10 Tips to Make Your Small Bathroom Look Bigger

Don’t let limited square footage diminish your bathroom’s comfort or appeal. Whether you’re working with a tiny powder room or a cramped primary bath, the right tile design can create the illusion of added height and width. Read on for 10 small-space tile tips that will make your bathroom look bigger and feel more luxurious.

1. Create the Illusion of Height With a Vertical Stripe

This tried-and-true design trick is one of the easiest ways to add a sense of height to your space. Whether you install subway tile in a vertical straight stack or a band of patterned tile–as shown in this chic shower–vertically oriented tile draws the eye upward, making the space appear taller. The Trois Bandes tile features a pointed diamond pattern that guides the eye along the length of the tile. We love how it’s paired with the Nordic Brown tile; the natural wood detail adds movement and expansiveness, helping the space feel both wide and tall.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Small Bathroom Shower Tile Ideas

2. Add a Sense of Width With Horizontal Stripes

Just as vertical stripes add height by drawing the eye upward, horizontal stripes create the illusion of width by guiding the eye across your space. Horizontally stacked subway tile is one of the most effective ways to achieve this look. You can enhance the sense of expansiveness by alternating two or more colors or finishes—like the glossy and matte Coco White tile stripes shown on this bathroom wall. Discover more design inspiration in our guide to classic subway tile layouts.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Creative Design Ideas for Coco Subway Tile

3. Tile the Tub Apron

If your tub takes up much of the bathroom real estate, you can help disguise its bulk by tiling the apron to match the surround. This elegant bathroom, designed by A Glass of Bovino, creates a sense of continuity with Firenze Carrara tile on both the tub and surround. The marble tile’s bold veining adds a sense of movement, enhancing the feeling of expansiveness. You can achieve a similar effect by extending your floor tile onto the tub apron.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Chic & Unique Tub Surround Tile Ideas

4. Make a Statement Wall

Not only is it an opportunity to highlight a favorite tile, a statement wall can also make a room feel larger by creating visual distinction. In this small shower, the geometric-patterned Nikki Chu Zulu Cement tile delivers bold style. Its multi-directional design offers a range of layout possibilities—here, the zigzag pattern guides the eye both horizontally and vertically, adding a sense of height and width. The warm grey tones are echoed in the veining of the Nikki Chu Mrembo polished marble-look wall tile, maintaining tonal cohesion while allowing the patterned tile to remain the focal point.

If you love this eclectic, fashion-forward aesthetic, explore our exclusive Nikki Chu collection.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Gorgeous Grey Shower Tile Ideas

5. Tile the Ceiling

Another way to disguise low ceilings is by extending your tile overhead. Here, designer Coco & Jack take handmade-look subway tile to the ceiling, helping this compact shower feel more spacious. The slight tonal and textural variations from piece to piece add subtle interest, making the small space feel even more luxurious.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Ultra-Stylish Neutral Shower Tile Ideas

6. Create Cohesion With Large Format Tile

One of the biggest home decor trends, large format tile requires fewer grout lines, helping spaces feel more cohesive and expansive. Any tile with a side longer than 23″ is generally considered large format, and The Tile Shop offers styles up to 48″ x 48″. This beautiful bathroom features the Livingstone Melange marble-look tile, with the floor tile extending halfway up the wall, adding even more breadth to the design. The marble-look tile’s contemporary mix of warm beige and cool grey veining, paired with the elegantly textured handmade-look subway tile, gives the space an air of quiet luxury.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Gorgeous Guest Bathroom Tile Ideas

7. Maximize With Mosaic Tile

Just as the cohesion of large format tile can make a space feel more expansive, mosaic tile—with its many small pieces—can make it feel larger by adding visual interest. The pieces of KitKat White tile resemble the thin rectangular shape of its namesake candy. Neatly stacked, as they are in this Japandi-style bathroom, they draw the eye both upward and across the wall, creating a sense of spaciousness even in a compact area.

Explore our extensive selection of mosaic tile to find a design that suits your style. 👉

8. Create a Sense of Movement

Though tile is a fixed element, there are ways to introduce a sense of movement into your design. The zigzag layout of herringbone or chevron-patterned tile naturally guides the eye across the space, tricking your senses into perceiving it as larger than it is. This lovely transitional bathroom, designed by Timber Trails, uses both patterns: large-format Siberian Pearl floor tile installed in a herringbone layout and Bianco Puro chevron mosaic wall tile.

9. Add Interest With a Checkerboard Pattern

You might have picked up on a theme—a great way to make a small space feel larger is to maintain continuity while adding visual interest. A checkerboard pattern—with its predictable yet varied layout—does both. While this design is often associated with classic black and white, there are many stylish variations. You can pair a muted and a bright-colored tile, a pattern with a solid color, two versions of the same pattern in different tones, two complementary stone tiles, or even add a third color for a buffalo check effect. Here, the Antique Aurea tile in Nero Trastevere and Bianco Navona draws the eye across the floor, helping the room’s footprint feel larger.

Shop our wide selection of checkerboard pairings to find a winning design.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Unique and Unexpected Checkerboard Tile Ideas

10. Maintain Consistency

Too much variation in a small space can quickly become overwhelming. Using different sizes and shapes of the same material—like those found in our natural stone collections—lets you add visual interest while maintaining a cohesive look. This elegant bathroom features Volkas marble in a variety of formats, from the exquisite leaf-shaped Alison Victoria Elia mosaic tile to the refined finishing touch of the Volkas Somerset trim.

For more opulent looks, explore our exclusive natural stone tile collections.

Bring Your Dream Space to Life!

Ready to tackle your small-space reno? Explore our vast selection of bathroom tile for big-impact styles, or find even more inspiration in our 36 Bold and Beautiful Bathroom Tile Ideas for 2025. Need more assistance? Schedule a free design consultation or visit your local Tile Shop showroom for personalized advice from our friendly tile experts.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hi! I'm Eimile, Marketing copywriter. What I love about working at The Tile Shop is getting to see all the new design trends. I especially love bright, bold colors and retro designs. When I'm not writing copy, I'm usually reading a novel or taking a walk around my Minneapolis neighborhood.

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