Bathroom design inspiration needed – help please!

[Suomynona]

I need some design inspiration for tiling and flooring in a very small bathroom in our renovation house please (to rent out).

It’s 183cm by 187cm so pretty teeny weeny. We’ve gone for plain white suite – straight bath, 400mm wall hung vanity/basin unit and short projection back to wall toilet, and are aiming for a fairly contemporary feel but it needs to be not so modern that it dates quickly (ie as timeless as possible).

I fancy fairly large tiling on the wall and floor but wonder if the room’s just too small to take that. I’ve never designed a bathroom before and feeling a bit lost, especially as we need to keep the budget as tight as possible. My Partner keeps suggesting these wall board type things instead of tiling as apparently they’re quite cheap, but every time I’ve seen pictures (not seen in the flesh anywhere), it looks pretty cheap. Any experience of using these and actually looking OK?

Does anyone have any images they can share? Also any suggestions for the best value places for tiles aside form Wickes, Topps Tiles etc?

Thanks!

You are correct. Large format tiles actually make a room look bigger! It’s an illusion of course, but I would go large like a limestone lookalike or even concrete style. Anything serviceable that won’t date.

My friend has wall boards for the shower and bath in her 4 bed detached in a lovely Suffolk seaside town. It is hideous. My student DD had them in a rented university flat. Don’t do it.

The cost of the tiles won’t be huge unless you go for very swish. The cost of putting them up if you don’t do it yourself is the big expense! If you have large format there is less Work and less grout to keep clean!

I buy from Porcelanosa and although they may be too expensive for you, look at the tiles for ideas. I think most of the usual suspects have the cheapest tiles!

Oh god don't do the wall board thing. Looks like student rental/nursing home/HA.

Do go for large tiles - makes small bathrooms look bigger. I got these. They were cheap and look great. The darker ones on the floor and the lighter ones on the wall. Dark grey grout. Couldn't be more happy with my tile choice.
www.diy.com/departments/arlington-marble-mist-stone-effect-high-definition-ceramic-wall-floor-tile-pack-of-6-l498mm-w298mm/1288148_BQ.prd

Sounds a bit like my bathroom - I’ve gone for fully tiled with large grey Everest tiles from Wickes

Silver I love those tiles. Do you have a photo of your bathroom?

Yup, here you go @AnonymousTomato

Thank you @BubblesBuddy - I agree, I really am against the wall board idea, and think I've managed to convince my Fiancé!

Thank you @SilverSpot and @Mybestusername - your bathrooms look fantastic and I love both the tiles. @Mybestusername I think that's the vanity unit we wanted form Soak.com or very similar, but we can only fit a 400mm so options are a little more limited. @SilverSpot - we also love that vanity unit but is a bit rounded to go with the bath and toilet we've chosen. We really wanted an L shaped bath but the room is really just too small :-(.

I feel a bit more confident that I'm on the right lines now having seen these images and been given the above tips/advice etc. Thank you.

I was also wondering whether darker tiles on the floor would work; yours look fabtastic @SilverSpot!

Thanks, I’m really happy with the tiles. So cheap compared to most tiles as well! Felt sorry for the tiler tho, there are only about 7 whole tiles in the whole bathroom ans every other one had to be cut.

My major bathroom mistake is that I wish I had put in UFH and also a towel radiator that could be run off electric not just the central heating. Bathroom is a bit cold.

I might be tempted to ditch the bath in favour of a shower. Yes to large tiles.

My bsthroom is small and I've got tiles similar to Mybestusername's but in a lighter grey. Used same tileing format and used light grey grout. My bathroom looks so lovely and I feel like I'm in a hotel bathroom. If only the rest of the was as nice, but maybe one day!

I personally hate dark grout and the brickbond format. Sorry Silverspot. I feel that my eyes are drawn to the grouting rather than the tiles themselves. Also the grout could have a layer of mould on and you would never notice!

Oops. I meant to say if only the rest of the house was as nice.

Forgot to say Siverspot that I do like your bathroom fittings (especially your vanity basin) and your floor tiles.

Nice bathroom Silverspot I think I need to get a plant for mine!

Suomynona yes you’re right, the unit is from soak.com, it’s great and luckily there was just enough space for it. Good luck with your bathroom!

@SilverSpot - thank you! Feel excited about it now! Is your cabinet the Tuscany gloss form Soak.com? I'm looking at the wall hung 400mm version. Lovely and good value!

Also the grout could have a layer of mould on and you would never notice!

@Flamingale well..... that's a little bit the point that it doesn't show the muck as much! On reflection i'd have gone for a lighter grey grout on the walls but there were a lot of decisions to make and I didn't consider having 2 different grout colours and it isn't as stark in the flesh.

@Suomynona no it is the one in the link below. It is great storage - all bathroom cleaning products and spray bottles live hidden out of sight in the bottom drawer.

victoriaplum.com/product/mode-ellis-white-vanity-drawer-unit-and-basin-600mm

Good luck with all your bathroom planning people!

We had two bathrooms done last year and went for the new england look with marble tiles around the bath and shower area and then wainscoting (painted wood panelling) on the bottom half of the room with painted walls above. We've had so many compliments on it, mainly I think because its a bit different. We went for karndean on the floor and its so much warmer than the tiles we have in the main bathroom.