Renovating a Small Bathroom: a Guide to Choosing Tiles

The primary goal for those dealing with a small bathroom is to maximise space, not only in order to improve functionality, but also to create an elegant and inviting environment that reflects the aesthetic taste of those who live there. What may seem like an insurmountable challenge, can be overcome with a bit of planning and creativity. In this type of renovation, the choice of tiles plays a crucial role because the chosen look and colour will significantly influence the atmosphere of the space, especially if it’s limited.

But let’s take a step back. Why are bathrooms clad in ceramic? Is it mandated by some architectural regulation? Not at all. However, tiles do serve as an effective shield against moisture, a characteristic element of this environment. Without this waterproof barrier, walls could more easily develop mould or stains, which would compromise the appearance of the space and also make it less healthy.

Renovating and Tiling a Small Bathroom

Before we get into the finishing touches, below are some tips for tackling a bathroom renovation in the best way possible.

1. No matter how small, a bathroom can be fully equipped with everything necessary to make it a highly functional room, provided you carefully evaluate the space in relation to your needs. Measure every nook and cranny and prepare to take advantage of every centimetre. When designing your new bathroom, also consider relocating plumbing fixtures in order to optimise space.
2. Set a budget and request multiple estimates, but only consult with qualified professionals and make sure to ask for a detailed breakdown of expenses and materials used.
3. Opt for wall-mounted plumbing fixtures and space-saving furniture to make the room feel more open. Furniture with built-in mirrors and shelves are tidier and more practical. Light colours and glossy finishes will reflect more light, making the bathroom feel bigger.
4. Use shelves to decorate any niches and, more in general, to take advantage of vertical space.
5. Install a walk-in shower with a floor-level tray to emphasise the visual cleanliness of this already small space, where every element appears condensed.
6. Incorporate a large mirror to create the illusion of a larger bathroom.
7. Replace the swing door with a recessed, pocket door.
8. Choose appropriate lighting, balancing natural and artificial light. Direct the latter towards the mirror and make sure its quality helps to create the atmosphere you desire.

Choosing Tiles

The selection of ceramic surfaces available on the market for floors and walls offers a wide range of options which can meet any stylistic and/or practical need that presents itself when undertaking a bathroom renovation: ultra-realistic aesthetic looks, glossy and matte finishes, and figurative, geometric, and three-dimensional decorations. Many of the ceramic collections on the market are sophisticated design tools that offer a wealth of options and can be installed on both floors and walls. Even when it comes to formats, the choice is extensive, from the so-called “small format” (under 30x30 cm) to over-sized slabs, and from the timeless 30x60 cm format (still widely used for cladding walls) to porcelain stoneware mosaic tiles.

Before exploring two very trendy looks, let’s review some general tips for selecting tiles for a small bathroom.

• L’equivalenza “piccola superficie, piccolo formato” non è scolpita nella pietra: anche nella scelta del formato pesa soprattutto il gusto personale. Chi ama giocare col colore, è probabile che si orienterà sul piccolo formato, spesso coloratissimo e con un feeling materico molto piacevole. Anche se le dimensioni ridotte invitano a sperimentare pose multicolore, è sconsigliato farlo per superfici molto ridotte. Piuttosto è consigliabile miscelare la finitura opaca e quella lucida, possibilità che il piccolo formato offre quasi sempre.
• Piastrelle di grandi dimensioni per il bagno aiutano a minimizzare le fughe e a creare una superficie continua. Se è questo l’effetto che cerchi, nulla vieta di utilizzare piastrelle di grandi dimensioni anche in un bagno piccolo. Occorre, tuttavia, fare molta attenzione a razionalizzare bene lo schema di posa, per evitare i cosiddetti “ritagli”, o per nasconderli alla vista.
• I colori chiari e neutri danno l’illusione che lo spazio sia più ampio di come realmente è.
• Scegli piastrelle decorative o texture visivamente suggestive per dare più personalità a un bagno piccolo.
• Fai attenzione alle fughe, perché in un bagno piccolo saranno per forza di cose osservate da più vicino. Scegli un colore abbinato alle piastrelle e mantienile pulite, al pari del rivestimento.

Is marble look a good choice for a small bathroom?

Why not? Marble isn’t exclusively for large surfaces. It’s true that marble look is best expressed in large formats (though this isn’t a rule, it also depends on the type of marble), but an outstanding result can be achieved in smaller formats as well: for example, using 60x60 cm for the floor and the classic 30x60 cm for the walls. Smaller formats tend to break up veining and variations in hue while maintaining a stable background colour, thus creating movement and variety and enhancing the natural quality of ceramic marble.

The Warmth of Wood-Look for a Small Bathroom

Given the presence of moisture, no one would ever consider wooden flooring or cladding for a bathroom. But ceramic can achieve a similar look – the same warm and natural quality – while providing all the benefits of porcelain stoneware. Wood look is, in fact, very popular and now available in a wide variety of sizes, colours, and aesthetic variations. Ceramic offers extremely realistic reproductions of numerous types of wood, including fir, oak, olive, walnut, American elm, and wenge.

Wood look can be particularly well-suited for a small bathroom, as it’s able to accentuate an inviting sense of warmth and intimacy, inspired by nature. Just be careful not to choose an overly dark wood, as this could make the room feel gloomy, unless you have compelling aesthetic reasons and a highly detailed design.

The bathroom in the image below features the Country series which, with its 20x120 cm plank, gives us an opportunity to talk about the height of ceramic wall cladding.

The Height of Cladding for a Small Bathroom

If you’re still undecided on which tiles to choose for a small bathroom, there’s one last thing to consider: the height of the bathroom cladding. Whether you’ve researched online or visited tile retailers, you’ll have seen cladding that extends all the way up to the ceiling as well as cladding that arrives at only slightly above the level of the sink. In small bathrooms, floor-to-ceiling tiles could make the space feel oppressive and overly dark. Opting for this type of cladding also makes cleaning more difficult. A common compromise is to limit cladding to the height of the door, especially in small environments.

So-called “low cladding” (with tiles that end approximately 120 cm from the floor) is a recent option that has already gained considerable popularity. In this case, tiles and paint (strictly mould-resistant and washable) work together, each playing a role in defining the style of the bathroom. Furthermore, lower tiles are easier to clean. This type of cladding works best when using tiles that are 120 cm long on one side, like the 60x120 cm format (now widely available), or wood-look planks of this same length. Vertical installation limits grout lines to only the vertical ones, for a very orderly visual result.

A Blustyle Bathroom

Now that we’ve covered the various aspects to keep in mind when renovating and tiling a small bathroom, let’s look at the practical side and explore Blustyle’s catalogue for some material suggestions and cladding ideas to inspire your project.

• Wood-look for a small bathroom: Wood Plank fully preserves the rustic and natural quality of oak, integrating it into a contemporary and functional ceramic project for a unique aesthetic impact. Knots, grain patterns, and filled fissures come together in precise graphic patterns with an inviting sense of authenticity.
• Stone-look for a small bathroom: The Advantage series combines various textures, derived from different natural stones, into a single, sophisticated pattern: the usual texture of slate is combined with sharper marble filigrees and granular inclusions typical of limestone. Geos, on the other hand, explores the essence of stone, capturing its many chromatic and perceptual nuances. The surface is attractively dynamic, featuring a pattern enhanced with veining and variations in tone, typical of slate’s layered structure. Yosemite offers a careful selection of extremely natural looking limestone ceramic slabs, suitable for both modern and rustic-style designs.
• Marble-look for a small bathroom: Élite offers six ceramic solutions that mimic marbles sourced from renowned quarries in Italy, Spain, and Africa, ranging from white to black and maintaining neutral and elegant tones, perfect for bathrooms that are tiny treasure troves of natural allure.