When I say "bathroom wall," I don't simply mean the wall in and around the shower. I mean tiling every inch of every wall of the bathroom.

Here are some examples of what I'm talking about.

What are the reasons that one might tile the walls of a bathroom? I've never managed to make my bathroom walls wet in my entire life, so I see no benefit there.

Is it done purely for appearance then? If so, is there a general consensus that tiled walls are a luxury? Or, is it more of a personal preference thing? I assume that it may not inherently be considered an upgrade, as there are probably some tiled walls that look worse than regular ol' drywall.

The downside of tiled walls is the significant price of additional labor and materials. Also, I feel that tiled walls age rapidly. Unless you get the most boring, square, white tile imaginable, your tiles' style/shape/size/color can make your bathroom look dated in a few years. Untextured drywall (while totally lacking any character) is of course ageless.

Are there other downsides or concerns to think about?

Are there instances when one really should consider tiling a particular bathroom's walls?

Redditors who've tiled your walls, what swayed you and how do you feel about them today?

We’re about to start tiling on a new, small half bath in my house. I can’t decide if I should put tile on the wall. Is it necessary? I just feel like the look would be better without it. I don’t know if there’s a reason tile half way up the wall is important in a small half bathroom or if I’m just doing it because they (contractor) added it to my shopping list. Thanks !