3 Tiling Ideas For A Small Bathroom

To help you choose the ideal tiling for your bathroom there are many beautiful catalogues and online galleries available. But these are little help, as they tend to show enormous bathrooms, designed and constructed by the best professionals available, in conditions that are rarely available to the general public.

You’ll need to search very excessively to find even a few pictures taken of small bathrooms, since producers usually love to display their products in their perfect magnificence. In fact most bathrooms are usually half the size of the ones in the catalogues.

This blog will guide you on how to approach tiling a small bathroom

Many people find large tiles to their liking on pictures, only to choose smaller ones, as they think their tiny bathroom is not a good fit for them. This is a severe misconception, and one that I would like to abolish for good.

Large tiles in small bathrooms?

The misconception that large tiles do not fit into a small bathroom is an old and common one. Its roots have sunk into oblivion, but we can make several guesses where it came from.

First of all, during recently, the manufacturing of really large tiles were quite difficult for the producing companies, and thus the older bathrooms with wall and floor tiles usually consists of smaller tiles.

Many people have got used to them to the point that they are a bit afraid to make a radical change.

Second, they used to cost much more than smaller tiles, and although this is hardly the case anymore, people still tend to think about bigger tiles are more expensive.

The third and most important factor is that some hired contractors don’t really like to work with large tiles, especially for a small bathroom.

Bigger tiles do not only need more cutting, but they also require bigger cutting equipment, one that not every contractor has.

These tools can be costly, so it’s no wonder that the contractors are reluctant to buy them. It is quite possible that they were the ones to spread the false rumour that small bathrooms require normal-sized or smaller tiles, in order to make their own lives easier, so try to keep the next rule in mind.

The Contractor is not a Designer

There are only a few technical reasons why you can’t have large format tiles like weight restrictions on the substrate, or the walls or floor are not level enough that they would cause the tiles to look uneven once laid.

So, if you can talk and ensure the contractor has priced for what you want, there should not be any issues once the job has started.

We hear too often the contractor say you buy the tiles and we will fit, only to find when they are faced with what you have bought the job is going to cost extra labour time or materials in preparation.

This situation is what no party concerned wants so our advice is be honest and upfront with your contractor from the start, and if you do change your mind along the way always ask if there will be any cost implications rather than being shocked when they present you with the final bill is presented!

3 Tiling Ideas for a Small Bathroom

As you could see, there are no big difference between a large and a small bathrooms in terms of the option available, yet of course there are some tricks that large bathrooms don’t need, tricks that can make the space look bigger. Tiles represent a very elegant and seemly facing, so they rarely, if ever narrow the space, but there are some types that really can improve your bathroom, no matter how small it is.

1. Unified tiling

One of the most popular and beautiful tiling techniques is the one which makes the flooring look like it was made of one huge tile. This effect is achieved by using big tiles and a grout with completely similar colour. This tiling is not only elegant and stylish, but can also help to enhance the features of its surroundings, for example if the wall tile is patterned or spectacular in another way, and thus it also makes the bathroom seem , larger.

It looks good in any type of bathroom (and kitchen, living room), as it also transmits cleanness and a distinguished taste. Using mild colours is the most popular choice for this, as for the grout, mild colours are the best in terms of cleaning (see our recent article on tile grout colors), but choosing a braver tone can work out just as well. Don’t forget to place the tiles as close to each other as possible, to make the unified effect perfect.

2. Mosaic

The complete opposite of the unified tiling is the mosaic, a tiling that is as popular as ever due to its fantastic characteristics. Mosaic tiling is very easy to be kept clean, while it transmits some kind of ageless beauty, no wonder it is still chosen by millions every year. Although it is mainly used as wall tiling, it can look great on the floor as well.

Its parts are easily replaced, so any disastrous accidents happening can be corrected cheaply and easily, while the same cannot be said about a tiling made of large tiles. If you choose unified tiling on your floor and mosaic on your walls for example, you will get a result that is stylish and beautiful in its simplicity.

3. Popular modern tile patterns

Different tile patterns are coming back to popularity nowadays and there are many of them which can make a small bathroom look more spacious. The „Basketweave” or the „Pinwheel” patterns are especially smart in this regard, no wonder they are the most popular ones to be chosen by people who own smaller bathrooms. A nice pattern can give character to even the simplest of rooms, so if you think your bathroom is a bit dull or without modality, choose one of these beautiful designs, and you can make it much more exciting and awe-inspiring.

There are of course many other possibilities, but these are the ones that can really make a small bathroom a better-looking and cosier place. If you’re not sure which one fits your bathroom the best, contact a professional and he will surely tell you the best tiling ideas for a small bathroom. A tiling is usually the crown jewel of a bathroom, so make sure you take your time to decide which one fits your taste the best.

We have a wide range of bathroom tiles for the floor and walls and if you need guidance we are only a phone call away: 023 9298 6308