carefully packed. Shipping is quoted separately once you share your delivery address.

What are decorative bathroom tiles made of?

Ours are hand-painted glazed ceramic, made from clay fired twice in our Jerusalem workshop — once as a biscuit, and again after the design is painted on and glazed. For floors we produce the same designs on porcelain, which is denser and harder-wearing.

How many decorative tiles do I need for a bathroom?

It depends on placement. A border course needs roughly the running length of the wall divided by 6 inches. A vanity backsplash is usually six to twelve 6×6 inch tiles. As a guide, decorative tile works best at five to twenty percent of the total tiled area, with plain field tile making up the rest.

Are decorative tiles slippery on a bathroom floor?

Standard glazed wall tiles are not intended for floors. Our porcelain floor versions are made for underfoot use, and we can supply a textured finish where extra slip resistance is needed. Tell us where the tile is going and we will advise.

How do you clean and maintain hand-painted bathroom tiles?

A damp cloth and a pH-neutral cleaner is all that is needed. Avoid abrasive pads and acidic or bleach-based cleaners, which dull the glaze over time. The tiles do not need sealing.

Will hand-painted tiles fade or chip in a wet room?

No. The design sits under a fired glaze rather than on top of it, so it cannot wear off or fade with cleaning or sunlight. The glazed surface is as durable as any quality ceramic wall tile.

Can I mix decorative tiles with plain field tile?

Yes, and it is how most of our bathroom projects are built. Customers usually buy plain white or cream field tile locally and order the decorative tiles from us as the feature element. It keeps the cost down and the shipping light.

Can I order a sample before buying?

Yes. Contact us with the series you are considering and your delivery address and we will quote for a sample tile. We recommend it — hand-painted glaze reads differently under different lighting.

Do you make custom decorative bathroom tiles?

Yes. Send us an image — a pattern you have found, a photograph, or your own artwork — and our studio will reproduce or adapt it. Custom work is quoted individually.From the Balian workshop, Jerusalem — makers of decorative ceramic tiles since 1922, shipping to the US for over 20 years.