Vertical vs Horizontal: How Tile Direction Shapes a Room

The way you lay your tiles is one of the easiest tricks to completely change how a room feels. Want to make a narrow bathroom feel wider? Go for a horizontal tile pattern. Need to add some height to a compact powder room? Tiling vertically is your friend here. No major renovation is required, just a simple shift in direction that can stretch, soften, and change the vibe of any space.

Horizontal Tiling: When & Why

Horizontal tiling is your go-to when you want to make small rooms feel wider and more open. It creates a lovely, calm, linear feel that's perfect for relaxed spaces. This direction works beautifully for classic subway installations and is ideal for narrow bathrooms where every visual trick is needed to make the space feel less cramped. The horizontal lines naturally draw your eye across the room rather than up and down, creating that sense of width that smaller spaces usually crave.

Vertical Tiling: When & Why

Vertical tiling draws the eye upward, making any space feel taller. There's something about those vertical lines that adds visual movement and creates a real sense of height, perfect when you're working with standard ceiling heights but want a bigger, more luxurious feeling. This direction is fantastic for feature walls, compact powder rooms where you want to maximise the sense of space, and behind vanities where you may want to create a statement that feels both practical and impressive.

Which Direction for Different Rooms

Bathrooms

For bathroom floor tiles horizontal or vertical layout depends on your room shape, but horizontal usually works better for most floor applications. Horizontal tiles are also best suited for narrow bathrooms and shower recesses, while vertical tiles work well for powder rooms and behind vanities. When deciding whether to lay bathroom tiles horizontally or vertically, consider the size of your space, remembering that horizontal tiles can make narrow areas appear wider.

Kitchens and Laundries

Whether you’re tiling a kitchen or laundry, direction matters. Horizontal tiles visually widen a space, making them ideal for galley kitchens, splashbacks, and compact laundries. Vertical tiles, on the other hand, draw the eye upward, creating a sense of height and making a feature wall, perfect behind a stove or as a statement in a small room. In the end, it’s all about what your space needs: horizontal for openness, vertical for height and impact.

Showers

Vertical tiles in shower recesses can make low ceilings feel higher, while horizontal tiles create a more relaxed, spa-like vibe. Tiling vertically in showers is great for height, but horizontal vs vertical tiles can depend on your ceiling height and the design or features of the space.

Stacked vs Staggered vs Herringbone

Your laying style is the finishing touch for your tile vibe. Stacked (straight lines) keeps things clean and modern, while staggered (brick pattern) adds movement and visual interest. Herringbone brings serious texture and creates an entirely different vibe regardless of your base tile choice. Each pattern interacts differently with your chosen direction, so it's worth checking our tile patterns guide to see how they work together.

Don't Forget Grout & Lighting

Here's something most people don't think about: the direction of your tile interacts with both light and shadow throughout the day. Horizontal tiles catch light differently than vertical ones, which can totally change the mood of your space. Plus, contrasting grout can really enhance your laying pattern and make your direction choice even more apparent. Check out our grout guide to see how the right grout colour can make your tile design stand out.

The direction you lay your tiles might seem like a small detail, but it's one of the most powerful tools in your renovation toolkit. Whether you're going horizontal to make a narrow bathroom feel wider or vertical to add height to a compact powder room, this simple choice can completely change the vibe of your space.

Remember, there's no one-size-fits-all answer, it's all about what your specific room needs. And don't be afraid of mixing vertical and horizontal tiles in different areas of the same space to create zones and visual interest.