The bathroom is a private nook for the owner of the house, and its design is an important part of home comfort. Very often tiles are used to decorate the walls and floors in the bathroom, but they are not cheap. In this article, we will talk about how to decorate the walls in the bathroom, in addition to tiles, and by doing so, get rid of the obsessive pattern that the bathroom is a tile country, additionally saving a decent amount.
Requirements for finishing materials
The main purpose of the bathroom is to use water for a variety of purposes: hygiene, laundry, and so on. Therefore, the fact that the humidity in this room is higher than in the rest is not surprising. Saturation of air with moisture in such a concentration adversely affects most conventional finishing materials. This means that before choosing how to finish the bathroom, in addition to tiles, you need to know what requirements the selected material must meet. Let's look at the requirements in more detail.
moisture resistance
Regardless of the level of saturation of moisture in the air, decorative wall decoration should not lose its properties, indicated in the operating instructions. Also, the material should not allow moisture to pass to the structures that are under it: walls, floors, etc. The finishing material must protect the supporting structures from destruction.
Durability
The service life also plays an important role in making a decision, because no one wants to redo the repair after 2 years. At the same time, do not forget in what conditions your material will be.
Antiseptic
The surface of the finishing material must be hygienic and not spread microorganisms. Many of the materials, under certain conditions, become an ideal breeding ground for bacteria. It shouldn't be like that here. 
Strength
When choosing how to decorate a bathroom, in addition to tiles, consider the factor that not only temperature, but also mechanical effects will occur. Appliances and plumbing also affect the finish.
Care
The less the surface is contaminated and the easier it is to clean, the better for you and for the surface itself as well. The most suitable are smooth finishing materials or with very little porosity.
Chemical resistance
Under the influence of detergents and other household products, the coating can be destroyed, which will lead to unintended consequences. Therefore, choose materials that are resistant to aggressive agents.
Finishes
It is quite possible to design a bathroom without tiles on the walls, and there are many different means for this, which we will talk about. In addition to tiles, possible materials that meet all of the above criteria include:
- Waterproof paint.
- Linoleum.
- Self-adhesive film.
- Waterproof wallpaper.
- Plastic panels, they are siding.
- Mosaic.
- Clapboard made of wood, MDF.
- Porcelain tile.
- Glass blocks.
- Oilcloth.
- A rock.
As you can see, there is enough variety to pick up exactly what you need. Let's talk in more detail about each material.
Dye
When choosing a way to finish a bathroom, except for tiles, cheaply, you should stop at this option. It is recommended to cover the walls in the bathroom with moisture-resistant latex or acrylic paint. Among other things, this finish has antibacterial properties, prevents mold.
Important! Before applying paint to dry walls, it is necessary to go over the surface with a water-repellent primer and only then proceed to work.
This type of decoration allows you to make a unique wall decoration: painting, mixing colors, drawings. Brick walls look advantageous in this light. The areas around the sink and bathtub are best covered with glass blocks or glass.
Using paint for wall decoration, you enjoy its following advantages:
- Ease of care.
- Hygiene.
- Wide range of color palettes.
- Ease of doing the job.
Linoleum
How to decorate the bathroom? In addition to tiles, it is also possible to use linoleum. Many will be surprised at such an unexpected alternative, because it is more common to see this type of material on the floor. In fact, there are many different options for linoleum for walls. At the same time, this type of wall covering has its irreplaceable advantages. The most significant are the following:
- The absence of joints, which allows not to create an environment for breeding bacteria.
- Wear resistance. The service life of linoleum even on the floor is at least 10 years, what then to say about the walls.
- Variety of textures and design solutions.
- Ease of installation. Such repairs are within the power of even the most inexperienced person.
Important! To put linoleum correctly, you need to completely level the walls under it: remove excess materials, level with putty, prime, and then glue your coating.
Self-adhesive film
One of the newest options for wall decoration. The film is a very diverse material that can satisfy the requirements of even the most picky buyer.
Let's talk about the advantages of this material over others:
- Quick and inexpensive DIY bathroom renovation.
- Easy to care for, does not require much attention.
- A variety of colors, shades, textures.
- You can stick this material on any surface.
- For those who like to quickly change the interior, self-adhesive film is the best option.
Not bypassed this material and some shortcomings:
- The maximum service life of the film is 10 years.
- Due to improper care of the bathroom, the formation of pathogenic bacteria under this material is possible.
waterproof wallpaper
If your bathroom walls are well-made and don't have big bumps, wallpaper will work as well. Since the special microclimate of the room does not allow the use of ordinary ones, moisture-resistant wallpapers are suitable for gluing in it. Among these options are thick vinyl wallpapers that can be washed and cleaned.
Important! With prolonged contact with water, even the version with moisture-resistant wallpaper may not withstand, so it is recommended to use them away from the bathtub and sink itself.
Plastic panels
When wondering how to finish the walls in the bathroom, in addition to tiles, do not forget about such an option as plastic panels. With the help of them, a smooth and moisture-resistant surface is quickly created.
Important! If the space of the room allows, you can mount the panels immediately on top of the tile, without wasting time removing it and leveling the walls.
The big advantage of plastic panels compared to tiles is the fact that the panels have a large surface area, which means that you will need less effort to install them.
There are two ways to fix such material: on the frame and using liquid nails.
Important! The first option will be useful in case of large unevenness of the walls. The frame is made mainly from an aluminum or plastic profile, or from wooden planks specially treated with an antiseptic. The joints in this material are almost invisible and the wall cladding looks like a solid structure.
Mosaic
If you want to showcase your bathroom design without tile on the walls, use mosaic options. The ability to lay out drawings, decorate individual elements of different sizes distinguishes this material from others. Also, the material visually increases the space in the room, which is so lacking in some other options. 
Important! Mosaic can be combined with many other materials, which will look good in any case. Mosaic laying requires skills, so it is better to entrust such painstaking work to a professional.
clapboard
In addition to the usual lining, they often use moisture resistant, which is made of plastic or MDF. Such plastic material is no different from the panels described above, and MDF is the most suitable option. Installation of this material is easy to do with your own hands.
Among the advantages of MDF are:
- Ease of installation and subsequent maintenance of the material.
- Moisture, light resistance.
- Soundproofing properties of the material.
To cover the walls in the bathroom with wooden clapboard and not risk the coating, you just need to cover it with a transparent varnish or wax.
Important! If possible, put insulation between the coating and the wall, and thus warm the cold room.
Porcelain stoneware
Porcelain stoneware is a durable quality material. It is stronger than tiles, but has the disadvantage of a lack of variety in colors. At the same time, a number of advantages convince that wall decoration will not only look great, but also serve for a very long time.
Among the advantages are:
- Strength.
- Moisture resistance.
- Hygiene.
- Light, moisture and heat resistance.
- Great wear resistance.
Important! Porcelain stoneware can hide gating for wiring and other communications.
glass blocks
Having once lost popularity, glass blocks are again becoming leaders in sales. They will quickly help you create a great bathroom design without tiles on the walls. 
The advantages of this material are as follows:
- Perfectly harmonizes with other finishing materials, which gives boundless possibilities in creating a unique interior.
- Ease of care.
- Hygiene.
- The light transmission of the material even allows you to separate the shower area from the entire bathroom only with the help of glass blocks.
Important! The downside of the material is its susceptibility to all sorts of scratches and other damage. You can quickly create a glass block wall with your own hands.
A rock
A natural material that always looks beautiful and elegant in the interior. The variety offered on the market is enough to decorate your bathroom simply and tastefully.
The problem is that if you are thinking about how to decorate a bathroom other than tiles cheaply, then this is not your option. For many, such material remains inaccessible due to its high cost and the amount of work for laying. To be more precise, the money spent on the finishing master, because in order to lay a stone yourself, you need to have a lot of experience.
Important! Artificial stone is sold cheaper, but its price is still higher than the average on the market for similar materials.
Oilcloth
If you want a quick fix then this is the one for you. Like self-adhesive film, it has a huge variety of colors, the same durability of the material. But if you often experiment with the interior and change it more than once every 5 years, then this option is the best fit.
All the options proposed above give an exhaustive answer to the question of how to finish the walls in the bathroom, except for tiles. When choosing one or another material, do not forget to take into account the characteristics of your particular bathroom, your love of experimentation and other factors that influence your choice. Combine! In adjoining bathrooms, divide the zones with different colors or even different materials - this will give a special charm to your bathroom.