• Bathroom wall tile can be traditional or contemporary.hotel bathroom interior image by Svetoslav Iliev from Fotolia.com
  
  Bathroom wall tiles, at their most basic, protect the walls from splashes and spray coming from the shower, sink and bath. At their most decorative, they create the room's ambiance through color, texture and pattern. Whether you are looking to update a bathroom or are designing the bathrooms and powder rooms in your new home, consider tile options that fit your personality and select bathroom tile walls that define the whole room.
  
  

Mural Designs

• A tile wall depicting a floral garden, antique map, a pond with fish or a path through the woods could run floor to ceiling in your bathroom or cover only part of a wall; the options are endless. Tile murals are available in various sizes and motifs. There are tiles depicting great the work of artists such as Monet and Van Gogh, animals and nature, flowers and gardens, southwestern landscapes, abstract patterns and vintage posters. In addition to purchasing a predesigned picture, you can turn a favorite family photo or your child's artwork into a tile mural.
  
  

Textured Designs

• Instead of creating a picture with tiles in your bathroom, select one color and use multiple textures across the walls. For example, cover your bathroom walls in shades of blue, but use a variety of different materials such as glass, metal or ceramic. Alternatively, use pebble tiles, which have stones and pebbles embedded into a mesh backing. The pebble tiles can be laid and grouted just like other tiles. Another texture alternative is faux hardwood porcelain tiles. Other options with interesting textures include slate, embossed and terra cotta tiles.
  
  

Mosaic Designs

• A picture or pattern created from different size and colored tiles can cover the walls in your bathroom. Be inspired by the great Roman baths from 2,000 years ago, which had intricate tile mosaics covering the floors and walls. Patterns on your bathroom walls might be intersecting squares and rectangles, a quilt pattern or a series of geometric shapes. Simple patterns are easier to design and less expensive to install. More elaborate designs may require the assistance of an artist, or designer working with the tile installer.