Tiling a Small Bathroom: Practical Tips and Style Ideas for Elegant, Functional Spaces

Renovating and Tiling a Small Bathroom: Where to Start

Renovating a small bathroom and giving it a personality worthy of the rest of the home may seem like a losing challenge. However, with the right design choices and a careful selection of materials for floors and walls, it’s possible to create a pleasantly contemporary space — highly functional and, why not, even brighter than its size would suggest.

Indeed, anyone looking to renovate a small bathroom should aim first and foremost to expand the perception of space, without, of course, sacrificing a well-defined aesthetic and the overall comfort of the environment.

Here are some essential tips to start planning the renovation of a small bathroom:

• Use the web and social media to look for inspiration for your wall tiles; above all, remember to prioritize functionality by making the most of every niche and corner.
• Opt for wall-hung fixtures, compact furniture, and storage units with integrated mirrors.
• Choose a flush walk-in shower: the absence of even a small step will create the illusion that the room’s layout is larger than it really is.
• Optimize lighting by combining natural and artificial light.
• Consider installing a sliding door to gain additional valuable space.

From the very beginning, it’s essential to consult an experienced designer and create a realistic rendering of the desired space. There are also several options to consider when it comes to the tiling of a small bathroom.

Wall Coverings: Choosing the Right Tiles for a Small Bathroom

When looking for ideas to tile a small bathroom, porcelain stoneware turns out to be the most high-performing solution: it’s durable, hygienic, versatile, and available in an endless variety of textures and colours. When designing a small bathroom with ceramic wall tiles, keep these aspects in mind:

• Tiles should reflect light to visually enlarge the space and enhance the room with a touch of elegance. It’s therefore better to opt for glossy surfaces.
• As for the colour of the tiles, in a small bathroom go for light shades to increase brightness and airiness.
• Small, rectangular formats — up to 30x60 cm — are generally preferable. But this is not a strict rule! Aside from the obvious exception of large wallpaper-effect slabs (which we’ll cover shortly), even 120 cm long wood-effect planks can work beautifully. For example, when installed vertically, they create a refined boiserie effect. Yet, wood-effect porcelain stoneware also works very well when laid horizontally, especially if used just on the washbasin wall and in the shower area.

• For the tiles of a small yet modern bathroom, consider decorative textures and innovative graphic patterns inspired by wallpaper or natural elements, possibly with relief effects.
• Favour antibacterial ceramics, which are now widely available. Among the most advanced antibacterial technologies, some remain active day and night throughout the product’s entire lifespan — a great advantage for keeping the bathroom hygienic for longer, even between cleanings. An example of such antibacterial technologies is Protect^® by Panaria.
• When it comes to the height of wall tiles in a small bathroom, there are several options. If you use large, thin slabs, it makes perfect sense to extend them all the way to the ceiling. Alternatively, a very contemporary choice is the so-called low wall covering, which — apart from the shower area — stops around 120 cm from the floor, just above the washbasin fittings and below the mirror.

• Small Marble-Effect Bathroom: Timeless Elegance

The marble effect is one of the most refined solutions for a compact bathroom. Porcelain stoneware makes it possible to reproduce the veining and aesthetic depth of natural stone without its technical limitations. Moreover, glossy surfaces make the space feel airier, especially when interpreted in light tones such as Calacatta white or the ivory-beige hues of travertine.

• Small Wood-Effect Bathroom: Warmth and Intimacy

A choice that combines visual comfort and natural style. Thanks to ceramic technology, it’s possible to use wood-effect floors and wall tiles even in humid environments such as bathrooms. Porcelain stoneware planks can also be laid on walls — even vertically — to elongate and enhance the perception of space.

• Stone Effect: Texture and Character

Another versatile solution for a small bathroom is the stone effect. Ceramic surfaces inspired by stone add structure and visual depth while maintaining a subtle colour palette — ideal for visually enlarging the space.

• The Urban Essentiality of the Concrete Effect

The minimalist style can also fully express itself in a small concrete-effect bathroom. Neutral tones, compact surfaces, and matte finishes create the perfect base for playing with furniture and accessories. In particular, we recommend large concrete-effect ceramic slabs, which enhance the perception of order and spaciousness.

The Role of Colour in Tiling a Small Bathroom

Among the most suitable tiles for a small bathroom are those in the so-called “small format”. This term refers to a family of ceramic wall coverings defined by their compact tile size. Often, the small format is not tied to a specific material effect; rather, it expresses a distinctly ceramic aesthetic. In this, key roles are played by the surface texture, the richness of the glaze (whether glossy or matte), and the colour.

Another alternative to traditional looks for adding personality to a small bathroom design is the use of large wallpaper-effect slabs. In this case, alongside colour, decorative patterns make all the difference — to be carefully chosen and balanced. Sometimes, cladding just one wall, such as the washbasin wall, is enough to give a small bathroom a distinctive identity.

The truly impressive size of thin slabs allows any texture or graphic theme to unfold almost seamlessly. The scenic effect is guaranteed even in the smallest spaces. Vertical installation, in fact, features no horizontal joints — only minimal vertical ones (typically 2 mm), thanks to the rectified edges of the ceramic tiles.

Here’s a selection of collections worth exploring if you’re looking for ideas to renovate a small bathroom:

• Perpetual: a marble-effect surface (available in matte or glossy finishes) that embodies contemporary luxury. We recommend the large-format slabs or, alternatively, the many small traditional-thickness formats. The collection has recently been enriched with two elegant Travertine-inspired variants.
• Glam: wallpaper-effect ceramic decorations in ultra-thin slabs for walls with a strong visual impact. The 50x100 cm format enhances the seamless continuity of the many graphic textures available, while remaining practical and easy to install even in tight spaces. In short, guaranteed success with minimal effort.
• We’ve discussed the role of colour in choosing tiles for a small bathroom. The Workshop series offers glossy ceramic bricks with a delicately wavy surface, marked by handcrafted irregularities. A touch of colour that’s surprisingly easy to pair with any other ceramic effect.

• Revel: a stone-effect collection designed to transform contemporary spaces into sensory experiences. Surfaces animated by subtle shades and a living material that vibrates and envelops interiors with an elegantly natural energy. The many 9 mm formats provide floor and wall surfaces suitable for bathrooms of any size. The large thin slabs are the ideal finish for shower areas and anywhere a seamless ceramic surface is desired, from floor to ceiling.
• Lullaby is a single-fired wall tile collection in soft pastel tones and delicate finishes, evoking intimate, relaxed, and luminous atmospheres. A light, airy ceramic surface that combines the emotional power of colour with refined, understated decorative patterns.

These collections are available in a variety of formats, thicknesses, and finishes, allowing endless combinations of floors and walls. Finding the perfect tiles for your small bathroom becomes an inspiring exercise in creativity!