What about a wood panel or wood tile? Try Porcelanosa for inspiration.

Thanks for the advice Carolina and the example :) I had thought about tiling up to the 120cm mark the whole way round previously. At the time I was thinking about going with a plain white tile so that I could change the colour if I wanted to over time. Once I found the stone effect tile, I hadn't really reconsidered that as an option. I'm struggling to leave any walls completely free as I do want to tile anywhere that could get properly wet with kids around... I should have said in my original post that I'm putting quite a large mirror behind the sink unit and the sink unit will be behind the door when you walk in. I have mosaic behind the sink in the ensuite and really like the style but not sure if I'd get the benefit of the mosaic behind the sink in this room given the size of the unit and the mirror. I'll probably look to introduce some wooden accessories, a large print to the right of the window to balance out the off centre window and (if I don't kill it), some large leafy plants (just like your example) so that in itself might add some interest!!

Before you go ahead & paint the tiles, I’d consider other options first. You need to introduce more of another colour to break up the beige. For example, changing the floor would make a big difference as would changing or painting the vanity unit and mirror. Most bathrooms have quite a lot of white in the sanitary ware to tone them down whereas yours doesn’t. Using either white or a darker wood will help. Personally, I think a white vanity will help to freshen & modernise the look. For the floor, I’d consider a darker wood effect vinyl to break up the colour. If possible, several large plants would also be good - aiming for a spa-type feel.

Hello. What did you decide on in the end? I have non bevelled metro tiles on the walls and trying to decide if I should do a hex mosaic for the floor, perhaps slightly larger than the penny size.