What size and shape of tile should I choose for my space?
Short Answer
Tile size dramatically changes how a room reads.
Quick rules:
1. Large tiles (600x1200 mm and above) make rooms look bigger and more luxurious, with fewer grout lines. Best for living rooms, large bathrooms, open-plan kitchens.
2. Medium tiles (600x600 mm) are the everyday standard - work in any room.
3. Small tiles (200x200, 300x300 mm and mosaics) are best for small bathrooms, shower floors and feature walls where you want grip or pattern detail.
4. Rectangular tiles - laid lengthwise elongate a narrow room; laid widthwise make a long room feel wider.
5. Subway tiles (75x150, 100x300 mm) - classic for backsplashes and bathroom walls; try stacked vertical, herringbone or 1/3 offset for variety.
6. Hexagonal, picket, fish-scale - designer shapes for feature walls and accent floors.
Quick rules:
1. Large tiles (600x1200 mm and above) make rooms look bigger and more luxurious, with fewer grout lines. Best for living rooms, large bathrooms, open-plan kitchens.
2. Medium tiles (600x600 mm) are the everyday standard - work in any room.
3. Small tiles (200x200, 300x300 mm and mosaics) are best for small bathrooms, shower floors and feature walls where you want grip or pattern detail.
4. Rectangular tiles - laid lengthwise elongate a narrow room; laid widthwise make a long room feel wider.
5. Subway tiles (75x150, 100x300 mm) - classic for backsplashes and bathroom walls; try stacked vertical, herringbone or 1/3 offset for variety.
6. Hexagonal, picket, fish-scale - designer shapes for feature walls and accent floors.
Detailed Explanation
Tile size and shape change a room more than most people realise. The same colour tile in 300x300 vs 1200x600 will read completely differently - one feels busy, the other luxurious - so this is one of the most important design decisions.
Size - quick rules:
1. Large-format tiles (600x1200 mm, 800x1600 mm, 1200x1200 mm, slab tiles 1200x2400 mm) create a clean, minimal, hotel-luxury look. Fewer grout lines mean a more seamless surface, which makes rooms feel larger. Best for: living rooms, large bathrooms, open-plan kitchens, foyers, feature walls. The trade-off is cost and the need for very level substrate.
2. Medium tiles (600x600 mm) are the everyday standard - they work in any room and any scheme. The reliable choice when you're not sure.
3. Smaller tiles (300x300, 200x200 mm, mosaics) are best in: small bathrooms (the scale matches the room), shower floors (mosaics give grip and let the floor slope to the drain), accent borders, basin walls and decorative feature strips.
Shape - how it changes the room:
1. Square tiles (300x300, 600x600, 800x800, 1200x1200 mm) - clean, classic, easy to lay, easy to plan. Works everywhere.
2. Rectangular tiles (600x1200, 800x1600, 200x400 mm wood-look planks) - directional, so orientation matters. Laid lengthwise along a narrow room, they visually stretch it. Laid widthwise across a long corridor, they make it feel wider. Wood-look plank tiles (200x1200, 200x1500 mm) imitate timber flooring and are very popular in living rooms and bedrooms.
3. Subway tiles (75x150, 100x200, 100x300 mm) - the classic rectangular wall tile. Goes with everything. Try different lay patterns for variety: stacked vertical for a modern look, classic 50% offset (the brick pattern), 1/3 offset for a softer feel, herringbone for designer drama, or vertical stack for a tall, columnar effect.
4. Designer shapes - hexagonal (great for bathroom floors and feature borders), picket/arrow (popular on kitchen backsplashes), fish-scale (a Pinterest favourite for bathroom feature walls), Moroccan/encaustic shapes - bring real character but use sparingly.
Room-dimension check:
1. As a rough rule, the tile should look proportional to the room. A 1200x600 mm tile in a 6x6 ft bathroom looks awkward (too few tiles, dominated by cuts); 300x300 or 600x300 works better.
2. Conversely, 300x300 in a 20x20 ft living room looks fussy and busy - go to 600x600 mm at least, 800x800 or 1200x600 ideally.
When in doubt, sample 2-3 sizes in person at our Experience Centre - same colour, different sizes - and you'll instantly see which one reads right for your room.
Size - quick rules:
1. Large-format tiles (600x1200 mm, 800x1600 mm, 1200x1200 mm, slab tiles 1200x2400 mm) create a clean, minimal, hotel-luxury look. Fewer grout lines mean a more seamless surface, which makes rooms feel larger. Best for: living rooms, large bathrooms, open-plan kitchens, foyers, feature walls. The trade-off is cost and the need for very level substrate.
2. Medium tiles (600x600 mm) are the everyday standard - they work in any room and any scheme. The reliable choice when you're not sure.
3. Smaller tiles (300x300, 200x200 mm, mosaics) are best in: small bathrooms (the scale matches the room), shower floors (mosaics give grip and let the floor slope to the drain), accent borders, basin walls and decorative feature strips.
Shape - how it changes the room:
1. Square tiles (300x300, 600x600, 800x800, 1200x1200 mm) - clean, classic, easy to lay, easy to plan. Works everywhere.
2. Rectangular tiles (600x1200, 800x1600, 200x400 mm wood-look planks) - directional, so orientation matters. Laid lengthwise along a narrow room, they visually stretch it. Laid widthwise across a long corridor, they make it feel wider. Wood-look plank tiles (200x1200, 200x1500 mm) imitate timber flooring and are very popular in living rooms and bedrooms.
3. Subway tiles (75x150, 100x200, 100x300 mm) - the classic rectangular wall tile. Goes with everything. Try different lay patterns for variety: stacked vertical for a modern look, classic 50% offset (the brick pattern), 1/3 offset for a softer feel, herringbone for designer drama, or vertical stack for a tall, columnar effect.
4. Designer shapes - hexagonal (great for bathroom floors and feature borders), picket/arrow (popular on kitchen backsplashes), fish-scale (a Pinterest favourite for bathroom feature walls), Moroccan/encaustic shapes - bring real character but use sparingly.
Room-dimension check:
1. As a rough rule, the tile should look proportional to the room. A 1200x600 mm tile in a 6x6 ft bathroom looks awkward (too few tiles, dominated by cuts); 300x300 or 600x300 works better.
2. Conversely, 300x300 in a 20x20 ft living room looks fussy and busy - go to 600x600 mm at least, 800x800 or 1200x600 ideally.
When in doubt, sample 2-3 sizes in person at our Experience Centre - same colour, different sizes - and you'll instantly see which one reads right for your room.
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