How to Use Large Format Tiles to Make Any Room Feel Bigger
Disclaimer: This guide offers general advice on choosing and using large tiles at home. Every room's different, so your results will depend on your layout, your natural light and your existing decor. For guidance specific to your space, it's worth speaking with a member of our team before you buy.
Large tiles are one of the simplest ways to make a room feel bigger. Fewer grout lines mean fewer breaks for the eye, so the whole surface reads as one calm, continuous plane. A large, light porcelain tile from our Extra Large Format Floor Tiles collection can work particularly well in a small kitchen or bathroom. But size alone won't do all the work: colour, finish and layout matter just as much.
- Large tiles cut down the number of grout lines in a room, which helps a space feel more open.
- Most large tiles range from 60x60cm up to around 120x60cm or 80x80cm, the largest sizes commonly available.
- Fewer grout lines don't automatically mean a bigger looking room. Colour, finish and light all play a part too.
- You can use large tiles on floors or walls, though it's worth checking each tile is rated for the surface you have in mind.
- A flat, well prepared subfloor is essential before you fit any large tile.
What size are large tiles considered to be?
Large tiles are generally anything from around 60x60cm upwards. Within that range, 60x120cm and 80x80cm are the two sizes you'll see most often. They cover most floors, walls and even hearths without much cutting.
Anything bigger moves into specialist territory. Handling and delivery get trickier, and that's a job for a professional installer, not a first attempt at DIY.
Proportion matters too. A 60x120cm floor tile can look wonderful in a small bathroom, but the same tile on every wall of a tiny room might feel like too much of a good thing. Let the room's size guide the tiles size, not the other way round.
Let the room's size guide the tiles size, not the other way round.
”Do large tiles really make a room look bigger?
Yes, and there's a straightforward reason why. Every grout line is a small visual interruption. A floor made from dozens of small tiles reads as busy and fragmented. Swap those small tiles for large ones and the eye has far less to stop on, so the whole floor reads as one calm surface.
This effect is strongest in compact rooms. A small shower room or a narrow kitchen benefits most, because there's less room for a busy pattern to compete with everything else going on. In a large, open plan space, the benefit shifts slightly: it's more about avoiding a cluttered, overgridded look across a wide floor.
Every grout line is a small visual interruption.
”Which colours and finishes work best with large tiles?
Light, neutral tones are the strongest partner for a large tile. They reflect more light around the room instead of absorbing it. Whites, soft creams and pale greys all do this well, and they pair naturally with the clean lines a large format already gives you.
Take our Essence White tile: a soft, neutral porcelain in 60x120cm that keeps a room feeling open and calm.
Finish matters here too. A glossy or polished surface bounces light around a room, which suits spaces that don't get much natural daylight. A matt finish is easier to live with underfoot and still works beautifully in a well lit space.
And don't forget the grout itself. Match it closely to the tile colour and you'll lose the grid altogether. Choose a strong contrast and you'll bring it right back, however large the tile.
Can you use large tiles on both floors and walls?
Many large tiles suit both floors and walls, though not every tile is rated for both, so check before you buy. Running the same tile from the floor up the wall, or through a doorway from one room into the next, is one of the most effective ways to blur the edges of a space. Picture a wet room where the floor tile carries on seamlessly up the shower wall: there's no visual break at all, and the whole room feels more generous for it.
Fancy something with a bit more depth? Milos Blue at 60x120cm brings a marble effect to a wall or a dry floor, though its glossy finish means it isn't slip rated, so it's not the one for a wet room floor. For something warmer underfoot, Sherwood Oak brings a wood effect at 80x80cm that suits a hallway or living space just as easily.
What should you check before fitting large tiles?
Start with the subfloor. It needs to be flat and level before any large format tile goes down. Small tiles can sit happily over minor bumps and dips. A large tile won't hide a thing, so any unevenness needs sorting first, usually with a professional assessment and sometimes a self levelling compound.
Large tiles also need the right adhesive and technique. Cover the whole back of the tile in adhesive, not just a few dabs, so it stays properly supported and doesn't crack under weight. Because these tiles are heavy and often need very tight, even joints, this really is a two person job. Leave it to an experienced tiler rather than taking it on yourself.
Ready to bring this look into your own home?
Our design team can talk you through which sizes, colours and finishes will work best for your space, so get in touch here and we'll help you choose with confidence.