Blue Tile Ideas: How to Choose Blue Tile for Kitchens, Bathrooms and Showers

Blue tile can work almost anywhere in the home, from a kitchen backsplash to a bathroom or shower, but choosing the right blue involves more than finding a shade you like. Light blue can make a room feel bright and relaxed, while navy, cobalt and deep blue create much stronger focal points. Material, finish, grout color and lighting can change the appearance even further.

I've worked with blue tile for more than 20 years, and one thing I've learned is that it is much more versatile than people sometimes expect. Blue does not have to look coastal, and it does not have to be limited to a small accent. The right blue can work with white, gray, natural wood, marble, quartz, black fixtures, chrome and warm brass finishes.

If blue is already driving your design, start with our Blue Tile collection to compare the different shades, materials, shapes and finishes available at BELK Tile.

How to Choose the Right Shade of Blue Tile

Do not choose blue tile based on the color name alone. "Ocean," "sky," "navy," "aqua" and "cobalt" can mean very different things from one manufacturer to another.

I recommend looking at an actual sample with your cabinets, countertop, flooring and paint whenever possible. Blue can shift considerably depending on the surrounding colors and lighting.

Light Blue and Blue-Gray Tile

Light blue works well when you want color without making the room feel heavy. Powder blue, pale blue and blue-gray can be especially useful in smaller kitchens and bathrooms because they introduce color while maintaining a relatively light appearance.

Blue-gray is also a good bridge between blue and a neutral palette. It works particularly well with white, gray, natural wood and stone.

Aqua and Turquoise Tile

Aqua and turquoise contain more green and naturally create a brighter, more energetic look.

These colors work beautifully in coastal designs, but they do not have to look like beach-house tile. Pair aqua with clean white quartz, natural wood and simple fixtures and it can look very contemporary.

Cobalt and Sapphire Blue Tile

Cobalt and sapphire are more saturated, so I usually let them become the focal point.

A strong blue backsplash, vanity wall or shower feature can provide enough color that the surrounding materials can remain relatively simple.

Navy Blue Tile

Navy is one of my favorite dark blues because it works with so many different materials.

Pair navy tile with white and marble for a classic look, natural wood for warmth, black for a more contemporary palette, or brass and champagne bronze when you want stronger contrast.

Blue Kitchen Backsplash Ideas

A kitchen backsplash is one of the easiest places to introduce blue because it adds real color without covering the largest surfaces in the room.

You can compare blue-specific options in our Blue Backsplash Tile collection or browse the complete Kitchen Backsplash Tile collection.

Blue Tile With White Cabinets

White cabinets give almost any shade of blue a clean background. Pale blue creates a softer kitchen, while navy or cobalt provides much stronger contrast.

If you choose a dark blue backsplash, a white or lightly patterned countertop can help keep the room balanced.

Blue Tile With Wood Cabinets

Blue and natural wood are a combination I really like because the warmth of the wood balances the cooler character of blue.

Light oak works well with dusty blue, blue-gray and navy. Walnut can handle deeper colors such as cobalt and sapphire.

What Countertops Go With a Blue Tile Backsplash?

White quartz is one of the easiest choices. Marble and marble-look quartz can also work beautifully, particularly with navy and softer blue-gray tones.

If your countertop already has a lot of movement, I would usually keep the blue backsplash relatively simple. If the countertop is quiet, you have more freedom to use a stronger tile shape or pattern.

Blue Bathroom Tile Ideas

Blue is a natural fit for bathrooms, but a blue bathroom does not automatically have to look nautical.

Pale blue can create a light, relaxed space. Navy can make a bathroom feel more dramatic. Aqua and turquoise bring considerably more energy.

Our Blue Bathroom Tile collection is a useful place to compare blue products intended for different bathroom applications.

Blue Shower Wall Tile

A shower gives you enough surface area for blue to become a major part of the room.

You can cover the shower in one blue tile or use blue on a feature wall while keeping the remaining surfaces neutral.

I generally prefer one strong focal point rather than several unrelated patterns competing in a smaller bathroom.

If you are designing a shower, compare options in our Shower Wall Tile collection and verify that the individual tile is approved for the application.

Can You Use Blue Tile on a Shower Floor?

Absolutely, but color should not be the first specification.

Start by confirming that the exact tile is approved for shower-floor use. Small blue mosaics and penny rounds can work particularly well because their small format follows the slope of many shower pans and the numerous grout joints can contribute traction.

Our Shower Floor Tile collection is the better starting point when the floor is the primary application.

What Material Is Best for Blue Tile?

The best material depends primarily on where the tile will be installed.

Blue Glass Tile

Glass is particularly good at showing off blue because light can give the color additional depth. Glossy, frosted and iridescent finishes can make similar shades look completely different.

I particularly like blue glass for backsplashes and shower walls when the individual product is approved for those applications.

Blue Ceramic Tile

Ceramic gives you a huge range of blue glazes. A consistent glossy blue can look clean and contemporary, while a handmade-look glaze with tonal variation creates more movement.

You can compare these options in our Ceramic Tile collection.

Blue Porcelain Tile

Porcelain expands the possibilities beyond decorative wall tile because many products are designed for floor and wet-area applications.

Blue also does not have to mean a small mosaic. The Atlantis Blue 24 x 48 LRGATB04, for example, is a large-format blue porcelain tile approved for floors, shower walls, backsplashes and fireplace applications.

Blue Glass and Natural Stone Mosaics

Combining blue glass with natural stone softens the solid field of color and introduces natural variation.

The NB4633 Marina Glass and Stone Pebble Mosaic combines sea-washed blue glass with Calacatta marble and can be used for backsplashes, shower walls, shower floors, fireplaces and accent walls.

What Tile Shapes Look Good in Blue?

Shape changes the personality of blue almost as much as shade.

Blue subway tile keeps the design simple and allows the color to be the focus. You can change the look further with a stacked, offset or vertical installation.

Blue penny round tile creates a softer geometric pattern with more visible grout.

Blue hexagon tile adds stronger geometry while still working in both traditional and contemporary rooms.

Blue fish scale tile emphasizes the connection between blue and water and works particularly well when you want a more decorative backsplash or feature wall.

Blue pebble mosaics create a more organic appearance and can soften a room dominated by straight lines.

Glossy or Matte Blue Tile?

Glossy blue tile reflects more light and can make the color appear richer and more dimensional. That is one reason glossy blue glass and ceramic work so well on backsplashes and shower walls.

Matte blue absorbs more light and creates a quieter appearance. A matte navy can feel much softer than a high-gloss navy even when the base color is similar.

For walls, I would choose largely based on the look you want and the maintenance requirements of the material. For floors and wet walking surfaces, verify that the exact product is approved for that application.

What Grout Color Goes With Blue Tile?

Grout can dramatically change blue tile because it determines how strongly you see the shape of each individual piece.

White Grout With Blue Tile

White creates the strongest contrast, particularly against navy and cobalt. It makes subway layouts, penny rounds, hexagons and other shapes much more noticeable.

Gray Grout With Blue Tile

Gray provides definition without creating as much contrast as bright white. It can be particularly effective with blue-gray and muted blue tile.

Matching Grout With Blue Tile

A blue or closely coordinating grout allows the individual tiles to blend together and makes the overall field of color more important than the pattern.

I recommend testing grout against an actual tile sample before making the final decision. A small grout color chip does not always show how hundreds of grout joints will affect the finished installation.

What Colors Go With Blue Tile?

Blue gives you plenty of options.

• White creates a clean, classic contrast.
• Natural wood adds warmth and balances cooler blue tones.
• Gray works particularly well with dusty blue and blue-gray.
• Black can make blue feel more contemporary.
• Brass and champagne bronze provide warm contrast against navy, cobalt and turquoise.
• Marble pairs naturally with navy and softer blue shades.

The stronger the blue, the more I pay attention to everything around it. If you choose a bold cobalt backsplash, you probably do not need an equally dramatic countertop. If the entire shower is navy, consider giving the floor and surrounding walls some visual breathing room.

Mike Belk's Take on Choosing Blue Tile

I've sold a lot of blue tile over the years, and the biggest mistake I see is choosing blue from a computer screen and assuming that is exactly how it will look in the room.

Blue changes with lighting more than many people expect.

A tile that looks like a clean blue online can lean green next to one countertop or gray next to another. Glossy glass can look completely different under warm kitchen lighting than it does in daylight.

That is why I recommend ordering a sample whenever possible. Put it next to your actual cabinets, countertop, flooring and paint. Look at it in daylight and again at night.

I also would not be afraid of stronger blues. Navy, cobalt and sapphire can be fantastic when the rest of the room gives them some room to breathe. You do not have to make everything neutral for a design to last.

Choosing the Right Blue Tile for Your Home

The best blue tile is not necessarily the prettiest tile when you look at it by itself. It is the blue that works with the room around it and performs correctly where you plan to install it.

Start with the application. Determine whether you need a backsplash, shower wall, shower floor, bathroom floor or fireplace tile. Then narrow your options by material, shade, shape and finish.

Finally, order a sample when possible and look at it with the actual materials in your room.

If blue is the direction you want to take, browse the BELK Tile Blue Tile collection. You can also use our Shop Tile by Color page to compare blue with green, white, gray, brown and other color families before making your final decision.