5 New Small Bathroom Tile Ideas 2024

Having a small bathroom doesn’t mean decorating it has to be a challenge. Small bathroom tiles can be the ultimate upgrade to your space. See our recommendations for small bathroom tile ideas for your bathroom!

1. Big Or Small Is Ace When Short On Space
2. Go For Light When Space Is Tight
3. For adding Style Think Patterned Tiles
4. Reflective Surfaces Love Smaller Spaces
5. Prevent A Claustrophobic Feeling; Tile Floor To Ceiling

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Whilst many of us dream of a grand bathroom with luxurious features, many of us have small bathrooms. If you’re in the throws of redecorating and in need of some small bathroom tile ideas, we’ve got you covered!

With small UK bathrooms, one thing that’s really important is how you decorate your walls and floors. Some opt for tiles, others opt for bathroom wall panels. The best small bathroom tiles designs will create the illusion of space and style, but if you choose the wrong tile design it could create the opposite effect; resulting in a miniature nightmare. With so many bathroom tiles to choose from, our experts have put together some farsighted ideas that will style your small bathroom for years to come.

1. Big Or Small Is Ace When Short On Space

Bathroom tile sizes vary from tiny mosaic tiles to gigantic tiles which can reach meters in length. It’s not a very good idea to use meter long, gigantic tiles in most small bathrooms because the tile will get cut off a lot; creating tons of waste, and potentially interrupting the pattern or style, although there are no rules so the choice is always yours at the end of the day.

On the other hand large bathroom tiles, usually measuring between 30 - 60cm, tend to create a calm feel which is perfect for bathrooms with limited space. If you’re tempted by the thought of using large or medium-sized tiles then square shapes with neutral colours, such as white or grey, are ideal. Other options to consider with bigger tiles are rectangular-shaped tiles. There’s plenty more to choose from allowing you to get the perfect style and a variety of tiling patterns can be made to help jazz the room up a bit.

Small bathroom tiles also work really well, but be aware that smaller tiles can sometimes create a busy feel. Avoid this by using light colours and refrain from using small tiles with heavy pattern features. Mosaic tiles are probably the most popular choice of small tile and can make a stunning feature wall around the basin area. Another great option here is mini metro tiles. Metro tiles are right on trend and these mini versions are perfectly suited to small bathrooms, en-suites and cloakrooms.

Small bathroom tiles tend to give you much more versatility and room for the style to breathe.

2. Go For Light When Space Is Tight

The colour of your bathroom tiles can really make an impact in a small bathroom. Most people go for light hues such as white, cream and light grey although many small bathrooms still look fantastic with darker shades.

Neutral colours help keep the tone of a room calm and clean which really helps in smaller rooms. Choose a neutral bathroom tile colour scheme and it’ll provide the illusion of more space and as an added benefit will be a hit with potential buyers should you ever come to sell your home.

Alternatively, plan a monochrome colour scheme with your bathroom tiles. This is a really easy style to achieve and it looks awesome in small settings. Using black and white metro tiles is one of the best tiling ideas for small bathrooms. Their glossy finish allows light to be reflected around the room and they’re so modish; with no sign of disappearing from the scene anytime soon.

3. For adding Style Think Patterned Tiles

Patterned bathroom tiles can make a small bathroom feel very busy which can sometimes create a cluttered feel, so do air on the side of caution if you’re adamant about using one of these popular styles. One of the easiest tiling ideas for small bathrooms, en suites or cloakrooms is to create a feature wall with your patterned tiles. The use of designer bathroom tiles will totally impress your guests and help keep eyes off the floor. The floor space in a bathroom is a real giveaway when you’re trying to create the illusion of space so it’s imperative that you try to keep eyes away from it.

Patterned bathroom floor tiles are much easier to work into small spaces and are a great way of decorating without cramping style. If you want a stylish bathroom floor then patterned floor tiles are a great choice. Designer bathroom tiles are highly popular right now and well worth considering for your small bathroom, just be aware that they will draw attention to the floor space which will negate any efforts to make the room appear larger than it is.

If you’re wondering why patterned tiles work so well in bathrooms take a look at this great article.

4. Reflective Surfaces Love Smaller Spaces

In a small bathroom light plays a huge part on whether or not the room will look smaller or larger than it really is. When you’re thinking about small bathroom tile ideas then you may want to consider tiles with a glossy, glass or mirror finish. The glossy finish of modern bathroom tiles allow light to bounce around the room effortlessly whilst the glass and mirrored finishes will totally enhance the feeling of space.

Other finishes which are great modern bathroom tile designs for small bathrooms are marble and stone finishes. Marble bathroom tiles can have a slight gloss finish although not all do. A light colour in this style of tile can really create an elegant feel. Stone bathroom tiles are hugely popular in bathrooms. A neutral tone stone tile can be great for both walls and floors.

A small bathroom can really shine when you make use of these finishes.

5. Prevent A Claustrophobic Feeling; Tile Floor To Ceiling

Unfortunately, small spaces can quite easily create a feeling of confinement which can be a little unpleasant, especially if you’re claustrophobic. One suggestion is to tile the bathroom from floor to ceiling with the same tile in order to create a sense of continuity, which ultimately makes the room feel larger and more spacious. This not only reduces that restricted feeling but it can be a real head turning feature too.

As we’ve discovered, there’s lots of small bathroom tiling ideas out there to ensure you can get the perfect look. The main takeaways from this guide are to choose light, neutral colours to prevent a clustered feel. Size of tile shouldn’t matter too much although gigantic tiles are best left for larger spaces. Reflective surfaces will ensure an even distribution of light throughout the room which helps create a sense of space; perfect for small cramped spaces, and you should opt for feature walls when using patterned tiles, or use the same tile from floor to ceiling for a striking appearance. If you need more than just tiling ideas for small bathrooms then these 21 simple small bathroom ideas will really help you get the most from your space.

Another handy little tool is this tile calculator. Use it to work out how many tiles you'll need for your bathroom or any other room in the home; perfect for when you're ready to buy your tiles.

We really hope you found our 5 Bathroom Tile Ideas For Small Bathrooms guide useful and we wish you the best of luck with your next project. Feel free to get in touch or leave a comment with any of your own tile ideas or suggestions and as always, please share this article with someone you know who may find it useful too!