tiling-ideas-for-small-bathrooms

Tiling Ideas for Small Bathrooms

Do you have a small bathroom and want to style it aesthetically? With the right bathroom tiling ideas, you can make the compact space look larger, brighter, and more luxurious than you imagined. Whether you are renovating your existing bathroom or designing a new one, it is very important that you choose the right wall and floor tiles.

Smart placement, cleaner colour, size, and finish options are important to visually expand your small bathroom. In this blog, you will be able to know all that is needed to design your compact space with confidence.

Small Bathroom Tile Ideas

If you have a small bathroom, you can still create an illusion of width and height without adding an extra square meter to your space. Below are some of the smartest bathroom tile ideas that you can apply to your small bathroom to make it look big and spacious.

The Right Foundation

Your bathroom floor tiles set the tone of our space. If you want to apply tile in a small bathroom, choose tiles that create a seamless and open feel. Large-format porcelain tiles with fewer grout lines create less visual clutter and make the space appear larger.

Best Bathroom Floor Tiles

  • Matte of Satin Finish: It prevents slipping while maintaining a modern look.
  • Stone-effect Porcelain Floor Tiles: It gives a natural yet elegant appeal to your bathroom.
  • Light tone Floor Tiles: Soft greys, off-whites, and beiges reflect more light, making your space look more open.

Choose a trusted supplier, like Royale Stones, that has a wide selection of durable and low-maintenance small bathroom tiles for the floor that look beautiful yet work in smaller spaces. Royale’s Porcelain paving collection comes in a variety of colours and finishes, making it an excellent choice for homeowners and designers alike.

Bathroom Wall Tiles

Vertical tiles not only protect your bathroom wall from moisture, but also change the feel and look of your bathroom overall. Among the wall tiling ideas for small bathrooms, rectangular tiles like metro subway tiles elongate walls and make the ceiling feel higher. However, if you wish to widen your bathroom space visually, use the rectangular tiles horizontally.

Tips for Bathroom Wall Tiles

  • Use glossy ceramic or porcelain bathroom tiles for a small bathroom to reflect light and visually expand it.
  • Add texture with 3D tiles or mosaics for a feature wall.
  • If you want a seamless look, use the same tiles on the floor and the walls.
  • To avoid visual breaks, extend your tiles from the ground to the ceiling.

Go Large or Small Strategically

Most people have queries regarding the size of bathroom tiles for small bathrooms. Surprisingly, large tiles like 600x600mm or 600x300mm work well in small bathrooms. Large tiles with small grout lines give the illusion of more surface area.

However, it does not mean that you should skip the idea of small tiles once and for all. Small tiles, when used strategically, can visually add more interest in tight spaces. For example, use mosaic tiles in shower niches or as borders for beautifying your bathroom without crowding it.

Pro-Tip: Marble effect porcelain tiles in large sizes look stylish and help achieve the luxury-hotel look desired by many UK homeowners.

Bathroom Tile Colours

It is critical to choose the right colour palette for your bathroom. Light tones are classic and look great in small spaces. For instance, whites, off-whites, creams, and pastels reflect light and make the rooms feel bigger.

Nevertheless, dark tiles also work in small bathrooms if done correctly. One, it works great if you want a modern and moody bathroom. Two, you can add dark tile colours on the feature wall paired with white floor tiles for depth and sophistication.

Small Bathroom Tile Colour Combinations

  • White Subway tiles with pale wood-effect floors.
  • Beige stone effect tiles with soft aqua wall.
  • Dark green glossy tiles with brass fixtures.

Tile Grout Colour

Grout makes a huge difference in your design and can make or break your bathroom aesthetics. For small bathrooms, try matching colour grouts with the tile colour for a seamless and expansive look.

If not, contrast striking grout colour with your tiles, i.e., black grout with white tile for bathroom, to break up your space elegantly.

If you do not know what to do, go with the grout with a lighter shade than the tile for a clean finish.

Bathroom Feature Walls

If you want to add style to your bathroom without overcrowding, create a tiled feature wall behind your vanity or in the shower enclosure using textured or patterned tiles. It breaks the uniform or monotonous space and gives your bathroom a designer finish without crowding.

Pro-Tip: Wood look porcelain tiles or brick effect floor and wall tiles work very well in the bathroom for adding warmth and spa spa-like ambience. However, use it only on the feature wall.

Note: Here is a detailed article regarding the transformation of your indoor space with brick-effect floor and wall tiles: Transforming Your Home with Brick Effect Floor Tiles and Wall Tiles

Bathroom Tile Layouts

Laying tiles can affect your room’s visual dimensions a lot. Here are some of the most popular layouts that you can use in your small bathroom.

  • Diagonal Tile Layout: It adds a space-expanding and dynamic effect.
  • Vertical Tile Stacks: It is Ideal for creating a high ceiling illusion.
  • Brick Bond or Herringbone: These layouts add interest while guiding the eyes along the longer dimension of the room.

If you want a clean and contemporary bathroom look, consider using rectified tiles. They are precisely cut, and with minimal grout joints, you get a smoother and more luxurious result.

Mix Tile Materials Mindfully

If you intend to use different materials in your bathroom, you need to know their look and the impact they have on the space. While porcelain is a fan favourite among homeowners for its waterproof and durable nature, you can mix elements like:

  • Glass Tiles: Apply glass tiles on bathroom wall if you want to add a reflective accent.
  • Natural Stone Mosaics: For adding texture.
  • Wood-effect Porcelain Tiles: If you intend to warm the bathroom space without warping.

The mixing material technique is often used to add sophistication to your bathroom and distract the eyes from the limited dimensions of your compact bathroom.

Final Thoughts

As much as a small bathroom transformation with clever tiling is achievable, it is also fun. It all depends on your taste. Whether you love minimalism or bold statements, your tiling approach can make your space look what you want it to look like.

Royale Stones provides a stunning solution for bathroom tiles designs that blends beauty with functionality. From textured features to modern large format tiles, their UK-wide supply chain ensures to supply of quality tiles with a click.

Browse our full range of bathroom wall and floor tiles today and get a spa-like experience in your bathroom!

Further reading on bathroom tiles: Stylish Bathroom Tiles: Trends in Wall and Floor Designs

Frequently Asked Questions

Q-1 What is the best tile style for a small bathroom?

Ans- Large format porcelain tiles work best in a small bathroom with the intent of brightening up the space. Choose tile styles with lighter colours like marble-effect with glossy finish, or rectified edges to not only visually enhance the space, but also resist algae build-up and moisture.

Q-2 What is the best way to tile a small bathroom?

Ans- Floor to ceiling tiles are one of the best ways of tiling small bathrooms. Same tiles across the space widen the space. You can also strategically contrast tiles with feature walls, minimal grout lines and adhesive or pedestal systems for a sleek finish.

Q-3 What size tiles look best in a small bathroom?

Ans- 600x600mm or 600x300mm tiles work very well in small bathrooms. They reduce grout lines and give a more spacious illusion. Mosaics also work great for detail-oriented zones.

Q-4 Which way should the tile be laid in a small bathroom?

Ans- If you want to make the room feel larger, lay the tiles along the longest wall or diagonally. Vertical stacking helps raise the ceiling visually.

Q-5 Do tiles look better, vertical or horizontal?

Ans- Vertical tiles for bathrooms create an illusion of height while horizontal tiles widen the pace. Choose based on your bathroom’s layout and what you want to emphasise.