Small Kitchen Tile Ideas

An essential room in every home, and one that always benefits from a personal touch, when it comes to kitchen tile design potential, you might find yourself being a touch overwhelmed by the sheer variety of options out there – and that’s before you even start narrowing down tile ideas for small kitchen spaces.

However, while it might feel like there are a lot of kitchen tiling styles to choose from, when it comes to tile designs for small kitchens specifically, the size limitations you have to work within can play to your advantage.

Due to their compact size and layout, small kitchens offer a brilliant opportunity to utilise tiling ideas that will enhance their sense of spaciousness without the need for physical expansion.

So, if you’re looking for small kitchen tile ideas that you can use for future inspiration, keep reading to discover our top design options for small kitchen floor tile ideas, small kitchen wall tiles ideas, and what shade of tile colours are best suited for small kitchens.

What are the benefits of using tiles in a small kitchen?

First off, let’s touch on why kitchen tiles are such a good decorative option, especially if you’re looking to renovate a small kitchen with a fresh new design scheme.

Kitchen tiles are a fantastic decorative choice, combining style, durability, and practicality. With a huge variety of sizes, colours, and patterns available, you can be sure to find your perfect tile match for your desired aesthetic and measurable area.

Tiles are built to withstand heat, moisture, and spills, making them ideal for a high-traffic space like the kitchen. Whether used as a striking splashback or durable flooring, kitchen tiles are also low-maintenance and easy to clean, helping to maintain a hygienic smaller environment that can get dirtier quicker due to the compact size.

_{Chiltern Light Porcelain}

Small kitchen floor tile ideas

Starting with those crucial small kitchen floor tile ideas, we’ve highlighted four of our favourite small kitchen-friendly floor tiling suggestions to get you started:

1. Maximise space with large tiles

A typical way to make any small kitchen feel more sizeable, large porcelain floor tiles are the perfect solution for making your kitchen feel bigger and clearer at the same time. This is in large part due to the reduced quantity of grout lines needed to complete their installation, which helps to create more of a clean, uncluttered look.

In a small kitchen with limited natural light, polished porcelain tiles can be a fantastic choice to brighten up the space. Their high-shine surface helps to maximise light bouncing around the room and creating a brighter, more open feel. This effect enhances the sense of space, making even the smallest kitchens feel airier.

_{Breton Avorio Porcelain}

2. Use small tiles for tight floors

While not having the same size-enhancing properties as larger floor tiles, small kitchen floor tiles can still work brilliantly in a tighter kitchen area if you happen to have very limited floor space.

And you don’t need to limit yourself to traditional square tiling either - styles like wood-effect tiles in a herringbone layout work beautifully to draw the eye and add dynamic, engaging patterns underfoot.

_{Wentworth Flower Patterned Tiles}

3. Get creative with pattern

Unlike large and more open kitchen spaces, the restricted size of a small kitchen area provides you with the perfect opportunity to make a statement with your colour and choice of tile styling.

Patterned floor tiles are particularly well-suited to smaller areas, allowing you to add life to your cooking space without overwhelming the rest of an interior. For example, a traditional checkerboard tile design creates a classic, eye-catching statement that makes a feature of your smaller space. Just be sure to keep the rest of your kitchen colour scheme neutral, or in similar hues, for a balanced overall look.

_{Terracotta Natural & Terracotta Light Porcelain Tiles}

4. Consider using natural stone tiles

Most often associated with that sought-after rustic farmhouse feel, natural stone tiling can look fantastic in a small kitchen space when taking a few key things into consideration.

If you’re working with a smaller kitchen floorplan, consider choosing a 60x40 natural stone tile to better work with a more compact space. Cutting down larger stone flagstones can be tricky to fit around a smaller kitchen’s layout, and downsizing will better showcase the tumbled edges of the tiles, ensuring you avoid compromising their character.

Once in place, their timeless, natural character and simple design will make even the smallest cooking space feel that much more homely.

_{Gironde Flax Natural Sandstone}

Small kitchen wall tiles ideas

Just as important as your flooring choice, getting the right kitchen wall tiles to complement your kitchen’s aesthetic is a must. Below are our favourite small kitchen wall tiles ideas that you can get creative with:

1. Heighten and widen with metro tiles

Kitchen metro tiles offer impressive versatility, making them an ideal choice for a range of metro tile ideas, from horizontal, vertical or herringbone installation. Their versatility allows them to serve as a striking focal point, whether used as a splashback or as a backdrop for open shelving.

Naturally, your choice of a metro tile layout will depend on what sort of visual effect you want to get out of them. Vertical arrangements draw the eye upward, adding height to rooms with low ceilings, while horizontal rows create a sense of width, making walls appear longer.

_{Camden Charcoal Metro Tiles}

2. Add depth with a herringbone pattern

Herringbone has become an increasingly popular kitchen tile trend thanks to its distinctive, classic look that adds character but in a subtle way.

Much like any other metro tile layout, a herringbone pattern is a great choice if you’re looking to create a singular focal point in your kitchen, helping to maximise a small area that stands out.

_{Valencia Azure Metro Tiles}

3. Declutter with large tiles

Providing all the same benefits as large floor tiles, opting for large wall tiles gives you the perfect excuse to go for a simple and unobtrusive wall tile layout that still delivers a visual impact.

Large stone-effect wall tiles are especially well-suited to doing this, delivering the illusion of a bigger cooking space while retaining a sense of clean and crisp minimalism throughout.

_{Stonequartz White Porcelain}

Colourful tile ideas for small kitchens

Finally, let’s touch on some specific colourful tile ideas for small kitchens that are a must if you want to introduce a needed pop of colour:

1. Brighten your kitchen with neutral hues

Essential for bouncing light around any sized space, when it comes to small kitchen tiles ideas, you honestly can’t go wrong with a soft white or neutral shade for making a room feel bigger than it actually is.

Using a cohesive colour palette for your wall and floor tiles, complemented by neutral tones on countertops and cabinetry, is one of the best ways to deliver this size-enhancing feel. This approach makes it easy to incorporate organic materials like wood or hints of dark shades into the aesthetic for a subtle contrast.

_{Firenza Carrara Metro Tiles}

2. Opt for bold colour blocking

As wonderfully versatile as neutral shades are, if you really want to inject an undeniable sense of personality to a small kitchen, opting for a bold colour is an absolute must.

Colourful wall tiles are an excellent choice here, especially when installed partway up the wall before transitioning to paint, enabling you to draw visitors’ eyes to the main areas of your kitchen and away from a potentially narrower floor or lower ceiling.

Choose a colour that truly resonates with you and reflects the mood you want to cultivate in the space, using bold colour-blocking techniques to make a strong impact. For instance, a rich red or deep ochre yellow feature wall brings an energising, vibrant touch, while tones of green or blue evoke a calming, grounded ambiance inspired by natural environments.

_{Cavendish Mustard Metro Tiles}

3. Go luxurious with rich shades

Leaning into the cosy, compact nature of a small kitchen with deep, rich colours on your splashback wall tiles or cabinetry can create a truly impactful and luxurious feel. Rich tones such as burgundy red, forest green, or navy blue invite have an inviting, embracing quality, creating a kitchen that feels intimate and effortlessly stylish.

Enhance this luxurious effect further with gold handles or brassware, adding a touch of glamour that elevates the space further. The result is a small kitchen design that’s brimming with character, giving a high-end, boutique feel in even the tightest spaces.

_{Maison Navy & Maison Navy Frame Metro Tiles}

Find your ideal kitchen tiles in our range

You should now have a much better idea of what to consider when weighing up tile designs for small kitchens. Of course, our small kitchen tile ideas are just starting points, offering guidelines to inspire your own choices.

And speaking of tiles, if you already have your heart set on a particular material or shade, or you simply want to see what different tiles we have on offer, then why not take a look at what we have on offer in the Stone Superstore range today?

Offering everything from indoor porcelain tiles to outdoor paving slabs, there’s something for everyone in our collection. Get in touch today to ask about ordering a free sample of your favourite tile choices, and don’t forget to check out our tile inspiration blog for more design articles and ideas.