Black and White Bathroom Tile: 6 Looks That Stay Sharp

Black and white bathroom tile is a two-color tile scheme that pairs white tile with black tile, black grout or black trim for a crisp, high-contrast bathroom. Six looks work best. Try a checkerboard floor, white hex with black accents or white tile with black grout. White subway with a black trim line, a black floor with white walls and patterned tile also work well. All six are easy to keep clean when the tile is set flat and the grout lines are straight. Here are 6 ideas, plus what installation costs and how we build it.

Want more looks first? Go Back to bathroom tile ideas or browse our Tile Ideas Complete Guide.

1. Classic Black and White Checkerboard Floor

A checkerboard floor is the best-known black and white bathroom tile look. It uses square tiles in alternating colors, like a game board. It feels vintage in an old Boston two-family and modern in a new condo.

• Best sizes: 8x8 or 12x12 porcelain squares. Bigger squares look calmer in a larger room.
• Turn it on a diagonal to make a narrow bathroom feel wider.
• Start the layout from the center so the doorway and tub edge do not end on thin slivers.
• Pick porcelain for low upkeep. Porcelain tile runs about $8 per sq ft for material, based on current Greater Boston material prices.

2. White Hexagon With Black Accents

White hexagon mosaic is the classic floor for an older home. A few black hexes turn it into a flower pattern or a scattered dot look. Many sheets come with the pattern already set on the mesh, so the layout stays even.

• Small hex (1 to 2 inch) works on bathroom floors and shower floors. The many grout lines give your feet more grip.
• Large hex (8 to 10 inch) looks more modern and has fewer joints to clean.
• Porcelain hex mosaic runs about $10 per sq ft for material (as of 2026 pricing).
• A black border band around the room frames the floor. It looks sharp in a small bathroom.

For more floor layouts, see our bathroom floor tile ideas.

Planning a checkerboard or hex floor? Send us photos of your bathroom floor for a same-day estimate. You buy the tile, and we quote the labor and setting materials.

3. White Tile With Black Grout

White tile with black grout is the cheapest way to get the black and white look. The tile stays white and the grout draws a dark grid. It also hides the stains that show up on white grout over time.

• Grout lines must be straight. Dark grout shows every crooked joint. This is where an experienced installer earns the price.
• We use Laticrete Permacolor grout. It holds an even color and resists stains better than basic cement grout.
• Black grout can haze white tile during cleanup. We test it on a spare tile first, especially on handmade-look or crackle glaze.
• Choose a white tile with a solid glaze. Very porous tile can turn gray at the edges.

4. White Subway Tile With a Black Trim Line

White subway tile with a black trim line is a simple upgrade. One dark line at the top of a tiled outside wall or around a tub surround gives the room a finished edge.

• Black metal edge trim is the cleanest option. We finish metal edge to match the grout, so black trim pairs well with black grout.
• 3x6 or 4x12 ceramic subway runs about $4 per sq ft for material, so this look stays affordable.
• Set the subway in a vertical stack for a modern feel, or in classic running bond for a traditional one.
• Pick one trim height and carry it around the room. A line that jumps at the window looks like a mistake.

Deciding between a tiled tub wall and panels? Read our take on tub surround vs tile.

5. Black Floor, White Walls

A black floor with white walls grounds the room. The dark floor hides dirt, and the white walls keep a small bathroom bright.

• Choose matte black porcelain. Glossy black shows water spots and footprints.
• Large format tile like 12x24 means fewer grout lines. It needs a very flat floor, so we level the floor first.
• Use charcoal grout if you want the tile shape to show. Use black grout for a solid, seamless look.

6. Black and White Patterned Tile

Patterned tile gives you a bold floor without any wallpaper. Encaustic-look porcelain prints the pattern on a hard porcelain body. It does not need the sealing that real cement tile needs.

• Keep the walls plain when the floor is busy. One pattern per room is plenty.
• The pattern must line up across every joint. We dry-lay the tile before we set it.
• Order extra tile. Pattern matching creates more waste, much like herringbone, which needs 10 to 15 percent extra.

Porcelain vs Marble for Black and White Tile

• Porcelain: about $8 per sq ft, absorbs almost no water, no sealing, holds a true black.
• Marble (Carrara or Calacatta): about $15 per sq ft, needs sealing every year, and can etch from acidic cleaners.
• Our pick: porcelain for floors and showers. Save real marble for a vanity top or an accent.

What It Costs to Install Black and White Bathroom Tile

Black and white bathroom tile costs the same to install as any other color. The price depends on the area, the tile size and how much old tile comes out. These are our recent job ranges (as of 2026 pricing), with labor and setting materials included and tile not included.

You buy the tile. We recommend suppliers, help you pick it, and never mark it up. Tile rip-out jobs carry a $450 disposal fee, and a recessed niche adds about $400. Plumber, electrician and glass work are extra.

Is Black and White Tile More Expensive to Install?

Not because of the color. Small mosaics and patterns take longer to lay out than big squares. A diagonal checkerboard also has more cuts along the walls. Those are layout costs, and we price them per area from your photos.

How We Install Black and White Bathroom Tile

We build it the same way we build every bathroom. Contrast tile shows every flaw, so prep and layout matter even more.

1. Demo and haul-away. We remove the old tile down to a solid base.
2. Floor prep. Floors go over Laticrete Strata Mat uncoupling membrane. We set the mat in 254 Platinum thinset and the tile in 253 Gold. For a warm floor, one heating cable sized to the open floor replaces the mat, and an electrician runs the circuit.
3. Shower waterproofing. Shower walls get RedGard liquid waterproofing. Shower floors use a Schluter Kerdi tray and Kerdi drain, and we connect the drain ourselves.
4. Layout. We snap center lines and dry-lay checkerboards and patterns so cuts land evenly at both walls.
5. Set and grout. We grout with Laticrete Permacolor and finish any metal edge to match.

A two-person crew sets roughly 100 sq ft of tile a day. Most bathrooms take 2 to 5 working days. For the full floor process, see our bathroom floor tile installation guide.

Does Black Grout Hold Up in a Bathroom?

Yes, when it is a quality grout. Permacolor keeps its color better than basic sanded grout. Use a pH-neutral cleaner, because harsh bleach cleaners can lighten dark grout over time.

Get a Quote for Black and White Bathroom Tile From Photos

The fastest way to price black and white bathroom tile is to send photos. We quote most jobs from photos first and visit when a measurement is unclear. Estimates are written per area, so you can tile the floor now and the shower later. A deposit holds your start date, and the balance is due when the job is done.

Aguirre Modern Tile has installed tile in Greater Boston since 2016. We are a registered Massachusetts home improvement contractor (HIC #655072) and fully insured with $1M liability coverage. Before you hire anyone, read how to hire a tile contractor.

Ready for a black and white bathroom that stays sharp for years? Send us photos and get a same-day estimate.