Tile Ideas for Small Bathrooms

The right tile can be transformational in a small bathroom. It can open up a space, make it lighter and brighter, and create a soothing spa-like sanctuary. There are a few rules and best practices you should keep in mind to achieve the best results. Here, we break down our top tips and best small bathroom tile ideas. 

Statement Making Tile Ideas for Small Bathrooms

Here are a few examples of tile we love in small bathrooms. Zero in on what inspires you most in these pictures. It may be the start of your own tile design!

1. High Contrast Bathroom Tile

The white grout on the white subway tiles on the wall contrast beautifully here with the bold pattern of black, gray, and white on the floors of this small bathroom.

Looking for more of a vintage vibe? This small bathroom keeps things mostly monochromatic with white walls and fixtures, then goes bold with a classic black and white tile laid in a diamond pattern. The wood around the lower half of the walls adds in another texture.

This is bite-sized bold! The large floor tiles that go up the shower wall make the space seem larger and give it more depth. The pop of blue not only contrasts in color there on the shower floor. It is also a miniscule size, playing perfectly off those big tiles around it.

2. Monochrome Bathroom Tile

This small bathroom layers white on top of white from the sink to the tub to the subway tile walls and white grout. The monochrome tile lets them add in a standout feature elsewhere: black and wood storage with a coordinating black mirror. If you want to go big on design in other elements, sticking with a monochrome tile gives you a perfect backdrop.

The tiny white floor tiles in this bathroom carry through right into the shower, then transition smoothly into white subway tiles on the shower walls. The white vanity and (enviable) white corner tub finish off this soothing palette. A nice reminder you can use two tiles in the same color to create visual interest!

3. Feature Wall of Tile in a Bathroom

This feature wall stands out without being a bold color or shape. Instead, the homeowners laid the large, rectangular gray tiles in alternating vertical and horizontal lines. It makes a big impact without becoming busy! Plus, a design tip to steal for the future: double shower curtains on the same rod. It instantly makes the tub/shower combo look bigger and more dramatic.

The wood-look floors, vanity, and feature wall all fall into the same brown tone, each with a different undertone. The modern tile layout and the size of the tile is what makes this feature wall standout without becoming the only thing you see in this smaller bathroom.

4. Shapes and Textures in Bathroom Tile

This small bathroom packs a ton into a small footprint, both in terms of style and functionality. Dark, large tiles on the floor give way to large, gray tiles on the wall. And both of those are merely setting the stage for this feature wall of wood-grain tile. The wood-grain tile adds a sense of texture and warmth, not to mention an unexpected surprise for the eye.

One of our favorite small bathrooms, featured in several other bathroom posts here on Modernize! Who could blame us? That beautiful black and pattern of swirl shapes and flower-esque blooms adds so much life. Next to it, there is subway tile with dark grout, drawing in both the dark and light from the patterned tile. Dark grout also shows less dirt, so consider it as a potential contrasting feature in your own tile!

All right, nothing about the above bathroom is “small.” This is luxury for luxury’s sake. Still, we are including it for reasons beyond loving the stained glass door and clawfoot tub.

Those enormous marble-look floor tiles meeting the herringbone pattern of smaller tiles on the wall provides contrast and movement in the space. If you are only tiling one areas of your small bathroom — perhaps just the backsplash or just the floor — consider choosing a simpler tile and laying it in a bolder pattern.

Tile Costs for Small Bathrooms

Tile costs vary widely and depend on factors like material, size, quantity, and the amount of labor required for installation. Here are some guidelines to help you start planning your small bathroom tile budget:

• For porcelain or ceramic tile, plan to budget approximately $2 to $10 per square foot. 
• If you love the look of natural stone, the average cost is higher, from $2 to $20 per square foot. 
• For glass tile, you can expect to pay between $16 to $30 per square foot.
• For zellige, specialty, and other types of handmade tile, you should budget from $7 to $28 per square foot. 

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Tile Ideas to Make a Small Bathroom Look Larger

Every inch counts in a small bathroom. The right tile can open up and maximize the space you have. So how do you pick from these great tile ideas? You can mix and match from different looks you love by paying attention to the following.

Go Lighter

Lighter colors open up a room and create the illusion of space. There is a reason why white is so popular in interior design! But there are other hues that offer a similar trick of the eye. Nearly any light shade will work, from a warm ecru to a cool fog gray or ice blue. These colors also make it easy to coordinate with bathroom countertops, vanities, and other fixtures.

Go Glossy

Small bathrooms often lack adequate natural light. Some small baths may not even have a window at all, which can make the space feel constricting. Tiles with a glossy finish are not only beautiful – they reflect light. 

Glossy tile amplifies both natural and artificial light. The movement of light helps open up a bathroom and can even help illuminate darker areas. 

Go Big

Small tiles are not the rule for small bathrooms. Large tiles can encourage the eye to move, and this movement creates an illusion of more space. When tiling a floor, be sure your bathroom has enough space for at least three tiles in one direction for proper scaling. 

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Take Me There

Go Vertical

Extend your floor tile into the shower. Your eyes will naturally travel horizontally and vertically to the tile that reaches the ceiling. 

Go With Thin Grout

At a glance, grout may seem purely functional, but grout color and thickness can make a significant difference in your finished bathroom. In small spaces, a thinner grout that matches the tile color will encourage the eye to move further into the room and make it appear larger. 

Tile Rules for Small Bathrooms

Tile “rules” is too strict a term. What follows are more like guidelines when it comes to tiling a small bathroom you will love coming home to after a long day. Keep in mind, a lot of tile selection is contextual. Meaning, your choices will be guided by how the tile plays into the other elements of the room like color palette, fixtures, and room layout. 

Choose Safety First for Bathroom Tiles

Safety is a priority in any bathroom, and the right floor tile selection can help prevent breakage, slips, and falls. Look for strong tiles of natural stone, ceramic, or porcelain that can withstand body weight and foot traffic. Glass tile is beautiful, but save it for the backsplash. 

Tile finish is also an important consideration. Glossy tile is a great choice for other areas of the bathroom, but gets slippery when wet. Textured or matte tiles offer more grip underfoot and are better suited to flooring and shower areas. 

Stick to One Palette for Tile in Small Bathrooms

Design restraint when choosing colors is important, even more so when buying tile for a small space. You have many options for your palette — complementary, monochrome, and analogous are a few examples. To maintain a put-together look, keep the palette to two colors, three maximum.

Mind Your Patterns When Tiling Small Bathrooms

Pattern and color are key to great tile to keep your eyes moving around the room, but too much will overwhelm a small bathroom. In other words, there can be too much of a good thing. If you fall in love with a patterned tile, by all means, go for it. But go for solids for your remaining tile selections. 

Pattern also extends to tile configurations. Multiple tile layouts look lovely in a small bathroom as long as you vary the size and scale of the configurations. For example, complement a small-tiled herringbone floor with a larger subway tile for the backsplash for contrast.

Pick One Standout Detail in Your Bathroom Tiles

A small bathroom can still be big in style. The key to pulling this off? Choose one bold tile feature. It could be a specific color, pattern, size, shape, or texture. Have fun being creative, but keep it to just one. Then, design around it. 

No matter which tile ideas you embrace for your own small bathroom, it’s sure to be your new favorite spot in the house once the project is complete.