While choosing fixtures and decor for your bathroom, you will probably look at ones that visually enlarge your bathroom, especially if it's small. Large mirrors, a pedestal or wall-mounted sink, and door-mounted racks - all these can help. Equally important is the choice of your flooring, as it can help make the bathroom seem bigger than it is. Let's talk about the pros and cons of different flooring options to find out which will be best in such a case.

Porcelain/Ceramic Tiles

One of the most popular flooring choices is actually one of the best for a small bathroom. The trick is in the diagonal layout. If you have rectangular tiles, place them diagonally to trick the brain into thinking that the room is bigger than it is. Another tip is to match colors with the walls. You don't want the small floor to stand out. Instead, make it feel like a continuation of one whole bathroom space. If we consider the large vs small tiles debate, it’s generally better to use large tiles. They work better in making the room look bigger due to fewer grout lines, which make the floor seamless. If you're still thinking about small tiles, use an ultra-small mosaic type. It also works well. But not mid-size tiles - they will make your bathroom look small.

Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) and Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT)

This material is great for imitating wood, and also, for small bathrooms. Because there are no grout lines, it successfully creates the illusion of a seamless bathroom. The rules here are simple - place LVPs along the lines of the longest dimension. This will make the visitor's eyes follow these long lines, which create the illusion of length and larger space. If you have more of a square room, you may consider going diagonal for the same reasons. The same works for Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT): diagonal placing is good and will make the bathroom look bigger.

Natural Stone

Natural stone is a good option for a small bathroom, but only in light variants. It's generally a rule of thumb to use lighter versions for all flooring, because it makes a small bathroom look bigger due to reflected light, and natural stone is not an exception. But be cautious, as stone tends to get slippery in wet areas, so check if your stone is suitable, or add a non-slip finish to it.

Avoid Laminate

Traditional laminate is susceptible to warping in wet areas, but even if you manage to get waterproof laminate, it still doesn’t look good in terms of making the room feel bigger. It looks "textury" and that is exactly what we are trying to avoid. Also, if it's in the form of planks, they're usually very narrow, which is also bad and makes the bathroom feel small. Avoid it at all costs.

Other Tips for Small Bathroom Flooring

As we said - light colors are the best to choose. They reflect light and make a space look bigger. Try to choose bigger tiles and planks. If possible, try to avoid deep grout lines between them. Try to aim for an "open" feel. That means don't have too much texture on your floor, and keep it simple visually.

Good luck with your renovation! If you have questions or need advice for your small bathroom, call or text us - we’ll help you find the perfect answers.