Small bathrooms and en-suites are some of my favourite rooms to design. With every surface on show, the tiles do a lot of the work, and a few careful choices can make the space feel noticeably bigger.
Go bigger than you think
It’s natural to assume small tiles suit small rooms, but often the opposite is true. Large-format tiles mean fewer grout lines, which makes walls and floors feel calmer and more continuous. The room reads as one space rather than a grid.
Keep the palette simple
- Light, warm neutrals bounce light around and make the walls feel further away.
- Using the same tile on the floor and walls blurs the edges of the room.
- If you love colour, use it on one feature wall or inside a shower niche, rather than everywhere.
Think about direction
Laying rectangular tiles horizontally can make a narrow room feel wider. Running them vertically draws the eye up and makes a low ceiling feel taller. Classic metro tiles work beautifully either way, and they suit both period and contemporary homes.
Choose the finish carefully
Gloss tiles reflect light and can lift a dark room, while matt and stone-effect finishes feel softer and more natural underfoot. For floors, and especially for walk-in showers and wet rooms, slip resistance matters as much as looks.
Built-in niches beat shelves
A tiled niche in the shower wall gives you somewhere for bottles without a caddy or shelf sticking out into the room. Line it with a contrasting tile or a mosaic and it becomes a feature in its own right. Planning niches early is important, because they’re built into the wall before tiling starts.
In a small bathroom, every surface is on show, so it pays to get the details right.
Don’t forget the grout
Grout colour changes the whole look. A matching grout gives a seamless, calm finish, while a contrasting grout highlights the pattern of the tiles. Either can look wonderful; it’s about the effect you want.
Not sure where to start? I can source almost any tile you’ve seen and help you narrow down the options. Get the brochure for ideas, or arrange a consultation.