4 Tile & Shiplap Ideas for a Small Bathroom

How to add personality & style to a small bathroom

Other than in between the sheets, small bathrooms are one of the BEST PLACES to have a little fun in your home. Why?

1. MORE BANG FOR BUCK (could also be said about the ‘in between the sheets’ comment)

It’s easier to justify spending a bit more on a SUPER cool, but slightly pricey tile for 30 sq ft compared to a room with 100+ sq ft. Remodels can be EXPENSIVE, but small bathrooms are often on the more manageable end of things just due to their size!

2. LESS OF A COMMITMENT

NOTHING eats money like a large bathroom or kitchen renovation, which means that you’re FAR less inclined to change anything in the near future. But in a small bathroom, it’s easier to justify changing things up every few years as the cost and effort are GREATLY reduced due to the minimal square footage.

It also means that you’ll be more inclined to make BRAVE choices!

3. MORE IMPACT

Whether it’s a fun pattern, texture or colour, having it condensed in a small space can be a GREAT way to inject instant personality to a small room without feeling like you’re changing the trajectory of your ENTIRE home.

So, when it comes time to update a small bathroom, two of the best ways to add character and visual value are with TILE and SHIPLAP – either or both!

2 TILE IDEAS FOR A SMALL BATHROOM OR POWDER ROOM

Whether it’s a bright colour or a cool pattern, don’t be afraid to live out your wildest dreams in your small bathroom (okay, maybe not THOSE dreams – sadly, Ryan Reynolds is married). But really, have some FUN with it!

1. TILE YOUR BACKSPLASH/VANITY WALL

A tiled backsplash is definitely my favourite approach when it comes to adding interest to a small bathroom. Opting for a unique tile on the wall means you can be a bit safer on the floor without sacrificing your room’s potential…

The above bathroom looks awesome with the dark warmth of Sherwin Williams Gauntlet Gray. This bathroom happens to have a cool floor tile too (I’ll add a photo once I get a good one of it). With only 24 sq ft of floor, it was easier to go above and beyond on the floor AND the walls without breaking open my kid’s piggy bank.

This next powder room looks STRIKING with its hexagon marble backsplash tile…15 sq ft of tile = years of visual pleasure (and a sneak peek at yours truly to boot – so glad I coordinated)!

Sherwin Williams High Reflective White walls and vanity

If you have a low-ceiling, install a tile with vertical lines to help with the ILLUSION of higher ceilings…

I apologize that this next photo is so SMALL as it’s from the Kylie M VAULT. Remember, I rely 100% on my Online Color Consulting client’s photos – 100% organic content with the goal of showing you REAL HOMES with REAL BUDGETS! This photo is important though, as even if you have a small bathroom where the vanity and toilet share a wall, you can still have fun with tile without having to do the whole shebang.

2. TILE YOUR FLOOR IN A COOL PATTERN 

While it’s a bit more of a commitment compared to vanity tile, a cool floor tile goes a LONG WAY to adding personality and visual value to a small bathroom.

This first bathroom is a great example of a WICKED pretty vanity, along with a dark gray hexagon tile floor from Ames Tile…

Seriously, I’m OBSESSED with the green vanity. Want to paint your own vanity a cool colour? Check this out – The 6 Best Colours for Your Bathroom Vanity

And small hexagon marble tiles aren’t just for backsplashes! Check out this powder room floor, along with a great DIY wainscoting application…

Benjamin Moore White Dove & Stonington Gray/vanity from Wayfair

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This next bathroom might not be as SMALL as the rest, but you can still see the impact the patterned tile makes, along with Sherwin Williams Argos on the walls…

See the BEFORE & AFTER PHOTOS HERE

This next bathroom doesn’t just have a fun hexagon on the shower floor, there’s an ENLARGED version in higher contrast on the main bathroom floor…

Now, if it were ME, I would do a dark charcoal/black small hexagon tile on the shower floor rather than marble. Why?

• ENHANCE the dark border around the large hexagon tiles, bringing it more to life

•  a WICKED pretty contrast to the warmth of the wood vanity

• I HATE cleaning white grout in a shower

2 SHIPLAP IDEAS FOR A SMALL BATHROOM OR POWDER ROOM

I’m a MASSIVE fan of shiplap, and not just on boats. Here are a few of the MANY reasons why I love it…

• it’s affordable on almost any budget

• it’s DIY friendly even if you only own a plastic mitre box and saw

• it adds INSTANT charm and personality to a space whether you leave it wood, paint it white or cover it in a beautiful colour!

1. WHITE SHIPLAP 

White shiplap is pretty classic in the modern farmhouse world but also applies to country farmhouse, transitional, coastal, vintage and SO much more.

The shiplap in this next small bathroom is only on the toilet/vanity wall, making for easier wipe-ups compared to drywall and is much more affordable than tile…

Benjamin Moore Super White

Would I do the above shiplap application on ALL of the walls? You bet your BOOTY I would. However, with the LONG-TERM in mind, if I ever got tired of the shiplap, it would be easier to take it off ONE wall vs FOUR.

And of course, there’s the AUTHENTIC shiplap approach as shown in this next bathroom – LOVE the original character it adds without even trying. And clearly, SOMEONE has stocked up on their TP (I might get a basket with a lid, just sayin’).

Sherwin Williams Big Chill & Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace 

But funny enough, if this narrow shiplap were on ALL of the walls, I think it would be too much. In fact, I’d be tempted to drywall over three of them (as all of the shiplap lovers lie twitching and crying in the corner nursing an empty bottle of wine and plotting my demise).

2. NON-WHITE SHIPLAP

In this next wee powder room, the shiplap is a beautiful wood with a gray wash. The paint colour (Benjamin Moore Trout Gray) is coordinated to the violet undertone in the wood, pulling it all together in a gorgeous palette…

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Would I do the above application on ALL of the walls? NO, It would be too overwhelming and the point would be lost in ALL of the wood.

Would I do all of the walls painted drywall and shiplap on the CEILING? HELLS YEAH (although I prefer the above idea more).

But there’s also the half-wall approach (next photo) where you bring the shiplap up approx 36″ (sooo technically not half, Math is not my strong point). This is a great look to wrap around an entire room and when trends change, you just change the colour to suit!

The above small bathroom was done in Sherwin Williams Pure White and Light French Gray.  Want to see MORE of this gorgeous remodel? CLICK HERE.

READ MORE

3 IDEAS TO ADD STYLE TO A SMALL BATHROOM

The 6 Best Paint Colours for a Bathroom Vanity

How to Get the Look of Marble Without the Cost & Maintenance

Laminate Countertops – High-End Ideas, Low-End Prices

How to Redecorate Your Living Room Decor Without Spending Any Money

Chat soon,