What Is the Best Tile for Small Bathroom Spaces?

Everyone wants a beautiful, spacious bathroom, but can you turn a small bathroom into a beautiful space that feels luxurious? Yes, you can—and with the right size tile, you can make even the tiniest bathroom look and feel bigger. Here, we show you how.

What Are the Most Common Bathroom Tile Sizes?

Bathroom tiles come in various sizes, ranging from miniature mosaic tiles that are ¼ inches or even smaller all the way up to large-format tiles that exceed 48 inches square. That said, some tiles are commonly found in standard sizes.

Mosaic Tile 

While you can find mosaic tiles in various sizes and size mixes from ¼ inch to 2 inches, 1-inch and 2-inch squares are most common for mosaic tiles. Mosaic tiles are popular in bathrooms because they offer a lot of visual interest and can be mixed, matched, and grouped to make interesting patterns and customized tile installations.

Subway Tile 

Subway tiles, those ubiquitous rectangular tiles seen in bathrooms and kitchens, are available in various sizes, including 2 x 4 inches, 2 x 6 inches, 3 x 6 inches, 3 x 12 inches, and 4 x 8 inches. The most common subway tile size for smaller bathrooms is 3 x 6 inches or another size with the same 1:2 ratio dimension. Subway tiles are most often used on bathroom walls and shower enclosures. 

Small Format Tile 

Tiles between 4 and 9 inches are considered small-format tiles. These are usually found on floors and walls and are an excellent choice for borders and accent tiles.

Rectangular Tile 

Although square tiles are more common, rectangular tiles can add a unique look to smaller bathrooms. Installed straight or offset in a staggered pattern, horizontally, vertically, diagonally, or in patterns like herringbone or basketweave, rectangular tiles in sizes like 2 x 4 inches, 3 x 6 inches, and 4 x 8 inches or larger are a great choice to add unique character to smaller bathrooms.

Mid-Size Tile 

Mid-sized tiles are between small-format and large-format tiles. These tiles measure between 12 x 12 and 12 x 24 inches. They are an excellent choice for floor and wall tiles. 

Large Tile 

Large-format tiles—those bigger than 12 x 24 inches—make a big statement. While oversized tile in an undersized bathroom may seem like an unconventional combination, it can actually create a dramatic, luxurious backdrop to the rest of your bathroom choices.

Best Tiles for Small Bathroom Wall 

Bathroom walls usually look best with tiles that are 4 x 4 inches up to 12 x 12 inches or even larger. 

• To make bathroom walls appear taller, consider vertically installing rectangular tiles like standard 3 x 6-inch subway tiles to give visual height to the room. 

• For narrow bathrooms, try installing rectangular tiles horizontally to make the room feel more expansive. 

• Neutrally colored and oversized tiles such as 12 x 24-inch slab tiles paired with a matching grout color can also be a luxury choice that gives the illusion of a bigger room.

Best Tiles for Small Bathroom Floor 

For the best tile for bathroom floors, consider tile sizes between 1 inch and 12 inches or even bigger. 

• Small mosaic tiles, usually 1- or 2-inch squares, are very popular for bathroom floors, as are other square tiles. 

• Medium-size and large-format tiles 12 x 18 inches and up to 12 x 24 inches with same-colored grout can be a great choice to make smaller rooms seem bigger by taking away visible grout lines and visual clutter.

Best Tiles for Small Shower Wall

Many designers recommend smaller-format square tiles from 1 to 4 inches. These can be single, individually installed tiles or mosaic tile sheets attached with a mesh backing for easier installation. Some people even choose to install small and medium tiles, such as 3 x 6-inch subway tile and 6-inch square ceramic tiles, flanking mosaic or decorative tile borders, inlays, built-in shelves, and other custom tile features and shower tile ideas.

Best Tiles for Small Shower Floor

Keep it simple in the shower by using small tiles, about 1 inch. Any larger, and the floor can look too busy and compete with the shower wall, bathroom floor, and bathroom wall tiles. Mosaic tiles are a popular choice for shower floors, and the higher concentration of grout lines helps make the floor less slippery.

Other Design Factors Matter, Too

Tile size will change the appearance of your bathroom, but other design factors influence the outcome, too. Along with the tile's overall size, consider the following attributes of the tiles:

• Color: Dark colors naturally make spaces appear smaller; lighter colors make spaces look bigger. Wild or bold patterns can make the tile visually complicated or busy, making the room feel smaller.

• Grout Color: Choosing matching or similar grout and tile colors can give floors and walls a seamless look, making tiled areas look like one continuous surface and giving rooms a larger feel. Selecting grout much lighter or darker than the tile or bright grouts that contrast sharply with tile make grout lines stand out and make rooms feel smaller.

• Setting Pattern: Tiles set in horizontal lines can make rooms appear wider; vertically set tiles can make rooms feel taller by bringing the eye toward the ceiling. Similarly, diagonally set tiles, like those in chevron or herringbone patterns, can make rooms feel more spacious.

• Tile Shape: Square tiles can feel squatty and solid, making rooms feel smaller. In contrast, rectangular tiles such as subway tiles can make rooms feel longer, wider, or taller, depending on how the tiles are set on the wall or floor.

How to Choose Bathroom Tiles for Small Spaces

When choosing bathroom tile, you should consider these factors in addition to personal design preferences:

• Budget: Prices can vary widely, based on material as well as size and shape, so it’s important to plan knowing precisely what you can afford

• Frequency of Use and Family Situation: Some tiles are more durable than others and can stand up to spills, muddy paws, and epic bathtime splashes much better than others

• Area to be Tiled: If you’re only tiling the walls, you have plenty of options. However, if you’re thinking of designing the shower, including the floor, you’ll likely need to consider which materials are the least slippery

• Ease of Cleaning: Bathrooms need to be clean, and cleaning floor tile grout and tiles is important. Smaller tiles with more grout, rougher surface tiles, and natural tiles can be harder to keep clean than glass tiles or larger shower tiles.

• ​​​​​​Installation Requirements: If you’re into DIY home renovations, look for simple-to-install tile. If you’re hiring a bathroom remodeling contractor to install the tiles, talk with them about your options.

Cost to Install Bathroom Tile

Labor for tile installation costs $3 to $15 per square foot, or you may find some contractors who charge $30 to $120 per hour. The cost of tile installation depends on factors like the amount of prep work, tile size, layout, and access. Smaller tiles are much more tedious and time-consuming to install, so expect to pay more for them.

DIY vs. Hiring a Pro

Tiling is an area where many homeowners choose the DIY route, as you can save up to 30% if you have tools like a tile cutter. However, it requires attention to detail and patience. If you make a mistake, it could be more expensive for a professional to fix it than if you had hired them in the first place. An experienced local tile installer can be well worth the cost, especially if you don’t have the time or expertise to dedicate to a perfect job.