Ditch Traditional Bathroom Tile: Design Your Shower With Erin Napier's Nature-Inspired Alternative

Erin Napier is an expert at blending her signature Southern style with nostalgic charm. The HGTV "Home Town" host and her husband, Ben Napier, have built a reputation for creating homes that reflect their owners' personalities, histories, and heritage. That approach often results in design choices that feel personal rather than predictable, like the nature-inspired shower tile idea Erin used in one recent renovation.

The inspiration comes from Season 9, Episode 10 of "Home Town," where Erin covered a shower wall with tiles that mimic the shape and texture of leaves. "I wanted to choose a shower tile that felt like nature," Napier explained in the episode. "These leaves felt soft and pretty." The choice is a subtle departure from the standard subway tile often found in bathrooms. However, it also feels distinctly in line with Napier's preference for incorporating a home's surroundings and history into its design. What's more, the simple switch is far more aesthetically pleasing than bland, lackluster subway tile, and it's easy to replicate in your own home.

In the episode, Napier sets out to restore a historic homestead that once belonged to the homeowner's grandfather. Since the property is in the leafy town of Laurel, Mississippi, it feels only fitting that they opted for these leaf-shaped tiles on the feature wall of the walk-in shower. Once the middle bedroom, the space has been converted into a clean, comfortable en suite bathroom. Each curved tile interlocks to create a pattern with plenty of movement, while the cool blue tone reinforces the connection to nature. Subtle raised veining on each tile, as seen on a leaf, also adds more textural interest to the finished look. 

The exact tile used in the episode is the Scallop Mosaic Tile by Anatolia, which is part of the Soho collection and available in nine different colors. Napier's choice feels particularly fitting for her approach to historic homes. Rather than relying on a standard subway tile, she uses an unexpected shape and texture to give the newly renovated bathroom a sense of character that complements the property's history. Want to bring a botanical-inspired motif to your own space? Take a "leaf" out of Napier's book and use this decorative tile idea rather than a default subway tile next time you're remodelling a bathroom. You'll have the same clean and sleek look, but with so much more personality.