Hello!

29 Comments

Tile is among the more popular flooring material choices for a number of reasons. While there are many types of tile available to choose from, tile is generally cost-effective, easy to maintain, stylish and durable.

There are numerous colours and styles to choose from, which makes it a beautiful option for most homes regardless of the décor.

Tile also has the added benefit of creating the illusion of space in some cases.

By following a few floor tiling tips, you can easily make a smaller room in your home look and feel larger because of your floor tiles.

Here are some tips to help you:

Use larger tiles

Whether you are planning a DIY floor tile installation project or you are hiring a contractor for professional installation, using very large tiles rather than standard or small tiles can create the illusion of space. One reason for this is because there are larger portions of space that are uninterrupted by grout lines when you use larger tiles.

Choose very small tiles

Because larger tiles can create the illusion of space, you may think that very small tiles would have the opposite effect and should be avoided in small spaces. However, very small tiles can also create the illusion of space.

This is because you may have hundreds of tiles or more in the small space, and this gives the impression that the room is larger than it is. One idea is to use a white and black tile grid pattern for a stunning effect.

Opt for thin grout lines

Grout is an important element in tile installation, but large grout lines interrupt the visual effect of the tile pattern. When you have a small space, using very thin grout lines can minimise the interruption in the tile pattern. The goal is to make the floor tiles the main visual emphasis rather than making the grout lines pop out.

Select a matching grout colour

In addition to using a thin grout line for the installation, using a matching grout colour can also be beneficial.

When the grout colour contrasts the tile, it breaks up the flow of the space.

Matching the grout colour as close as possible to the main colours in the tile can create a more seamless look.

Lay tiles on the diagonal

Another idea is to lay your tiles on the diagonal rather than in a standard, uniform fashion. While following tiling tips to keep the visibility of grout lines to a minimum can be helpful, you can also lay tile on the diagonal to add the illusion of depth to the space. This is a simple visual trick that has stunning effects.

If you have a smaller room that you are ready to tile, a smart idea is to request assistance from a tiling specialist.

Everything from the colour, size and pattern of the tile to the directional lay, the colour of the grout and the thickness of the grout line will play a role in how the finished project looks.

Tile installation techniques and the selection of the right tile for the space can easily help you to create the illusion of space in even the smallest rooms.

Some tiling tips are counter-intuitive, so professional assistance from tiling experts can be beneficial.

Have you had some success with tiling at your house? Please share your tips and tricks below.

Image courtesy of Shutterstock.com
We may get commissions for purchases made using links in this post. Learn more.
  • If you are very tall do your wall tiles a row higher that regulation. They are a lot easier to clean than paintwork. Tiles on the top row are no longer curved at the top and collect dust and get damp form the steam no matter how much ventilation you have or how efficient your exhaust fan is. Grout is hader to clean than tiles. Make sure your floor tiles are genuinely non slip. Some sold as that are very slippery when they are only damp. Make sure your floor and wall surfaces are properly sealed and allowed to dry before putting the tiles on. make sure none of them, crack at all. Over time water will go behind/under them causing mould. The bath in the photo may be modern but they are very hard to clean behind and prevent dust and insects such as mosquitoes, spiders etc. making it their home.

    Reply

  • It is amazing how some things can make a room look bigger. Thanks for the great tips.

    Reply

  • what a stunning bathroom

    Reply

  • Great tips. We really want to retile our bathroom but we can’t decide in the right tile.

    Reply

  • you make it sound so easy LOL

    Reply

  • All great tiling tips. Thanks.

    Reply

  • awesome tips just in time as we look to putting in a new ensuite

    Reply

  • some good tips here thanks.

    Reply

  • We are planning to redo the bathroom. These are good principles to follow, thanks for the tips.

    Reply

  • Thankyou. I love doing projects

    Reply

  • I got 60×30 tiles for my bathroom floor which was a small area and got them laid longways so the bathroom does not look skinny anymore – it is a great optical illusion.

    Reply

  • i never would have thought that smaller tiles creates “space”. i know that the colour white opens up a space though.

    Reply

  • That bathroom looks amazing. Love the floor

    Reply

  • Gosh, there’s some great advice here.

    Reply

  • Thanks for this article and all of the helpful information. Love the photo of the bathroom – simply gorgeous!


    • Going to hunt for the tiles in the photo – love them!

    Reply

Post a comment
Add a photo
Your MoM account


Lost your password?

Enter your email and a password below to post your comment and join MoM:

You May Like

Loading…

Looks like this may be blocked by your browser or content filtering.

↥ Back to top

Thanks For Your Star Rating!

Would you like to add a written rating or just a star rating?

Write A Rating Just A Star Rating
Join