The 17 Best Small Bathroom Tile Ideas To Maximize Style In Tiny Spaces

Just because your bathroom is small doesn't mean it has to be drab. However, when it comes to styling tiny bathrooms, the usual design elements probably aren't going to cut it. It's easy to spruce up larger bathrooms by hanging artwork, displaying houseplants, and installing other pieces of decor. In a tiny bathroom, those same items might make the space feel cramped and cluttered, rather than elegant and tied together. It's still possible to maximize style in a tiny bathroom, but you will have to get a little creative. 

One easy way to completely spruce up your small bathroom without making it feel cramped is by installing a unique tile design. While also useful for protecting your walls from water damage, bathroom tiles can add texture, depth, and color to the space. Whether you want to go for the classic yet timeless subway tile look, utilize gorgeous Mediterranean tiles, or give your bathroom the feel of an earthy oasis with travertine tile, there are so many options for using tile to style your tiny bathroom.

When installed intentionally, tiles can even make a tiny bathroom feel bigger. For example, bathrooms decorated in light color tiles like white can make the space feel larger, especially if they're able to reflect natural light. That doesn't mean you need to be tied down to white though, as you can also use dramatic colored tiles in smaller spaces of your bathroom to break the space up and give it some more dimension. Here are some fabulous bathroom tile ideas to give you inspiration for how to use tiles to inject style into your tiny bathroom.

Though white subway tile started to gain popularity in the 1920s, it's still commonly used in homes today, and can be a fun way to jazz up even the tiniest of bathrooms. One of the huge perks of using white subway tile in your bathroom is that it can make even a cramped space feel larger from the way the light will reflect off the white tiles. To elongate the space, you can stack your white subway tiles vertically. Or, you can install subway tiles in the shower to draw attention to that space.

Turning to tile is a great way to style your bathroom without making it feel cramped with decor. One great way to style your space doesn't involve installing tile on the walls, but rather by laying tiny mosaic tiles in a simple design on the floor. The benefit of this is that the texture of the tiles will draw eyes to the floor as the focal point of the room, distracting from the rest of the space that may have a more simplistic layout.

Creating an accent is a great way to style a tiny bathroom, and what better place to accentuate than a shower you love? Blue brick tile can give your shower an incredible pop of color, and create a stark contrast against an otherwise neutral colored bathroom. The dramatic contrast will give your tiny bathroom some extra depth, and the blue color will also be a stunning focal point of the bathroom. If you want to mix pattern and color for some extra excitement, you can lay the blue brick tile in a herringbone pattern.

An accent wall won't only make a statement in your tiny bathroom, but it'll also help make the space seem larger. One fun way to create an accent wall in your bathroom is by using penny tiles. Since they're so small and the grout is more noticeable, penny tiles can give a space plenty of texture. Plus, you can have fun arranging them into different shapes and patterns to create a unique looking accent wall that will add charm to your entire bathroom.

A unique way to style your bathroom and also give it the illusion of being larger, is to lay the same type of tiles from the floor up to the ceiling. This design will effectively stretch out the look of your bathroom, making it appear larger than it is. It will also give your bathroom a very harmonious look and feel. If you like to style your home in a way that is neat and orderly, it doesn't get much more organized than matching floor and wall tiles.

If you want to make a bold statement in your bathroom, a great way to do that is with horizontal striped tiles. You can keep it simple and clean by adding one thick accent stripe all the way along your tiled wall, or stack stripes to give the room more movement and energy. Striped tilework doesn't have to be overly bold either — you can also keep it subtle with neutral colors. With that said, don't be afraid to contrast bright colors to give your bathroom a fun and funky feel.

While many of these designs call for using soft, light colors for tile that doesn't mean you can't go big or go home with colorful, dramatic floor tiles to style a small bathroom. Using bold floor tiles can look fantastic in a smaller bathroom with an otherwise minimalist design. The colorful tiles will become the focal point of the room, and your space will gain a fun burst of color and excitement without feeling overly busy.

It's understandable to not want to hang up artwork and decorations in a tiny bathroom, which can make a small space feel cramped. One way to style your small bathroom, if you're missing the look of artwork but don't have the space, is to install textured tile. Opt for a coastal aesthetic with tiles shaped like seashells, or a cool geometric approach, or circular indented tiles, the options are limitless. Since they're such a statement, you don't even need to put up a whole wall of them to style your space — although you certainly can.

While mixing patterns might be a fashion faux pas on the runway, blending tile types can create some serious style in your tiny bathroom. While this stylistic choice may not be for everyone, mixing tile patterns is perfect for someone who loves colorful and eclectic decor. Just be sure that the patterns and colors complement each other before installation, like the gorgeous green mosaic and the sandy colored terrazzo featured in the above image.

The Mediterranean is famous for its tilework, and what better way to style a bathroom than with a gorgeous Spanish or Portuguese tile backsplash? Mediterranean tiles are known for their beautiful curves and colors, and using them for a bathroom backsplash can either tie a well-curated room together, or function as the focal point for decor in your tiny bathroom. They'll also likely give your tiny bathroom a soft, airy, and well, Mediterranean feel. What's not to love?

Even the tiniest of guest bathrooms can exude spa vibes when fitted out with marble tiles. If you love a uniform look, you can install marble tile onto both the floors and walls for a seamless, elegant appearance. Opt for a lighter color to make the space feel even larger. Plus, marble is so beautiful on its own, you won't really need any other decorations to style your space — perfect if there isn't any room for other decor in your tiny bathroom.

A key design aspect for styling a tiny room is to break up the space. If you're fortunate enough to have a bathtub in your bathroom, tiling around the tub is a fantastic way to infuse style into your bathroom by highlighting the bathtub. To do this, you're going to want to install tile directly behind the tub, and only lay tiles about halfway up the wall above the tub. By not tiling the full wall, the space surrounding the tub will really be accentuated as the stylistic focal point of the bathroom.

While it's true that lighter colored tiles typically make a small space feel larger, that doesn't mean that you have to follow that as a hard and fast rule. Dark tiles can absolutely be implemented in a smaller bathroom to create a moody, sleek statement. If you're really trying to create some drama in the bathroom, you can install floor to ceiling black tiles, as long as you have sufficient lighting. However, a single black accent wall or backsplash may be all you need to spice up your space.

Another great way to style and make a small bathroom feel bigger is to stack wall tiles vertically. When installed in a small place, vertically stacked tiles can elongate your walls and make your bathroom feel more spacious. And who doesn't want their bathroom ceilings to look taller? In addition to making your space seem bigger, stacked tiles are also visually appealing, and bring a contemporary style to your bathroom. For the best results, stack tiles vertically from the floor to the ceiling to really stretch out the room visually.

One of the best ways to maximize style in a tiny bathroom is to use glossy tiles for your tilework. Glossy tiles are equipped with an extra layer of glass that gives them their shine. In a well lit bathroom, glossy tiles can also reflect the light, which can make your space seem bigger. Plus, with all that light they reflect, glossy tiles can make your bathroom feel downright bright and cheerful. Keep in mind, these tiles are probably a better fit for the walls than the floor, as they can be slippery.

If you're craving a fun and eclectic look in your tiny bathroom but don't want to jam it full of decorations, consider matching your tilework to funky wallpaper. This is a great way to style a bathroom if you already have wallpaper installed that you love and you want to accentuate it, or if you aren't ready to financially commit to a whole wall of tiles. The soft pink tile backsplash with the floral wallpaper — shown above — complement each other perfectly, and bring tons of style to this tiny bathroom.

The cool thing about tilework, especially if you're doing it yourself, is you really get to channel your creative side. One such way to unleash your creativity is to incorporate a unique design into the tilework. In a nutshell, your bathroom walls and floors are the canvas and the tiles are your paint! You don't necessarily have to design the next Picasso in your bathroom, but you can definitely use tiles to create a really unique design to style your tiny bathroom.