Tiling a Small Bathroom? 5 Tricks to Make It Look Bigger
Smart tiling ideas to stretch your space without stretching your budget.
If you’re working with a small bathroom, you know the challenge—tight corners, limited natural light, and not much room to move. But the right tiling choices can transform even the tiniest space into a fresh, modern retreat.
We work with homeowners across Melbourne’s South East—from Caulfield to Cranbourne—to design small bathrooms that feel spacious, clean, and calm. Here are five clever tiling tricks we swear by to make a small bathroom look bigger.
🧱 1. Go Big with Your Tiles
It may sound counterintuitive, but larger tiles actually make a small space feel bigger. Fewer grout lines mean less visual clutter and more open surface area. Try 600x300mm or even 600x600mm tiles on walls or floors.
Bonus Tip: Lay rectangular tiles horizontally to visually widen the room.
🎨 2. Stick to Light Colours and Minimal Contrast
Lighter colours—like whites, soft greys, and beige—reflect more light and help open up the space. Match your grout colour to your tiles to keep the look clean and seamless.
Avoid strong contrast between floor and wall tiles. Keeping the tones similar helps blur boundaries and makes the room feel more continuous.
➰ 3. Use Glossy or Reflective Finishes
Gloss tiles or polished porcelain bounce light around and add a sense of space. If your bathroom lacks a window or natural light, reflective tiles can help keep it from feeling closed-in.
Avoid using gloss tiles on floors—they can be slippery when wet. Stick to matt or textured finishes underfoot.
📐 4. Tile All the Way to the Ceiling
Running tiles all the way up to the ceiling draws the eye upward and gives a sense of height. It also creates a more modern, clean-lined look—perfect for making compact bathrooms feel more open.
Partial tiling or “dado height” can visually cut the room in half and make ceilings feel lower.
🧭 5. Consider Diagonal or Vertical Tile Layouts
Installing tiles on the diagonal or using vertical stacking patterns can create visual length or height, depending on what your bathroom needs.
Diagonal floor tiles: Make the floor space feel wider.
Vertical wall tiles: Elongate walls and make the ceiling feel taller.
📍 Local Insight: What Works Best in Melbourne Homes?
Many older homes in Melbourne’s South East have narrow bathrooms, odd nooks, or low ceilings. We often recommend:
Soft white gloss tiles for walls
Large-format matt grey or stone-look floor tiles
Matching grout for minimal lines
Full-height tiling in the shower zone
Whether you’re in an Art Deco unit in Elsternwick or a 90s brick home in Frankston, a clever tile layout can instantly lift the look (and value) of your space.
✅ Need Help Picking Tiles That Actually Work?
We offer design advice and professional tiling services across Melbourne’s South Eastern Suburbs. We’ll help you choose tiles that look great and suit your space, budget and lifestyle.
🛠️ Book a free tile consult and quote today
📍 Servicing Berwick, Bentleigh, Brighton, and beyond..