Get inspired by these bathroom tile ideas for small bathrooms — perfect for making the most of a compact space with potential
(Image credit: Direct Tile Warehouse)
Getting creative with bathroom tile ideas for small bathrooms can transform a compact space into a luxurious sanctuary, but careful consideration is required in terms of size, colour and laying pattern.
A clever or well-considered bathroom design will utilise the small space in ways which maximises functionality while creating the illusion of extra room. While tiles are obviously an essential part of bathroom materials, they can also be a wonderful helper in forming a personality and make a statement in a small bathroom.
Use Bathroom Tile Ideas for Small Bathrooms as a Feature
(Image credit: Crosswater)
If your small bathroom is full of awkward nooks and alcoves, creating a feature wall is a sure-fire way to add some drama and make the space feel like every inch is being used.
Some great small en suite ideas can be found in this design. To create a focal point in an otherwise odd-shaped space is ingenious — pink metro tiles have been laid in a herringbone pattern for practical protection against splashes from the sink and an eye-catching pop of colour in the otherwise neutral compact space.
Lay Bathroom Tiles in a Pattern for a Unique Small Shower Room
(Image credit: Walls and Floors)
When there's limited space for a full bathroom, savvy shower room ideas can be a huge help.
Here a long format slim tiles have been laid from white to black for a transition into the wet room's shower area, making the room feel bigger and as if the space has been used to its full potential.
(MORE: Check out These Wet Room Ideas for More Inspiration)
Use Wall and Floor Tiles to Make A Small Bathroom Feel Bigger
(Image credit: Original Style)
If your small bathroom is narrow or squat, laying the same floor and wall tiles can create the feeling of a more spacious room — it can can also work well in showers or along bath panels.
Here, wood-effect herringbone floor tiles zig zag their way up to the ceiling to provide the illusion of a wider walls.
Think about the Laying Pattern for Bathroom Wall Tiles
(Image credit: Tile Mountain)
Laying narrow tiles in a stack bond will instantly make a room feel taller, especially when in neutral or grey tones that don't distract the eye too much.
Not just a pretty laying pattern, this bathroom also utilises a small stud wall to conceal the plumbing from the bath and to make a small practical shelf — an ingenious way to maximise every inch.
Tried and trusted bathroom design ideas are often effective in modern bathrooms. For one, laying large format tiles in a small space can create the illusion of extra room, and a great way to modernise this idea is to mix and match different tiles to a stunning effect.
Here, the small, narrow feature tiles draw the eye up and away from the floorspace covered with large, square tiles and gives the whole room a well-considered, highly-designed feel.
Get Creative with Bathroom Tiles
(Image credit: Direct Tile Warehouse)
Contrast a half wall of tiles with a bright and fun colour for a cheery small space to relax in. Where the shower is positioned on the left of the image a full wall of small metro tiles creates an effective 'splash zone' while around the bath, a half wall is more than enough in the space.
Complement white sanitaryware with a pop of gold and luxurious dark wall tiles in a small bathroom to create a hotel-inspired space. The long-format tiles have been laid here in a brick bond with a colour-matched grout while the grey herringbone flooring adds instant interest.
Go Bold with Bathroom Floor Tiles in a Small Bathroom
(Image credit: Burlington)
Where floorspace is limited, make every inch pop with eye-catching bathroom flooring. Here, hexagonal pink tiles create a fantastic optical illusion that there is more space while the neutral wall tiles and pared-back design really let's them take centre-stage.
Add Some Texture with Tiles For a Small Spa-inspired Bathroom
(Image credit: Burlington)
Celebrating the textures and patina of real stone, this bathroom is a masterclass in recreating the relaxed and calm atmosphere of a spa.
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Amy is an interiors and renovation journalist. She is the former Assistant Editor of Homebuilding & Renovating, where she worked between 2018 and 2023. She has also been an editor for Independent Advisor, where she looked after homes content, including topics such as solar panels.
She has an interest in sustainable building methods and always has her eye on the latest design ideas. Amy has also interviewed countless self builders, renovators and extenders about their experiences.
She has renovated a mid-century home, together with her partner, on a DIY basis, undertaking tasks from fitting a kitchen to laying flooring. She is currently embarking on an energy-efficient overhaul of a 1800s cottage in Somerset.
