Have a room you wish you could add a few extra feet to but don’t have the space or time for an extension? Try these tiling tips to maximise what you’ve got.
Plain neutral tiles
A simple solution is to keep things nice and neutral with soft tones like cream, white, and light grey. These don’t have to be solid colours, but a bold pattern could overwhelm a small room. Pale colours will help brighten the space with the help of light. Because these shades will open up the room, it’s best to avoid contrasts for maximum effect.
Image from: Digs Digs
Collection matches: Motion Sand, Dorset Ivory, Velvet Grey
Dark colours
Although light neutrals can brighten a room, dark colours work to expand a space by offering an illusion of depth. Keep wall mounted shelves and sinks similar in colour to help them blend with the tiles and emphasise the room’s depth.
Image from: LA Construction Group Inc.
Collection matches: Highline Graphite, Dwell Black, Mono Black
Match grout with tiles
Whether you’re utilising dark or light coloured tiles, creating a homogenous look with matching grout can further the space-increasing impact. By pairing dark grout with dark tiles and light grout with light tiles, the eye is drawn to fewer areas and prevents a space from being broken up and looking smaller.
Image from: Maggie Griffin Design, photo by Alexandra Haynes
Collection matches: Elements Brick Matt, Cemento Mid Grey
Big tiles
Large format tiles have a similar effect when it comes to creating homogeneity. By maximising the continuous look and reducing grout lines, small spaces can appear larger. The size of the tile will obviously depend on the size of the room, but the larger the better.
Image from: Digs Digs
Collection matches: Motion Light, Onice Pearl, Majestic Carrara
Glossy finish
Adding to the reflectivity of tiles, a glossy glaze helps light bounce around the room, growing the space as it does. A similar effect can be achieved with metallic looks.
Image from: @houseofchais
Collection matches: Arrows Gloss White, Dwell Emerald, Soulful Emerald
Layout
If you want to add width to a small space, horizontally laid tiles work to push the boundaries of a room and make it seem wider. This works for both smaller format tiles, and larger, long planks. If you have low ceilings and want a space to feel taller, vertically laid and stacked tiles work wonders.
Image from: NTF Architecture, photo by Tom Blachford
Collection matches: Countrywide White, Flatiron White, Opal Grey
