Designing a small bathroom comes with a unique set of challenges. Limited floor space, cramped layouts and low ceilings can make the room feel extremely confined and harder to work with. It’s easy for a small bathroom to appear cluttered or dark, especially when the wrong materials or design choices are used.
But there is good news! Choosing the right bathroom tiles can completely transform the look and feel of your compact space. Bathroom tiles can work wonders in creating the illusion of a larger, brighter and more open space, as seen in the image below featuring the popular Atrium Bathroom Wall Tiles. These ceramic tiles are perfect for both bathroom floors and walls. They are part of EMC Tiles’ popular budget-friendly, everyday tiles range. With a bit of know-how and expert advice from our team at EMC Tiles, even the smallest bathrooms can be transformed into luxurious and inviting spaces.
In this blog, we will provide some practical advice and inspiration from our satisfied customers to help you choose the best tiles for your small bathrooms.
Here’s a quick overview of some foolproof small bathroom tile ideas that can make a big impact:
- Opt for large format floor and wall tiles to minimise grout lines and create a seamless look.
- Continue floor tiles up the walls to enhance depth and flow.
- Use vertical tiles on walls to draw the eye upward, creating the illusion of height.
- Place horizontal tiles strategically to make narrow spaces feel wider.
- Choose plain or glossy tiles to reflect light and brighten the space.
By combining these simple and effective techniques, you can transform a compact bathroom into a space that feels bigger, brighter and more inviting.
1. Large Format Tiles: A Seamless Look
Larger tiles are a hot bathroom design trend for 2025, creating fewer grout lines to create a clean and uninterrupted surface. This seamless look helps trick the eye into perceiving the space as larger than it actually is. Large format tiles work beautifully on both floors and walls, creating a consistent and cohesive aesthetic throughout the bathroom.
Take inspiration from this stunning customer bathroom project, featuring the gorgeous Instone range in Bone from Edimax. A mix of tile sizes and mosaics from the range has been used to completely transform a small and tired bathroom into one that is sleek and modern. You can see the whole project with before and after photos, here. By using the same tiles throughout the room, this bathroom tile design creates a seamless flow that gives the illusion of more space.
Pro Tip: In your tile choices opt for light-coloured or plain tiles, such as whites, creams or soft greys that reflect more light and further enhance the spacious effect.
2. Continue Floor Tiles Up the Wall for Depth
Another clever design strategy is to extend your floor tiles up the opposite wall from the entrance to create a cohesive look and visually striking design. This technique creates a sense of depth and natural flow, tricking the eye into perceiving a small space as larger and more expansive. Using the same tiles on the walls and floors adds a seamless, elegant feel.
The San Pedro Dove Grey Tiles from Imola Tiles are a perfect example of this approach, as used by one of our customers. These 120x60cm polished porcelain tiles are slim, rectified and just 6.5mm thick, making them ideal for both bathroom walls and floors. Part of the new generation of ceramic slabs, these tiles amplify the potential of porcelain stoneware, delivering unmatched versatility and elegance. They truly go beyond all expectations for modern bathroom design and the natural stone marble-effect porcelain finish brings a sophisticated, bright and luxurious touch to any bathroom.
Pro Tip: When choosing tiles, opt for glossy tiles to enhance light reflection, adding brightness and further boosting the illusion of space.
3. Vertical Tiles for Low Ceilings
Low ceilings in bathrooms can often make the space feel cramped and confined. By using vertical tiles or patterns, you can elongate the walls, creating the illusion of height and naturally drawing the eye upward. Consider vertical subway tiles, stacked layouts or elongated tile shapes, such as the Canne Series by Rondine, to achieve this effect. These designs not only make the ceiling appear higher but also add a modern and stylish touch to your bathroom.
Take a look at this clever downstairs bathroom transformation by a customer. It showcases the versatile Equipe Artisan Moss Metro Tiles arranged in a vertically stacked pattern, a perfect choice for adding height to any space. The deep green hues, another popular bathroom trend in 2025, of these tiles pair beautifully with the natural wood-effect flooring and bright white walls, resulting in a vibrant and stylish room. These smaller tiles come in a wide range of colours, making them versatile for any interior design.
Pro Tip: When using vertical tiles to create the illusion of height, pair them with white tiles or a lighter paint colour or ceiling finish. This contrast enhances the upward visual effect, making the room feel even taller and more open. You could even use metro tiles to create modern herringbone patterns for added features and visual interest in your small bathroom.
4. Horizontal Tiles for Narrow Bathrooms
Narrow bathrooms can often feel tight and restrictive, making it challenging to achieve a comfortable and open ambience. Horizontal tile patterns offer a simple yet effective solution by visually widening the space. These tiles draw the eye across the room, creating the illusion of greater width and making the bathroom feel more spacious and inviting.
Just take a look at this incredible example of horizontal tiles used in this stunning bathroom transformation by a customer. The standout feature here is the 3D textured tiles by Ceramica Rondine ‘Wallart’ wall tile in greige, which adds visual interest, depth and a unique focal point.
This beautiful combination demonstrates how the right tiles not only create the illusion of width but also add style and character to a narrow bathroom.
Pro Tip: To maximise the effect and make a small bathroom feel bigger, use horizontal tiles on the longest walls. This not only opens up the room visually but also enhances the overall flow of the space and draws the eyes to this feature wall.
5. Plain and Glossy Tiles: Reflecting Light
Glossy tiles reflect light beautifully, brightening your bathroom and creating the illusion of a larger, more open space. Their ability to bounce light around the room can make even the smallest areas feel airy and inviting.
These Ice Gloss White Bathroom Wall Tiles by Peronda are a perfect example. Part of the ultra-white Ice collection, these tiles are ideal for adding a sense of spaciousness to bathrooms, living rooms, reception areas or even bedrooms. Their clean and reflective surface enhances light flow, making any space feel brighter and more expansive.
Pro Tip: Pair glossy wall tiles with matte floor tiles for a safe, non-slip surface while maintaining a sleek and balanced design. Neutral tones and simple patterns offer endless possibilities and will further enhance the spacious effect.
6. Wild Card: Hexagon Tiles
If you are looking for a unique and stylish way to elevate your bathroom design, hexagon tiles are a fantastic wild card option if used correctly. These geometric tiles bring a contemporary edge to any space while offering surprising versatility in small bathrooms. The unique honeycomb pattern creates visual interest, adding depth and texture to your bathroom. Furthermore, when paired with contrasting grout, they can emphasise the geometric design, enhancing the overall aesthetic of your room.
Take a look at this incredible customer project showcasing just how creative you can get with hexagon tiles in a small space! Featuring the Montmartre Matt Hexagon tiles from APE, this bathroom design uses hexagon tiles to create a quirky and unique statement. The combination of pattern and colour makes a bold impression, pairing beautifully with pink bathroom units and gold finishings.
Pro Tip: For small bathrooms, choose light-coloured or glossy hexagon tiles to maximise light reflection and keep the design feeling open and airy. If you are feeling adventurous, a combination of matte and gloss finishes can add even more depth to the design.
