When you buy rectangle shaped bathroom wall tiles, one of the first questions that might come to your mind is “which way am I going to lay bathroom wall tiles horizontally or vertically?” Both ways are commonly seen in public bathrooms as well as residential homes. But does it really make any notable difference?

Obviously laying tiles horizontally or vertically wouldn’t make any difference to the actual space of your bathroom. But, our mind is not always perfect in judging the size of a room. You can trick your mind into thinking that a space is bigger than it really is. Wisely deciding on whether to lay your tiles horizontally or vertically can make your mind think better of a limited space. That’s because your eyes will naturally follow the grout lines to perceive the size of a room.

When to Lay Wall Tiles Horizontally

Lay bathroom wall tiles horizontally when you want your space to look wider horizontally. If you have a limited floor space but a tall bathroom, you might like to choose this option. It will visually open up the space, giving you the illusion that the space is wider and longer than it actually is. But the effect may not be as noticeable if you use large format tiles with narrow grout joints. If you want the effect to be more exaggerated try putting horizontal feature lines with mosaics. Other options include contrasting colour tiles.

When To Lay Wall Tiles Vertically

Lay bathroom wall tiles vertically when you want your room to look taller. If you have a low ceiling but a wider floor space, you may like to choose this option to open up your space vertically. Use large format tiles instead of many small tiles, as having many grout joints can make the space feel more cramped. It’s also better to lay them without offsetting the grout joints of surrounding tiles for the same reason.

More tips

There are other things you can do to make your small bathroom look bigger. For example, colour. Dark colours absorb light, therefore they visually close a space. On the other hand, lighter colours such as white and beige reflect light opening up even a small space. Choose polished surface tiles instead of matt finish tiles, as a polished surface reflects more light making the walls less visible in effect. To get some great ideas for your tiling project, click here to view our gallery.