Bathroom Tile For Small Bathrooms: Design Rules You Should Know

How do you pick bathroom tile for small bathrooms? After renovating three small bathrooms in the last two years, I’ve learned a few design tricks. Today I’m sharing these practical design rules to help make your tile decision process easier! And hopefully save you a few trips to the tile store.

Something to consider when picking out bathroom tile for small bathrooms is how to get the right balance of coordination and contrast.

Are you tiling a shower, a floor, and a backsplash all in one bathroom? Are you using a chair rail or tile moulding? Adding a tile border, or using multiple tiles to create a pattern?

There’s tons to consider, which makes choosing the right tile(s) overwhelming.

In my own experience searching for the perfect tiles for our small bathrooms, the biggest lesson I learned was this: look at the the size, color, and shape of the tiles.

Rule: Don’t use matching tile for the whole room.

The first rule of thumb is simple. If you are tiling more than one area in your bathroom, don’t use the same tile for everything.

Using the same tile for everything is a guaranteed way to end up with a bland and boring room.

Your tiles do need to go together, but they shouldn’t be the exact same tile.

You need to add variety between your floor tile, shower tile, and any other area you are tiling. Keep reading for a few tips on how to do that!

Rule: Don’t choose bathroom tiles that contrast too much.

In the same regard, don’t swing too far the other way and choose tiles that don’t match at all.

Using completely different tiles will make your bathroom will feel chaotic.

This is bad news, especially for small bathrooms.

The key for choosing the right bathroom tile for small bathrooms is to find tiles with similarities in color, texture, or even shape.

Make sure they coordinate in some way. You’re tiles need to go together!

Here’s how we struck this balance in our green bathroom from our Texas house.

Tile 1: I chose white, mosaic hex tile for our flooring and shower pan.

Tile 2: Then I chose a medium-size rectangle white tile for our shower. The white floor tile was a polished porcelain tile, whereas our shower tile had a wavy, organic texture to it.

• Similarities: white, polished/glossy
• Contrasts: size, texture, and shape

I used the same warm gray grout on the floor and shower walls to make all the tiled spaces feel unified, which helps in a small bathroom.

Want to know a designer secret? Get my insider tips on how to order the right size rug every single time.

* indicates required

First Name *

Email Address *

Rule: Pair a small tile with a large tile.

If you use a small tile on the floor, choose a larger tile for the walls. And vice versa.

Once you find a tile you like, pair it with another tile at least double the size (or half the size).

You can see below how I followed this for our shower and floor tile. The tiles look in proportion to each other.

I’m not a big fan of extra-large tiles. Just not my preferred style. I loved little details, and I found smaller mosaic tiles and medium-sized tiles brought those little details into the design.

But if you like the look (and ease) of extra-large tiles, try to pair it with another tile that’s about half the size!

When we remodeled our pink hall bathroom, I chose a medium-sized square tile. We weren’t upgrading our shower tile at the time, so I went with a floor tile that was about twice the size of the shower tile.

This rule of thumb kept our small bathroom from feeling out of balance.

Rule: Coordinate your tile with your other finishes.

Choose what element in the room you’d like to steal the show. Then coordinate everything else around that.

For example, I knew I wanted a dark green shiplap wall treatment in our old primary bathroom. So I chose a neutral, bright tile for the shower and floors. This way I didn’t oversaturate the room with too much color.

If you choose a bold tile design, consider using softer colors and features elsewhere in the room to balance it out.

If you plan to use a busy wallpaper, try a more subtle tile design.

Order tile samples to see how the colors go together with your other design plans (paint colors, wallpaper, vanity, decor, etc.).

In our most recent bathroom tile upgrade in our new house, I chose a green penny tile that my kids loved. I wanted this small bathroom to be really colorful and whimsical. It still needs a few more elements to bring it all together, but I love the detail of the small penny tile floor. This small bathroom is full of color, but it doesn’t feel overly busy or chaotic.

Bathroom tile for small bathrooms can still be bold and fun, as long as they coordinate with everything else in the room!

Coordinate your colors between your tile, hardware, and wall finishes to create an overall complimentary look.

Rule: Order tile samples.

I’m a very tactile and visual person.

So it was really helpful for me to visit local tile shops and view tiles in person. I could feel the textures, see how the light bounced off of them, get a better understanding of their color and size.

I brought home 15-20 tiles I thought might work, and started playing around with them.

I set them in my bathroom to see how they looked in my lighting. Held them up against the shower wall, on the floor, and with other tile samples I had picked out. Moved them around the room. Set paint samples next to them. Placed my cabinet hardware next to them.

And returned whichever ones I didn’t like.

I was surprised to find some of the tiles I loved online, I really didn’t like in person.

Be sure to order tile samples. Spend a few days with them in your space to get a feel for what you like.

Rule: Make a digital mood board.

Making a digital mood board was my first step for every small bathroom renovation we’ve done.

This helped me hone a style I wanted and gave me a clear direction on what to look for at tile shops.

I used Canva.com to add screenshots of all the products I wanted in our bathroom design. Then I started changing different pieces of the room design until I had a look I loved.

This made it easy to see how a tile could change the look and feel of the space. And how it would coordinate with everything else I wanted.

Decide which element you want to steal the show (the wallpaper, the tile, a light fixture), and then add coordinating pieces around it.

Rule: Hire a designer if you need it!

A bathroom remodel is a major investment in your home. You’re about to spend a lot of money on a room you’ll use every single day. Of course you should love the final look! If you’re stuck and overwhelmed with how to pick the right design elements, hire a designer to help you. It’s their job to come alongside you and bring your vision to life.

Stores like Floor & Decor or the Tile Shop have staff that can help you pick the right tile. Or find a local interior designer who can help you in person.

Choosing The Right Bathroom Tile For Small Bathrooms

I’m by no means a tile expert, but these few rules of thumb have been so helpful in my own bathroom designs! Choosing bathroom tile for small bathrooms can take a creative mindset. Don’t be afraid to reach out to an interior designer or artistic friend for help.

If you STILL feel overwhelmed with choosing the right bathroom tile for small bathrooms, book a design consultation with me! I LOVE designing bathrooms and will deep dive into what will work to fit into your style and your space.