Tips For Choosing Tiles For Small Bathrooms

Bathroom design can be a tricky room to navigate. Not only is it difficult to choose between tile styles, porcelain or ceramic tiles and colours, but bathrooms are usually one of the smallest rooms of the house. As such they can be a tricky space to navigate when it comes to design. To avoid creating a small, cramped room, we’ve created for you recommendations on how to choose bathroom tiles that can strategically elevate your design potential to a well thought out and spacious small bathroom!

Interior designers are a wealth of knowledge when it comes to making aesthetic and functional choices in the home. So who better to ask than Melissa Lunardon; a Melbourne based interior designer and stylist specialising in residential and commercial spaces. With over a decade working in the industry, Melissa is no stranger to projects of all shapes and sizes. We had a chat with her to discuss tips and tricks when choosing the right bathroom tile (or tiles) for your small bathroom.

Image Source: Melissa Lunardon @melissa_lunardon

Large Format Tiles To Elevate Your Space 

Don’t be afraid to go big! Large format tiles are a great option to amplify your space. For clients wanting to make their bathroom bigger, Melissa states “using large format floor tiles creates less grout lines” making a thinner and fewer apart layout. Grout lines contribute to making rooms look busier and having large format tiles can create an illusion of more space. This is especially important for creating a streamlined floor. Whilst small mosaics can work in some spaces and when used effectively, having them across most of the walls can make the room feel too busy and clustered.

Light Coloured Tiles As Your Bathroom Floor Tile Give The Illusion Of A Bigger Space 

A great way to lighten and brighten a space is by using light coloured tiles. Unlike dark colours and contrasting colours which absorb light and inherently reduce the spaciousness of a small bathroom, light tiles give an impression of a larger space effortlessly. In terms of functionality, Melissa highlights finding a light coloured “tile with pattern and movement in natural textures works really well”. 

Functionality of Finishes 

In terms of finish Melissa states. “We love using a matt or lappato finish on the floor”. Matt is especially popular as they have greater traction which is especially important for wet areas. They also contribute to concealing dirt, smudges and overall reducing the maintenance and requirement to regularly clean. Gloss on the other hand can function to elongate the room through their reflective finish. The smooth finish makes them an easy tile for a quick wipedown especially in those wetter areas which become dirty quicker including the shower tiles.

Floor To Wall For A Seamless Transition 

To create a real wow factor, Melissa finds “using the same tile on the floor as the walls looks fabulous”. We couldn’t agree more. The seamless wall to floor tiled bathroom is a growing trend in interior design attributing to the ‘less is more’ minimalism aesthetic. It’s a great way to allow the space to flow. When using the same floor and wall tile it’s best to pick a tile which elevates the bathroom. A tile with texture or veining such as a natural stone look with various faces can bring an element of interest and as such avoids the need to use multiple tiles to create a stylish room.

Image Source: Stewart Levy Carpentry @stewartlevy.carpentry

Don’t Be Afraid Of Colour! 

As recognised by Melissa “white wall tiles are safe, but have a little fun with one of the walls. Wherever your eye draws to first – either the vanity wall or a shower wall”. A coloured accent tile wall using is the perfect way to create a focal point without overpowering a small bathroom. Choosing a colour which ties into kitchen and laundry tiles or cabinetry is a great way to create cohesion across the home. 

Make Considerable Design Choices Using Mosaics Or Patterned Tiles 

At Melissa Lunardon Interior Design, they are all about “injecting personality into (their) clients homes”. Whether it is through patterns or colours, shapes or sizes, playing with a design element is always a must. Melissa emphasises playing with design doesn’t mean making bold moves or big changes. If you don’t want to create a feature wall instead you “could simply limit it to a half height feature tile (i.e. mosaic tiles, subway etc) and then continue using a plain tile for the rest of the wall.” Other suggestions including having a feature mosaic in your shower nook, bath nook or a ceramic tile or porcelain half feature wall behind the basin splashback or mirror are great ways to subtly create points of interest without going overboard. 

Image Source: Carland Constructions @carlandconstructions

After A Few More Tips And Recommendations? 

To help those renovating their first project, Melissa has shared with us a few of her go to tile choices (thanks Melissa!). Her staple tile recommendations for small bathrooms are 600×600mm and 300×600mm floor and continuing wall tiles. These are a great standard size for small bathrooms and could be used interchangeably (i.e. 300×600 wall and 600×600 floor). 

In terms of style…“we love anything natural and warm looking like grey travertine, or pietra grey, marble look porcelain tiles. Kitkats, penny rounds and subway shape tiles are a great go to wall tile option for us!” 

Image Source: Janie & Cam @renosbyjanieandcam

Thanks so much to Melissa Lunadron for the wonderful advice she has shared with us today! Make sure to check out Melissa Lunadron Interior Design website and Instagram for more inspiration from her stunning projects. 

Need More Support With Your Next Project? 

We know how hard it is choosing bathroom tiles, with endless choice and recommendations, we’re here to help reduce the stress. Whether it’s picking the perfect bathroom tile, deciding between ceramic and porcelain tile options, picking that standout patterned floor tile, glass tile, textured tiles, square tiles or tiles for bathroom walls… our team of expertise are at your service to assist you in finding just the right option for you! Check out our website to view our range of marble tiles, porcelain tiles and many many more bathroom tiles.

Visit Us In Store or Online For Further Assistance 

For any further enquiries you can find your closest store on our website or reach us at enquiries@elegancetiles.com.au.