20 Pool Tile Ideas for a Chic Swimming Hole

Pool tile can be the nearly invisible foundational layer that makes your swimming pool water look more blue or green. It might only noticeable from up close, or it can be treated as a decorative feature in and of itself that can be glimpsed from above by a passing bird or a drone.

You can mix ceramic or porcelain tile on the bottom of the pool, bringing it up the sides just above the waterline for a seamless look. Or you can add a contrasting border tile around the edge that will define the space between the pool and the surrounding pool patio or deck.

These pool tile ideas from the Pacific to the Atlantic to the Mediterranean coasts will show you how to use tiles to enhance your pool design in classic or modern ways depending on the setting and style of your home.

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Ornate Mosaic Pool Tile

Design by House of One / Photo by Kris Tamburello

The pool in the backyard of this Mediterranean-style Miami Beach, FL home from House of One is tiled in shades of blue with a mosaic tile embellishment that lends it an ornate and upscale feel.

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Patterned Tile

Kern & Co.

Kern & Co. added patterned black-and-white tile on the interior, backsplash, and exterior wall of this backyard pool that softens the modern space and serves as a backdrop for an added water feature.

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Checkerboard Pool Tile

Design by House of One / Photo by Legendary Productions

The pool of this colorful Modernist residence in Miami Beach, FL from House of One has a midcentury black checkered tile design that gives it a playful and distinctive feel and creates a sense of movement on the steps of the shallow end.

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Greek Key Mosaic Tile

Artaic / Soake Pools

This pool from Soake Pools is situated in a lush backyard shaded by trees, and covered in custom mosaic tile by Artaic in a Greek key pattern that gives it a timeless and classic feel.

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Black Edging

Design by Gaia Inspired / Photo by Jenny Siegwart

Interior designer Kim Nadel of Gaia Inspired used bright turquoise tile at the bottom of the pool that makes the water look extra blue and reflects the Southern California skies. Then Nadel edged the slim pool backsplash with a black border that contrasts with the pool patio and complements the outdoor furniture and accessories to lend the space a chic contemporary look.

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Greek Key Mosaic Tile Detail

Artaic / Soake Pools

A bold Greek key design gives this pool lined in Artaic tiles from Soake Pools a strong identity on the ground that can also be seen from above, adding personality to what usually appears as simply a blue rectangle of water.

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Contrasting Tile Border

Design by Sara Simon of Handsome Salt / Photo by Jenny Siegwart

Interior designer by Sara Simon of Handsome Salt used square terracotta Fireclay tiles to edge this above-ground pool surrounded by plants in this private Southern California backyard.

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Black Limestone

Envi Interior Design Studio / Photo by Audrey Hall

Interior designer Susie Hoffmann of Envi Interior Design Studio went to a Montana quarry to select the black limestone used in this Japanese-inspired pool house, carrying the tile up to the pool deck for a seamless custom look.

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Vivid Blue Pool Tiles

BHDM Design / Photo by Reid Rolls

BHDM Design lined the pool of this elegant Long Island, NY outdoor space with vivid blue tiles that complement the waterfront setting and lush planting on the patio. The large surrounding hedges and large white column arbor with a shady canopy create living privacy walls.

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Diamond-Pattern Pool Tiles

Fantastic Frank

The pool in this Mallorca courtyard from Fantastic Frank is lined with large scale diamond-patterned pool tiles in deep shades of green. The contrasting pale edging complements the smooth pool patio and contrasts with the terracotta-colored stone walls.

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Inside Out Mosaic Tile

Design by Bartone Interiors / Photo by Lissa Gotwals Photography

The multicolored mosaic tiles in this pool from Bartone Interiors cover both the interior and are carried up onto the exterior of the pool, adding texture to the poolside patio with its cement and stone surfaces, warm food fencing, and contemporary planters.

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Turquoise Pool Tile + Terracotta Patio

Fantastic Frank

Simple small square turquoise blue pool tiles line this Spanish island pool from Fantastic Frank, adding depth to the view of the water depending on how the sun hits. The turquoise color contrasts with the soft terracotta patio tiles and orange stucco paint color of the home.

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Teal Pool Tile

Matthew Carter Interiors

This St. Helena, California pool design from Lexington, Kentucky-based Matthew Carter Interiors has an elegant slightly sunken watering hole feel, with deep teal pool tile that adds contrast with the surrounding green lawn for a tranquil oasis under a canopy of trees.

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Mosaic Pool Tiles + Contrasting Edging

Design by Joshua Smith Inc. / Photo by Lisa Romerin

This pool from Joshua Smith Inc. is lined with mosaic tile on the bottom, then edged with a neutral tile in a diamond pattern that creates a transition to the aged brick pool patio and high aged stucco walls of the backyard space.

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Pale Blue Mosaic Pool Tiles

Design by Martha O'Hara Interiors / Photo by Spacecrafting

In this Minneapolis, MN outdoor space from Martha O’Hara Interiors, pale shades of blue mosaic tiles are set off by the cool gray concrete tiles of the expansive patio that give the space an understated modern look.

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Soothing Blue Pool Tiles

Michelle Boudreau Design

Michelle Boudreau Design used soothing blue pool tiles in this large Palm Springs backyard that reflect the sky and maintain a minimalist feel that complements the concrete fire pit conversation area.

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Large Mosaic Pool Tiles

Fantastic Frank

The pool of this property from Fantastic Frank uses large-scale square mosaic pool tiles in shades of blue and green that have a bolder look than tiny mosaic pool tiles and stand up to the pool patio with its mixes finishes and sculptural decor.

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Paint Them Black

Design by Leanne Ford Interiors / Photo by Alexandra Ribar

Leanne Ford Interiors renovated a 1970s midcentury modern indoor pool by painting out the blue tile border and concrete and fiberglass base with a mix of concrete and fiberglass paint in a deep shade of black that makes it feel modern, chic, and original.

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Inside Out Mosaic Pool Tile

House 9 Interiors

House 9 Interiors used blue, white, and green mosaic tile on the bottom and edging of this indoor pool, carrying the tile onto the round whirlpool spa and support column to give it an integrated look that contrasts with the rustic wood-paneled walls.

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Jewel-Toned Pool Tile

Home Consultant

The pool in this Southern California property from Home Consultant is covered in deep blue tile that is surrounded by gray plaster to create a jewel-like color in the water for a sunken watering hole feel.

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