3 space-boosting tricks you can use when choosing tiles for tiny bathrooms

As we all know, bijou can be beautiful – especially when it comes to bathrooms. But how to make your tiny bathroom feel bigger? 

There are a number of clever tricks you can use – and here, the H&G team and Hamish Smith, Creative Director at Ca' Pietra, give their top tips on choosing space-boosting tiles.

Some of these bathroom tile ideas are unexpected, but having tried them out in our own homes, we can attest that they're effective.

1. Don't think tile size, think grout-matching

Should you go for a large or small tile when considering small bathroom ideas?

'This is one where opinions tend to differ,' says Hamish. 'Some say that small mosaic tiles are the best way to go in a small bathroom whereas others advise to go for larger tiles to open the space up.   

'What it comes down to is whether or not you want to run with the coziness of the room, emphasising its small proportions and celebrating its coziness.'

Actually, picking a mosaic in a light color can enhance the feeling of space just as much as choosing a large tile in a darker color. Our advice to avoid costly mistakes when buying tiles? Heighten the space-enhancing effect whatever you opt for by picking a grout that matches the color of the tile as closely as possible – it is the grout lines that can make a space feel more enclosed. 

For a modern take on mosaics, 'try a mosaic in an unusual shape such as scallop or circle,' suggests Hamish, like in the gray bathroom tile ideas above and below.

2. Opt for a seamless finish

Co-ordinate your bathroom floor tiles with the rest of the room. 'Large format tiles on the walls and floors will instantly make a small bathroom feel more spacious,' says Hamish.

'Go for 30 to 60cm plain-colored tiles on both your walls and floors and they’ll blur the boundaries so your floor space isn’t so defined. 

'The uninterrupted, seamless flow creates clean lines – a marble or limestone will layer on interest with the natural pattern and varied natural shades too.' Large format tiles are big in tile trends this year, so are a stylish way to update a tiny bathroom.

3. Rely on visual tricks

'Tiles are the perfect material for using visual tricks to boost space in a small bathroom,' says H&G's Editor in Chief. 'You can create vertical lines to make a low-ceilinged bathroom feel taller, like in the bathroom above, or fix Metro-style tiles horizontally to make a narrow space feel wider.'

If wondering how to tile a shower wall, placing tiles diagonally, like in the bathroom below, is a clever shower tile idea to make a tiny space feel wider and longer. 

If you are looking for more tile ideas for a small bathroom, H&G's Editor in Chief suggests 'tiling up to waist height with a paler color, which also helps a tiny bathroom feel bigger'.