As one of the most-used rooms in the house, bathroom fittings and fixtures require careful consideration.
Even if you live alone, bathroom storage is vital to keep things neat and tidy, while essentials like shower screen doors and proper watertight flooring prevent bath and shower time from becoming swampy.
Flooring in a wet room is especially vital to get right; it must be resilient to last through years of wear, tear and moisture, yet nice enough to fit into your design aesthetic whether you’re trying to bring spa-like zen into the space or using what’s often the smallest room in the house to go big and express your maximalist design leanings.
When it comes to choices, anything that can effectively keep water out is, naturally, top of the list. We’re talking ceramic or porcelain tiles, vinyl flooring or natural stone like granite or marble, although the latter choices are much more expensive. Water resistant laminate flooring is also an option, and one you can install yourself if you’re a nifty DIY-er.
On the budget end of the scale, peel-and-stick vinyl flooring is having something of a moment, offering quick and easy transformation for high-saturation areas: think kitchens as well as bathrooms. They’re available in sticky sheet form as well as large individual tiles.
To show you what’s possible, we’ve rounded up the best flooring options for bathrooms across the board and for all budgets. Our list aims to inspire and give you the nudge you need to transform your bathroom from the floor up.
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Iris Room Self Adhesive Floor Tiles Vinyl Flooring Stone Effect
Love the look of terazzo-style flooring, but not the cost of having genuine stone installed? Go faux instead! These waterproof tiles comes with a super-sticky backing, cutting out the need for grout, additional glue or any other tools. The robust, long-lasting tiles measure 30 x 30cm each, with 10 pieces per pack. Measure your floors twice to be sure how many packs you’ll need to cover it properly - better to have over-ordered than be left with unslightly gaps.
Buy now £20.99, Amazon
WallPops FP2942 Medina Peel & Stick Floor Tiles
WallPops has revolutionised the DIY scene with its huge range of sticky tiles that can give kitchens and bathrooms a quick, easy (and cheap) uplift. Each pack contains 10 tiles measuring 12 x 12 inches each and there's no need for grout or special tools to apply. Just peel back the protective film on the back and stick into position on a clean, flat floor. The water-resistant and washable tiles can also be used on sink backsplashes, offering more decorating potential than just the floor.
Find the full range of WallPops designs here.
Buy now £9.89, Amazon
Livelynine White Vinyl Flooring Tiles
Mimic the effect of a marble tiled floor at a snip of the cost. How? These sticky flooring tiles made from vinyl make it oh-so simple. Each purchase is for four tiles measuring 12 x 12 inches and can be fixed in a similar way to lino flooring. Make sure your floor is clean and completely flat before your start or you might find you get air bubbles that water can then find its way into. Properly fixed, the tiles are easy to care for; just run a damp mop over them to keep clean.
Buy now £11.99, Amazon
Flooring Superstore Geometric Vinyl Flooring
Offering a smooth finish and 2.8mm cushioned backing to give comfort when you’re stepping out of the shower, this colourful geometric roll of tile-patterned vinyl flooring is an easy way to update your bathroom or WC floor. It boasts a slip-resistant finish to curb accidents and falls, making it a hardworking, durable choice for high-traffic rooms like kitchens and bathrooms. Price is for a roll, which will cover a metre squared. If you’re planning to DIY, you’ll need vinyl adhesive and a vinyl cutter to neaten the edges around your toilet and bath or shower.
Buy now £11.99, Flooring Superstore
Elffloor Peel and Stick Floor Tiles
With such an intricate, pretty design, there's no way visitors will be able to guess that your new bathroom floor comes courtesy of vinyl peel-and-stick tiles. This black, yellow and white mosaic look is available in two sizes - 20 x 20cm or 30 x 30cm squares with 10 tiles in each bag, which can cover 0.4sqm. The waterproof tiles are made from a six-layer construction that the company says has been through rigorous friction tests to ensure it's up to scratch.
Buy now £11.99, Amazon
Imperia Remmington Tiles Vinyl Flooring
Love the look of stone flooring? Get the aesthetic without the price tag thanks to this natural-effect vinyl roll, which mimics the usually-pricey look. The slip-resistant design looks just like the real thing with multi-tones of slate, taupe and hints of smokey blue coming through and is even 100 per cent recyclable. Comes with a six year warranty.
Buy now £9.99, Flooring Superstore
Patterned Tiles Powder Blue
Statement floors are in the bag over at Flooring Superstore where you can pick up these vinyl tiles in a cool pale blue geometric pattern.
Crafted from slip-resustant R10-rated vinyl, it’ll stand up to every day wear and tear beautifully, and is simple to keep clean. It’s water-resistancy makes it an ideal choice for bathrooms as well as busy homes with pets and small children.
An expensive-looking floor at a snip of the cost.
Buy now £11.99, Flooring Superstore
Hamptons Aged Wood Effect Porcelain Tiles
For those who want to continue the laminate floor look elsewhere in the house into the bathroom, look to these porcelain tiles finished with an aged wood effect to mimic timber. It’s even an option for walk-in shower - the surface becomes anti-slip when wet. The mid-tone brown colours are perfect if you’re envisaging a Scaninavian theme in your bathroom
£28.95 per sqm.
Buy now £28.95, Walls and Floors
Livourne Black High gloss Stone effect Porcelain Wall & floor Tile, Pack of 3
Marvel at the transformation of your floors once you’ve laid B&Q’s black gloss tiles. This is a bona fide tile so you will need to apply them the traditional way with adhesive and floor grout. It’s on the pricey side but worth the money if you like the look and only have a small surface area to cover.
Buy now £32.40, B&Q
