Transform Your Outdoor Shower with Tile

Explore unique ideas for using tile to create an amazing outdoor shower experience. Whether you envision an exotic rainforest spa or a chic organic oasis, these creative concepts from tile influencer John Merola will inspire a waterfall of ideas for transforming your outdoor shower into an immersive experience.

As you imagine the possibilities, remember that this is a chance to create a sanctuary that reflects your lifestyle and the unique ways that you and your family like to relax and rejuvenate. An outdoor shower is a distinctive feature that adds a lot of appeal to your home, and tile is the key to blending functionality with your personal style.

It’s important to note that functionality and hygiene are two key benefits of using tile for your outdoor shower. Wood tends to rot from regular contact with water and it becomes a breeding ground for mold, mildew, and germs, making wood showers not only unsightly, but unhygienic. Unlike wood, ceramic and porcelain tiles made for outdoor use are waterproof, sanitary, slip-resistant, and repel mold and germs. Tiles are also ultra durable and easy to clean, maintaining their appearance and functionality for much longer than wood or vinyl.

Now that we’ve covered some of the practical benefits of using tile for your project, let’s dive into creative and innovative waters.

Outdoor Showers Connected to Indoor Spaces

This exciting trend helps people connect with nature in everyday life, merging indoor comfort with outdoor ambiance. Imagine slipping out of your bedroom for a moonlit shower on hot summer nights or entering a rock tiled waterfall shower through a glass door in your bathroom.

Tile is an excellent medium for creating visual flow between indoors and out. Here are a few ingenious ways to achieve a beautiful transition:

Use the same flooring tiles from indoors to create a tiled pathway that extends outdoors to the shower.
Use decorative accent tiles in your outdoor shower that complement tiles in the adjoining indoor room. Try matching tile color, texture, shape, and pattern.
Install one large format tile floor for the entire room and outdoor shower area with a glass connecting door. This creates a seamless transition as well as a stunning view.

Sustainable Serenity

Incorporate eco-friendly materials and nature-inspired designs to create an outdoor shower that harmonizes with your surroundings and environmentally conscious lifestyle. Ceramic and porcelain tiles rank high on sustainability standards as they are manufactured from organic materials and do not emit harmful chemicals like vinyl or synthetic products. They can also be easily and safely maintained with nontoxic cleaners.

Here are a few green tile trends that allow you to connect with the environment in every shower:

Woodgrain, bamboo, faux stone, and pebble style tiles are sustainable and visually appealing.
Opt for rough textures and earthy hues to enhance the organic ambiance.
Decorate with green plants, rocks, shells, and other objects from nature.
Install water-saving fixtures and temperature regulation to conserve water and energy.
Use solar lighting to illuminate your shower naturally.

Exotic Escapes

Transport yourself to paradise with an outdoor shower inspired by faraway destinations! To really enhance the immersive experience, start with tiles that evoke different cultures and exotic landscapes, then layer in sensory elements like plush towels, scented soaps, unusual plants, and foreign accents.

Desert Oasis – Line your shower walls with tiled niches for cacti and toiletries. Use tile in desert sunset colors or earthy hues. Experiment with different textures, like sandstone and rock. And don’t forget the oasis—create a tiled water feature, such as a desert “spring” gushing from a wall of rock-red tile or the showerhead emerging from a sandstone ledge.
Island Waterfall – Escape to tropical splendor every time you shower with birds of paradise tile and tile blooming with orchids and butterflies. Craft a waterfall from stone surfaced tiles and add a rock-lined bathing pool. Create rainforest vibes with tile covered in dark green jungle leaves mixed with bamboo or woodgrain tile.
Mediterranean Fresh – Capture the vivid greens and blues of countries surrounded by sea and sky with a glazed tile shower. Mosaics are another wonderful way to bring Mediterranean flair to your outdoor shower, and the versatility of mosaic designs allow you to really get creative. Try marble veined tiles to evoke the feeling of sun warmed Italian pools or rich terracotta for a look reminiscent of Spanish fountains.

Reimagining the Beach House Shower

Many of us have fond memories of washing off sand and sea salt in the outdoor shower of a vacation home after a wonderful day at the beach. But these showers are often utilitarian spaces lacking in comfort, appeal, and durability.

With a little imagination and the right tile, you can create an outdoor shower that holds a special place in your vacation memories. Here are some unique ideas to inspire you:

Family Cabana – Think of tiles in the fresh bold colors of beach umbrellas and boat sails. Create a cabana vibe with tiled benches and handy storage nooks. Try glazed tiles in shiny beach ball colors or tiles with pictures of anchors, fish, and sailboats. Striped canvas shower curtains, a beach umbrella over the shower head, and lots of fluffy towels make your beach house shower a family fun spot.
Americana – Boardwalks, seaside showers, and soap on a rope—create a truly memorable beach house experience that is quintessentially American by tapping into the look and feel of our country’s coastal vacation spots. Design a boardwalk theme shower with wood plank or weathered red, white, and blue tiles. Hang thick boat rope for drying towels and bathing suits.
Modern Nautical – Contemporary beach homes can take outdoor showers to the next level with trending tile designs that focus on clean lines and elegant simplicity. Experiment with monochrome tile in the dark aqua and indigo of deep ocean water or pure, sandy white expanses of tile. Achieve a sophisticated seaside ambiance in your outdoor shower with stone tile and a built-in firepit or flame lighting made from pebble or rock tiles.
Sea and Sky – Imagine taking a shower surrounded by iridescent seashell tiles, standing on floors of soft sandy colored porcelain. Or washing away stress in a dreamy underwater landscape of sea creatures and coral reefs. Reflective surfaces and glossy finishes mimic the shimmering surface of water. Choose tiles adorned with shell motifs, marine-themed patterns, and shades of soft aqua and sky blue in fishtail shapes. Or create an abstract mosaic of waves and clouds across the floors and walls of your shower.

Rustic Garden Showers

Create a quaint and refreshing outdoor shower that allows you to enjoy your garden in a whole new way. Immerse yourself in a profusion of flowers with tile that features blossoms and vines, birds and butterflies. Or design an outdoor shower that subtly complements the beauty and color of your garden using tile that blends beautifully with nature, like oakwood or white willow tile, a simple vine patterned tile, or the rustic warmth of terracotta or stone. Try pebble tile or penny rounds for an especially charming look.

Modern Minimalist Escape

Contemporary design lovers will appreciate the fact that modern aesthetics are leading the outdoor shower trend. There is something especially striking about the sleek look of transitional indoor-outdoor shower spaces that feature glass doors, geometric designs, floating counters and sinks, and open space.

Marble tile is an ideal medium for minimalists. The smooth and sophisticated look of marble instantly adds elegance to outdoor showers, and bold veining creates visual interest.
Embrace contemporary design elements such as geometric tiles, abstract patterns, and monochromatic color schemes.
Use stone and faux rock tile mixed with woodgrain for a modern organic vibe.
Consider large format tile in a neutral color on floors and walls for a spacious, expansive feeling.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Making It Immersive

An immersive experience is a sensory experience. As you design your outdoor shower, think of how you can appeal to the senses to make it a more interesting and interactive experience. If you’re aiming for a serene, relaxing atmosphere, focus on soft colors and organic fabrics, natural textures, and meditative scents. For a more energizing and rejuvenating experience, go for vibrant colors, refreshing essential oils, and tiles with vivid landscapes and pictures. Install a waterproof radio in a tiled cubby to enrich your senses with music or the sounds of nature.

By combining these inspiring ideas with the tile Collections from Merola Tile, you can transform your outdoor shower into a unique space that reflects your personal style and enhances your connection with nature.