A small bathroom isn’t something that is listed on your property sheet when buying a home. Usually, it comes as a surprise – and not always the pleasant one! Luckily, there are several small bathroom decor tips you can use to make your bathroom look bigger than it actually is.

The key is in choosing the right bathroom tiles and how to combine them with the floors, walls and ceiling to achieve the illusion of a larger bathroom space. There are several types of tiles:

• floor tiles
• wall tiles
• shower tiles
• backsplash tiles

They all come in different sizes (from small to large), colors and textures, so the big challenge is how to combine all these elements without risking to your smaller bathroom looks even smaller.

To help you, we picked 7 easiest and least expensive tips on how to choose right tiles for your small bathroom and to make your bathroom looks bigger.

Use everything in the same color/tone/value

The first thing you need to think of when buying tiles for small bathroom is the color and tone. If you want to achieve a sense of depth and create an illusion of bigger space, you should pick the same color or tone for all your tiles. That way, you will create the visual unity of space making it to look bigger. The changes in colors or tone may create a distraction and the sense of distortion in the space, which is not suitable for smaller bathrooms.

Take the tiles in the shower up to the ceiling

Another great way to make your small bathroom look bigger is to choose shower tiles and place them up to the ceiling. That way, you’ll get that sense of depth in the bathroom, especially if you choose shower tiles in the same color and tone as the other tiles.

Use big and plain-colored floor tiles

The size of the floor tiles should be a major factor when deciding which one to buy. The larger floor tiles will make a perfect fit for your small bathroom for two reasons. First, they are much easier to install and second, there won’t be too much line intersections between the tiles, which can make an impression of a “broken” space. And that means smaller space, too.

Use wall tiles with just one shade

The key here is to keep it as simple as possible. Don’t use more than one colour. If you do, make sure to combine them well. Don’t use dark colors because they will create a sense of even smaller space. It is better to use lighter colors and combine them with white. That way you’ll get the illusion of depth in your small bathroom, and that’s crucial for making your small bathroom look bigger. With smart and elegant design of the wall tiles, you can achieve an interesting contrast by combining shades on the tiles.

Even better, you can use wall tubes tiles with an interesting pattern to break the uniformity of the wall tiles. We would suggest you use just one line of wall tubes tiles and place it vertically on the wall.

Using the same tiles on floor and wall

People usually ask, “Is it okay to use wall tiles on floor?”, especially if they want to save some extra money or can’t find suitable floor tiles pattern to match their wall tiles. It is not recommended that you use wall tiles on floor because of the quality of the material: wall tiles are usually made of weaker material because there’s no foot pressure as on the floor tiles. On the other hand, floor tiles can be used on walls, if you like.

Mind the tile lines

The way you’re placing the tiles in the bathroom can be a determining factor in the creation of the space. If you want to make a modern design by placing your tiles in different positions, you should know that it can make your space look smaller than it is. Therefore, you might want to go with positioning your tiles in one line (the best way is to position it vertically, to get that leaner look from floor to ceiling) and not experiment too much with the design.

However, you can always choose a smaller place (i.e. the center of the bathroom floor or the center of your shower wall) where you can experiment with lines, just to add some visual dynamics in the space. Don’t forget to lead the eye upwards.

Mind the grout

The color of the grout should match the color of your tiles to make the space look bigger. Usually, if you have light tiles, you should go with slightly darker grout color. That way, you’ll get that 3-dimensional effect in your bathroom and make it look elegant and interesting.

 Conclusion

Having a small bathroom doesn’t have to be a nightmare if you know these simple tips to make it look bigger. Choose the tile color and size wisely and don’t go with the design. Keep it simple: lighter colors bring more brightness in the space. Also, lead the eye upwards by positioning the tiles in one position and avoid breaking the uniformity of the tiles, expect for small places for the effect.

Author Bio:

Abigail is the founder of Thehandynest, where she and her trusted blog that’s full of tutorials, ideas, advice and information will inspire you and help you with your home improvement and other needs. She is also a mother of two where she enjoys her passion and her dream of making the best place for her children.