20 Space-Maximizing Small Bathroom Tile Ideas for 2025

Struggling to make the most of your small bathroom? Whether renovating a powder room or a snug primary bath, these 20 stunning bathroom tile ideas will make your limited space feel luxurious.

1. Create an Expansive Look with Large-Format Tile

Large-format tile requires fewer grout lines, which makes a small space feel more cohesive. Featured on the floor and half-wall of this bathroom, the Livingstone Melange tile creates the illusion of an expansive space by maintaining an almost continuous design. Shop our wide assortment of large-format tile for more big ideas.

2. Play Around With a Bold Pattern

A powder bathroom is generally smaller, less frequently used and more guest-facing than your primary bathroom, making it the perfect space to experiment with bold colors and patterns. Here, the Nikki Chu Zulu Graphite tile adds a playful element to this small bathroom, while the modern sink vanity and fixtures maintain an elevated design. Explore our wide assortment of patterned tile to find the style that expresses your unique personality.

3. Mix Looks for Added Interest

Want to make your small space feel invigorating? Mixing tile styles or materials gives your eye more to focus on, providing a stimulating start to your day. This cool, contemporary bathroom demonstrates how to layer looks without feeling too busy. Though there are five separate tiles (not including trim), there are only three colors: blue, taupe and white. The use of white grout in the grid-stacked Look Avio subway tile creates a visual throughline to the white wall and shower floor tiles and the white geometric lines featured on the Ragno Taupe Matte floor tile.

4. Small Bathroom Ideas on a Budget

You don’t need to spend a lot for a major room refresh. Achieve big-impact style on a small budget with The Tile Shop’s newly expanded collection of tiles under $7. Handmade-look, wood-look, large-format and more–you’ll be surprised at the wealth of design possibilities available for any price range. This fashionable bath, designed by @homewithhay, features the Cool Blue wall tile. Priced at just $6.99/sq.ft., this handmade-look tile is both on trend and within budget.

5. Visually Elongate Your Space with Diagonal Picket Tile

Inherently dynamic and energetic, diagonal lines create the illusion of a wider room. When installed diagonally, picket tile disrupts the symmetry of your space–perfect for adding interest to a minimalist design. We love how this bathroom wall maintains subtlety by pairing the Lanse Matte Black Picket tile with black grout.

6. Create a Space that Connects You With Nature

If stepping outside gives you a mood boost, bring that serotonin-inducing scenery indoors with nature-inspired colors, materials and designs. Even if your bathroom isn’t large enough for live plants, incorporating a botanical pattern–like the Morris & Co. Hawkdale Willow Olive tile–can offer some of the same benefits as actual greenery. For more ideas on bringing the beauty of the outdoors into your home, check out this guide to biophilic design.

7. Keep Your Space Versatile with White Subway

Effortlessly chic and timeless, white subway tile is the white tee of interior design–it goes with everything! You can dress up this classic by pairing it with a mosaic or patterned tile, just like @alexandria.by.design did in this space featuring the Asteri floor tile. The simple black-and-white color scheme makes the space easy to update as styles and tastes change. Simply swapping out the shower curtain can completely alter the bathroom’s aesthetic.

8. Create a Wallpaper Effect with an Ornate Pattern

A confined space makes your walls more susceptible to moisture and inevitable bathroom messes. A beautiful (and easy-to-clean!) patterned tile will protect your space from floor to ceiling while providing a stylish wallpaper look. An ornate design, like the Cheverny Blanc tile featured here, achieves delicate artistry with superior durability.

9. Visually Soften Your Space With Curved Tile

Tile is an inherently hard material, and the straight edges and sharp corners of squares and rectangles can feel rigid. A curved shape–like a penny round tile or the Wave Grey Owl tile shown here–creates the illusion of softness by offering your eye smooth, pillowy lines to focus on. This can make your small space feel cozy and comfortable.

10. Small Bathroom Floor Tile Ideas

If you’re getting maximum usage from your small bathroom, you want a floor tile that’s durable, easy to maintain, and still makes your space feel luxurious. Ultra-luxe and super robust, marble-look porcelain or ceramic tile is the perfect blend of style and strength. With a wide range of bold to delicate-veined looks to choose from, our ever-expanding selection of marble-look tile offers something for everyone.

11. Tile Your Floor In Black & White

Simple and stylish, black-and-white tile pairs well with virtually any design. Whether you choose an elegant marble mosaic or a geometric pattern, this classic color scheme is a great foundation for both a fancy and fun-loving space. This gorgeous powder room, designed by @andreak_covelladesigns, features the Marble Star porcelain floor tile. The intricate design and textured stone appearance add interest without detracting from the beautiful floral wallpaper, antique cabinetry and Victorian painting.

12. Create a Winning Design

Checkerboard is a timeless trend that doesn’t require a lot of space to make a big impression. Virtually any two similarly sized square tiles (or halved rectangular tiles) can create a design checkmate. We love this elevated version, designed by @MaryLauren, featuring the Arctic White and Bandung Gris Acid marble tiles.

13. Small Bathroom Shower Tile Ideas

Add needed storage and style with a shower niche. Because niches take up such a small amount of real estate, they’re a great place to experiment with a tile–like a bold pattern or mosaic–that might overwhelm the rest of the room. You can also coordinate your niche with a backsplash or accent wall to enhance the design of your space.

14. Tile the Tub

In a small space, it’s even more important for your design to feel cohesive. Using tile to visually align your tub apron with the floor and/or wall will help hide its bulk. This space, designed by A Glass of Bovino, creates unity by featuring the Firenze Calacatta marble on the shower wall and tub.

15. Tile the Ceiling

Another great bathroom tile idea for small showers: if you’re dealing with a low shower ceiling, consider extending the tile to cover overhead. The Splendor Blanco tile used throughout this shower, designed by Coco & Jack, makes the small space feel larger, and the vertical stack provides the illusion of height.

16. Create a Custom Design

A small space is a great place to showcase your design skills. This boho-chic bathroom, designed by I SPY DIY, demonstrates how a little creativity can go a long way in crafting a space that feels uniquely you. The Villa Warm White and Warm Grey subway tiles are arranged in a custom layout, perfectly complementing the space’s eclectic aesthetic. Get your creative juices flowing with more globally inspired ideas in this guide to boho-chic design.

17. Drench Your Space In Marble

This guest bathroom, designed by Nikki Chu, proves that your space doesn’t need to be large to be luxurious. We love how she went all-in with floor-to-ceiling Ashford Carrara. Since the space is limited, this opulent look is achievable on a less-than-extravagant budget. Explore marble tile to find elegant natural stone collections, featuring coordinating field tiles, mosaics and trim pieces.

18. Go for a Vintage Vibe

If your bathroom is left over from the last century, embrace its vintage charm! This bathroom, designed by Yellow Brick Home, maintains the classic pink sink and chrome fixtures but updates the tile with period-appropriate white subway tile and black pencil trim. The Hampton Niles marble mosaic floor tile features a black-and-white basketweave–a slightly modern twist on a classic design.

19. Make a Statement Wall

When working with a small space, it can be helpful to focus attention on one wall. Designer Kelli Fontana subverts expectations by making the wall the reflective element in this stylish powder room. The clever use of the Antique Mirror Bevel tile allows the window to become the focal point, while still providing the opportunity for a quick lipstick check.

20. Go All Out With a Mosaic Tile

An intricate mosaic tile creates a sense of flow and rhythm, making your space feel larger. A marble mosaic, like the Alison Victoria Elia Polished tile shown here, features distinct variations in veining and color from piece to piece, offering lush appeal and lively visual texture. Shop our wide selection of mosaic tile in a variety of styles and materials to achieve this stunning look.

Updating your space is easier than you think! Shop our wide assortment of bathroom tile for a wealth of popular styles, or explore even more bathroom tile ideas. Need more assistance? Visit your local Tile Shop showroom, where you’ll find the tile, tools and expert advice you need to get started.

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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