Tile is one of the coolest materials around, and one of the most ancient. For thousands of years, artisans have been getting extremely creative with tile, and the results are pretty much always spectacular.
If you're designing your backyard space, and are thinking of something other than a wooden deck or concrete patio, the outdoor tile ideas you're about to see will inspire you!
Below, you'll find some of my favorite outdoor tile ideas! I chose them for their use of color and pattern, as well as the overall look they have.
Tile is usually at its best when it's creating mosaic-style works of art that we walk on. Upgrading your old concrete patio with clay or ceramic tile is one of the coolest and easiest backyard renovations you can do, too! So, with a proper appreciation of the amazing potential of tile, let's get inspired!
22 Outdoor Tile Ideas That'll Bring Your Creativity Outside
1. Washed-Out Hexagonal Tile
Smaller tiles are always more fun, even though they take more work. You can create a sense of intricacy when you choose to use a few hundred tiles, rather than a few dozen, to create your backyard space. The color of these tiles feels both ancient and sophisticated at once. That “faded” or washed-out look is extremely popular these days, so you know you'll be a trend-setter in your social circle with a simple, stylish design like this!
2. Burgundy/White Diamond Pattern
Using tile to create a geometric pattern you can get lost in? Well, that's one of the easiest ways to make your patio look much more intricate than it is. Think about it- all the homeowners did was choose a pattern a lay out the tile accordingly, yet it looks like it was created by a master artisan. Carefully choosing patterned tile at the store, and then simply following that pattern when you lay the tile, is a lot easier than the final result would suggest!
3. Moroccan Elegance
This tile pattern will likely require some expert help to bring to life, but can you complain about the finished product? the green and white combine to create a pleasing, natural patio that looks like it belongs in a Moroccan Villa, not an American backyard. I love the way it allows the tree in the middle of the courtyard to grow and exist, undisturbed. What a cool way to bring an Old World elegance to your own home!
4. Gray Tile, Grass Grout
Grout work isn't fun, and doing it wrong can ruin your entire tile arrangement. So, why not let grass grow in the spaces between the tile and act as natural, gorgeous grout for you? This is a great way to have a garden feel in your patio. If you have lots of plants in your vision, letting grass be your grout is a perfect way to smooth the transition from inside, to outdoor patio, to backyard garden!
5. Square Flagstone
Flagstone patios are very easy to create and they look very sophisticated. The large, multi-shaded stone tiles give a feeling of strength and serenity. Using outdoor tile this way will create a place you can relax, think, and talk, in the natural peace of your own backyard oasis!
6. Elevated Wood Tiles
These gray wood tiles are very strong- so strong, in fact, they can be built on elevated platforms rather than sit directly on the ground. This makes it very easy to run electricity and water underneath the patio for things like grills, outdoor kitchens, and bars. It also looks great-it has a nice visual texture and looks simple and modern.
7. Natural Wood Tile
These wood tiles have a very contemporary feel that lends itself to many suburban home styles. It's made from an arrangement of short wood planks, and it looks great when assembled into a large patio! It's definitely a better fit for a larger surface area, such as a pool deck or outdoor kitchen. If you're looking for something natural and stylish while not going overboard, this might be it!
8. Brick Herringbone Pattern
Brick isn't a tile? Most of the time, no, but it absolutely is when it's used like this! This herringbone pattern is created by arranging the brick on its side and using lots of grout to bring everything together. The end result is an outdoor tile pattern that reflects the old brick streets that Victorian cities made famous. Only, you're not walking the streets of Boston- you're having brunch in your own backyard!
9. Contemporary Triangle Tiles
These are square-shaped tiles with perfectly symmetrical blue and white triangles on them. Using these ceramic tiles carefully resulted in an amazing patio surface. It fits perfectly with contemporary styles that like to incorporate Mediterranean and world aesthetics. If you're looking for an understated but intricate outdoor patio idea, this might be it!
10. Porcelain Tile, Pebble Spacing
These porcelain tiles aren't just good-looking. They're extremely durable; they can hold up to just about any weather, and they will last for years without fading. Combining these tiles with a spaced-out arrangement and pebbles underneath creates an open, simple feeling. It reflects the way that nature itself doesn't feel tied down and restricted; the tiles more or less seem like they're just sitting there, even though they're very secure. It's peaceful, stylish, and very zen.
11. Sophisticated Saltillo Tile
The unique way this tile is painted makes it look more like wood than porcelain. The big advantage is that it will last decades without wearing down as wood does. It creates a very flat, smooth surface that has more visual texture than it does physical. It's a very unique and cool design!
13. Gray Porcelain Tile
Sometimes, you don't want the tile you use to be the center of attention. However, you still want it to look sophisticated and high-quality. These large gray porcelain tiles are just what you need to do the job. They look almost monolithic and give the patio the serenity and quiet strength that an old stone building has. It's peaceful, easy to assemble, and durable. What's not to like?
14. Fascinating Geometric Patterns
Patterns like this look incredible and really bring the whole patio together. They have a sophistication that fits well in any upscale design style, but also fits most laid-back styles. The pattern on this patio uses both circles and trapezoids to create a fascinating blue and white pattern. I could spend hours clearing my mind, just staring at this pattern!
15. Intricate Black and White Pattern
This is a stellar example of a homeowner using patterns to their heart's content. Some people stick by outdated guidelines about using patterns sparingly, others prefer a healthy dash of boldness in their decor recipe. This intricate pattern makes me think about similarly-patterned places I've visited in the Middle East and India. the mathematical preciseness of the pattern is something to be admired and it all comes together to create a total statement piece that your guests will never forget!
16. Simple, Stylish Diamond Pattern
This diamond pattern, in a soft blue and white color arrangement, is extremely versatile in terms of the home styles it can fit. Bohemian and international styles, of course, are a great fit for an outdoor tile idea like this. However, the color and simplicity of the pattern would also fit in a New England or Victorian style home that need a splash of color and style. If you're looking for a way to use simple patterns to upgrade your outdoor places, this is it!
17. Casual Slate Tile
These square slate tiles are arranged in a way that allows for a bit of creativity while still being pretty simple. There are little, single squares of grass and white tile that seem to appear at random in the tile arrangement. It reminds me, in a way, of a puzzle that's not quite finished yet. The end result is a patio that feels playful, laid-back, and stylish all at once! If you've got a flair for the artistic, this might be a fun and subtle way to show it in your patio!
18. Stencil Pattern on Ceramic Tile
If you're extra creative- and extra patient- you may want to create your own pattern using stencils on blank ceramic tile. That's exactly what these homeowners did, and the results are nothing short of spectacular. The intricacy of the pattern almost makes it feel like woven fabric. It takes a lot of hard work, patience, and likely more than a few tiles going into the trash after you mess them up. But, you cannot argue with these results! It makes for an amazing place to kick back and relax.
19. Small Natural Stone Tiles
Let's pivot away from intricate patterns for a moment and look at a different outdoor tile idea. This arrangement of small, rectangular tiles made from a naturally-colored stone looks brilliant. It's almost effortless in the way it looks, although it certainly takes lots of effort to get a patio like this just right. It reminds me of old stone streets, and it has a sense of peace and strength to it that is hard to create with anything but cool, gray stone!
20. Unique Shapes, Monochromatic Tile
At first, judging by the shape of a single tile, it may not seem like they'd fit together so perfectly. Thanks to the work of an expert, though, they do, and they create a wonderful vibe for any home. The look here is simultaneously modern and traditional, and it's all helped by the light gray color. No matter what style of home you have, this type of outdoor tile is sure to go a long way toward creating the look you want!
21. Mandala-Patterned Tile
The word “mandala” has become a catch-all word for symmetrical designs that work in a circular arrangement. These tiles definitely fit that definition, and they have an amazing Mediterranean look to them. I like that the light colors of the tile prevent the patio from taking up too much of your attention!
22. Modern Semi-Symmetrical Pattern
This is a very intricate, very modern outdoor tile idea. The tiles are both symmetrical and asymmetrical, depending on which geometric line you're focusing on. The end result is an artful, futuristic way to use one of the world's oldest building materials. I can think of no better way to bring this article to a close than a gorgeous tile pattern that effortlessly combines old materials with radical new ideas!