Tile laying patterns are an easy way to enhance the overall look and feel of a space or create an eye-catching focal point. The same tile laid in an alternative pattern can achieve a totally different look so it’s worth considering the layout of your tiles carefully. We love experimenting with tile laying patterns, whether that means reviving a classic or mixing it up, here are some of our favourite ideas.

Herringbone

A tile laying pattern that is virtually unparalleled when it comes to style and sophistication is herringbone. Although traditionally thought of as flooring, herringbone tiling can be used on both the floor and wall to add interest and drama.

Capture the imagination with our Hoxton Pink Gloss Porcelain, soft pink glazed tiles with subtle shade variation between each tile that fuses vintage, industrial and contemporary styles all in one. Ideal for bathrooms and kitchens as a feature wall or splashback, these quirky tiles have a handmade, artisan feel that transforms any interior.

Another popular colour from our Hoxton range (and one of our favourites) is our Hoxton Olive Gloss Porcelain. These glossy green herringbone porcelain tiles have been used to zone the shower area and the tiling pattern has been combined with a brick bond border for added interest.

For something a little more unique, try mixing two or more colours in a herringbone tiling layout. Pictured here is our Bluestone Tumbled Marble and Calacatta Tumbled Marble; two colours that have been scattered through one another to create this different look. The Bluestone cleverly zones the shower area whilst the Calacatta represents the rest of the bathroom.

If you’re looking for a more classic finish, our Calacatta Amber Honed Marble with milk-white background and delicate amber veining creates a calming bathroom oasis. Laid here in herringbone on the bathroom wall with the same colour in a larger format below, these marble tiles work together to create balance and serenity in a relaxing space.

Finally, for a dramatic, monotonal look, our Riad Black Gloss and Riad White Gloss can be used to form a diagonal herringbone style. Black and white tiling with a twist, this strong combo of our glossy Riad porcelain tiles is sure to make an impact in any bathroom or cloakroom, especially when paired with matt black basin and brassware. With a variety of colours available in our Riad range, you can be creative with the final look you achieve.

Stack bond

Stack bond tiling is the most common tile laying pattern. Tiles are laid in straight lines creating a neat grid-like finish, and tiles can be laid both horizontally or vertically to create different looks. But for all its simplicity, this tiling pattern is no less elegant, and there are ways to create added interest by combining tiles in different colours, textures and finishes.

In this bathroom pictured above, our Riad Yellow Gloss, Riad Terracotta Matt and Riad White Gloss Porcelain, three different colours from our Riad range, have been laid at random to create this modern, minimalist pattern. Combined here with our Pebble White Porcelain larger format tiles below the pattern, this stack bond creates a feature wall behind this bathroom basin.

The elongated metro tile format of our Norse Flamingo Gloss Ceramic in vivid orange creates a high gloss finish with a fun, Skandi appeal. Paired with dark blue grouting, a technique that frames the tiles and makes the colour pop, these ceramic tiles create a cool retro vibe that suits a modern bathroom aesthetic.

Another example of stack bond using different tile styles to create an impact is this bathroom wall. Featuring our Zen collection with a handmade, artisan feel and four interchangeable tile formats, this bathroom uses a combination of textured tiles and flat tiles to create an effective feature wall. Our Zen Natural Décor tile has a ridged finish whereas our Zen Natural Gloss has a soft flat surface, and when combined create a truly unique stack bond tile laying pattern.

Don’t be afraid to go big. Stack bond provides the perfect opportunity to experiment with large format tiles such as our striking Polar White Gloss Porcelain. The angular veining of these marble effect tiles on a smooth white background offers a luxurious finish in any indoor setting, from bathroom walls to living room floors.

Brick bond

Using the quintessential offset pattern that is typical of bricklaying, you can create intrigue with any wall or floor. Whether you use a simple square or metro tile, brick bond is a classic stacking style that never goes out of style.

For the ultimate traditional brick bond, our Zen White Porcelain in an off-white with imperfect surface that offers an antique appeal that looks the part in this horizontal tiling formation. This versatile tile is ideal in both kitchens and bathrooms and makes a simple yet effective feature in any home.

Equally, our Paintbox Ash Gloss ceramic tiles with a highly glazed surface is perfect for a brick bond tiling pattern. A slightly chunkier tile than our Zen collection, Paintbox in Ash has a soft grey colour that suits both modern and traditional bathrooms, especially when laid in this classic style.

Brick bond is also a perfect tile laying style for natural stone and stone effect tiles. Here, our Trulli Grey Porcelain with realistic tumbled edge and gently textured surface creates a ‘real wall’ effect that looks the part in this contemporary bathroom with traditional fixtures.

For a brick bond that is anything but ordinary, try using square format tiles or stacking your tile vertically (or both). This example using our Oska Jungle Green Porcelain in square format has been laid in the offset brick bond pattern vertically rather than horizontally, to create this Skandi-feel bathroom wall. Paired here with minimalist bathroom sanitaryware, these matt green porcelain tiles are a stylish addition to any bathroom or kitchen.

Checkerboard

Checkerboard is another classic tile laying pattern, most often used for flooring and is commonly associated with black and white tiles. But this simple pattern using square format tiles has seen a recent revival in interiors, from bathrooms and cloakrooms to entrance halls and hallways.

A warm and earthy take on the checkerboard tile laying style is our Rosso Di Scacchi Tumbled Marble. Marble tiles with a gently tumbled edge for an antique feel that combine terracotta and white for a flooring option that oozes style and splendour. Pictured here in a farmhouse kitchen, these marble tiles add to this country-house feel.

For a modern spin on this traditional black and white tile formation, opt for our Zen collection in grey and white shades. With a beautiful handmade feel, these porcelain tiles in a square format are suitable for floors and walls. This bathroom uses these unique tiles to create a featured wall that has pop-punk vibes.

Or you can opt for a classic. For those who want to achieve timeless and elegant checkerboard flooring, our Fitz Marble Black and Fitz Marble White provide the perfect balance of dramatic black and white tiles with a modern, chic feel. Laid here diagonally to create a diamond formation, these marble tiles are designed for modernising hallways and entrance halls using this traditional tile laying pattern.

Modular

A tiling pattern that is often overlooked is modular. Most typically associated with flagstone paving, a style that is used both indoors and out, modular involves an intricate network of tiling shapes, sizes and formats, laid in different directions, to create a pattern that can often appear random.

Roman Opus flooring is a modular flooring pattern that is swiftly coming back into fashion. This kitchen features our Trulli Sand Porcelain; stone effect tiles with a warm, mottled texture that is unmistakeably reminiscent of natural limestone. This repeatable pattern using a combination of 6 tile sizes when laid offers a seemingly random effect.

For a modular pattern that’s truly inspired, try a combination of stack and running bond formations to create a modular look. This method creates an inspired pattern that is reminiscent of classic parquet flooring that elevates interiors. Pictured above, our Calacatta Honed Marble, a white/grey marble with a luminescent appearance, has been used to create this elegant and stylish bathroom wall.

For real limestone in the same Roman Opus laying pattern, choose our Lyon Tumbled Limestone. These natural limestone tiles in soft cream with a tumbled finish and gently antiqued edges offer a subtly worn look. Laid in this traditional style, our Lyon range is perfect in all indoor living areas.

Another natural stone available in this classic modular tile laying pattern is our St Arbois Tumbled Limestone. Beautifully aged for a truly antique finish, these limestone tiles have a variety of tones from delicate linen and cream to pale grey and blush pink, providing classic limestone flooring. For living rooms, kitchen, bathrooms and more.

Choosing how you lay your tiles is as important as the tiles themselves. They can alter how a room looks simply based on the tile laying style. For help choosing tiles and a tile laying pattern, visit one of our 14 UK tile showrooms. Our knowledgeable team are on-hand to help you select the perfect tiles for your project.