Cosy Cottage Bathroom Tile Ideas – 10 ways to create a snug sanctuary

Full of original features and bursting with character, cottages are one of the most desirable homes to live in. Compact, quirky and with all the advantages of a smaller home, cottages date back to the late Middle Ages and their style has inspired similar dwellings all over the world.

Anyone who has lived in a cottage will know that for all their chocolate-box looks, come a few challenges in terms of interior design. Rooms are often small and lacking in natural light and bathrooms can be squeezed into small and sometimes unconventional spaces.

Just because your bathroom is bijou, doesn’t mean it can’t be as stylish as a larger washroom, however.  Whether you have a family bathroom in the attic or a shower under the stairs, we’ve curated some suitably snug cottage bathroom ideas to inspire you.

Image credit: @little.byrd.house

Which tiles will look good in a cottage?

Many cottage homes are several hundred years old. Although traditional in style, there’s no reason why you can’t go for a more modern cottage style if that’s what you prefer. Sleek, neutral-coloured bathrooms can work just as well in character properties as more traditionally styled ones.

If you’re keen to create a more modern look in your cottage bathroom, large-format tiles are a great way to achieve this, even in a small space. Choose stone or porcelain tiles and keep colours light and bright. Natural stone and wood-effect tiles will help to keep the room feeling cosy.

For a more traditional look, anything goes! Don’t be afraid to use pattern and colour to add even more character to your home. Terracotta, stone, Victorian-style and patterned tiles will all help you to create a comfortable bathroom.

Cosy cottage bathroom tile ideas

From compact hallway and snug attic bathrooms to light and bright and no natural light, there are tiles to suit every style of cottage bathroom, no matter how unconventional the space might be.

Add character with mismatched tiles

Cottages can handle pretty much any interior trend and, because they have bags of character, can often carry it off more effectively than more modern properties.

Mix and match tile colours, textures and materials to great effect in an older bathroom. Modern metro wall tiles sit happily alongside traditional stone floor tiles and traditional Victorian washstand tiles in this cosy cottage bathroom.

Keep it neutral

Sometimes cottage interiors leave very little space for bathrooms, traditionally the toilet would have been outside the property so unless you’ve extended it, a bathroom may have to be squeezed upstairs, or in the case of this home, into the hallway.

This compact and cosy bathroom has been fitted out with light, neutral tiles. It keeps the space from feeling too closed in, this is important if your bathroom has no natural light. Keep walls and floors a light colour to create a welcoming bathroom.

Image credit: @thistle.harvest

Fit light-coloured patterned floor tiles

Smaller spaces can benefit from light-coloured floor tiles as they will help the room feel bigger. Patterned tiles are often seen in bold contrasting colours but subtler colour combinations can work just as well. The bright white walls help to make this small bathroom feel really spacious.

Image credit: @cherryvintagehome

Add a natural slate floor

Although dark floors can make a space seem smaller, they’re also a great way to up the cosiness factor. If you love the look of natural slate or darker floor tiles, combine them with light-coloured, glossy wall tiles to keep the room from feeling too boxy.

Slate tiles will need to be periodically sealed to prevent them from absorbing water and stains but they’re a tough and durable option that, when well looked after, can last a lifetime.

Image credit: @country_restoration

Keep it cosy with warm wood tiles

Adding wood to an interior will instantly create a feeling of warmth and cosiness. Reminiscent of snug log cabins, wood-effect tiles are a practical choice for a bathroom and they can be a cost-effective option too. They’re also easy to keep clean and largely maintenance-free.

Image credit: @heatherbbaum

Add character with feature star tiles

Add a vintage touch to your cottage bathroom with feature floor tiles. The bold star design will add a homely feel to your bathroom, no matter what size it is. One of the huge advantages of smaller bathrooms is that they’ll cost less to tile than larger ones, this will give you a much wider choice of tile patterns, sizes and finishes to choose from. 

Adding patterned floor tiles to a small space can actually help the room appear bigger.

Image credit: @notionsinmeath

Recommended Range: Regal

Fit traditional metro tiles in a period colour

Traditional metro tiles are one of the most popular tile styles and for good reason. They’re cost-effective and come in a much wider range of colours and styles than most other tiles. From glossy to matt and flat to bevelled edge, you can choose ceramic, porcelain or stone tiles to adorn your bathroom walls.

Choosing a darker period colour is an effective way to ramp up the cosiness factor in a cottage bathroom, mix coloured tiles with natural wood and bright bathroom fittings for a look that’s as stylish as it is snug.

Image credit: @ourlittleflintcottage

Recommended Range:  Dorset

Brighten the space with white wall tiles

Combine the warmth of wood with the freshness of white wall tiles for a more modern-looking cottage bathroom.  Metro tiles can be laid in a variety of ways which gives you a wide range of options when it comes to creating beautiful patterns.

Image credit: @bumblebeecottage_23

Add texture with tumbled marble tiles

Natural materials like marble and travertine take on a completely different appearance when they are tumbled. The tiles are added to a large drum with rocks, sand and water, and tumbled to acquire the distinctive worn, pitted texture. These tiles are perfect for creating a natural, more shabby-chic look and their neutral colour means they’ll blend in with any decor.

Image credit: @corner.farmhouse

Create interest with patterned wall tiles

Fitting patterned wall tiles is one of the most effective ways to add character to a compact bathroom. While wall-to-wall pattern might be a bit much in a larger space, it’s an effective way to make a small space feel even cosier. 

If you’re using patterned wall tiles, it’s a good idea to keep the floor tiles plainer to prevent the space from feeling too cluttered.

Image credit: @the_old_cottage

Top tips for achieving the cosy cottage look with tiles

• Make the most of the fact you only need to tile a small space and choose tiles in more expensive materials like natural stone and marble.
• Add character with bold, period colours and patterns.
• Smaller bathrooms can be tricky to design, use different tiles to help you create different zones within the room.
• Create a mood board with different tile styles and paint colours to help you achieve the perfect look.
• Mix ceramic tiles with wallpaper and different materials such as wood and stone to create a cosy feel.

Atlas Ceramics has a wide range of traditional and modern tiles to help you achieve the right look in your cosy cottage bathroom. Browse our selection yourself or call one of our experts for advice.