Small tiles do something large format simply cannot: they let grout become part of the design rather than something to minimise. A contrasting grout turns a plain metro or hexagon shape into a graphic grid, while a closely matched tone lets the colour of the tile itself do all the talking. Either way, the extra detail reads as intentional rather than incidental.
This is the format to reach for on a splashback, inside a shower niche, or across a whole feature wall where you want the eye to linger. Mosaic, hexagon, kit kat, and other small formats all sit within this collection, in finishes from crisp white to deep, saturated colour. Herringbone and chevron patterns come into their own at this scale too, since the smaller pieces make the zigzag far more pronounced. If you are planning a feature area, it is worth ordering samples early: small tiles are often the detail a room is remembered for.