Not-So-Basic Subway Tile
Flat Textured Horizontal Subway with Light Grey Grout
Everybody loves white subway tile, right? Yes! Why? Its classic clean lines create a timeless look (cue taylor swift ‘style’). I often have clients say they want white subway tile, and they almost always preface it with ‘i’m basic’ as if wanting white subway tile is a bad thing! Let’s embrace the basic, but level it up just a little to give that gorgeous white subway tile a little bit more personality. I am sharing 3 things to consider when selecting your white subway tile in your next remodel.
FInish
We already know we want a white subway, but what else do we need to consider when selecting the finish? Do you want flat or textured? Glossy or matte? A few things to consider… if you want a super clean streamlined look, go for flat, if you want a little bit more of a punch opt for a texture. Now when it comes to glossy vs matte, you want to consider natural light as well as style. A dark space with no windows has me leaning towards glossy to help the light bounce around and brighten up the space, a matte finish will tone down the artisanal tile since it does not reflect the light highlighting the texture.
2. Layout
This is where we really determine where you want to go with style. Here are a few examples of tile layouts. If you’ve selected a flat matte tile, don’t be afraid to go with a different pattern. If you feel like the glossy textured tile is as bold as you’re willing to go, stick with a classic subway layout. A tile size that is 1/2 the width of the height like a 3x6 or a 2x4 makes for endless tile layout options! (top left - right: horizontal subway, vertical subway, horizontal stack, vertical stack. bottom left - right: horizontal herringbone, vertical herringbone, basketweave, stacked running bond)
Flat Matte Vertical Stack with Light Sage Grout
3. Grout Colors
The final selection to consider for your not-so-basic subway tile is the grout color. Often times clients lean towards white grout, and a color or heavy contrast grout is a hard pass. Hear me out for a second. The image to the left uses the most subtle of sage grouts, and its gorgeous (I had to really convince my client)! The image at the top of the page uses a pale grey grout and definitely makes more of a statement! A heavy contrast grout even makes my knees shake a bit, it can quickly transform the look of the space from clean + serene to packing a punch. I won’t tell you not to do this, because a navy grout would look amazing in a powder bath with a fun navy wallpaper, but please be sure this is the look you are going for.
big takeaways!
There you have it, finish, layout, and grout colors. Easy right? Now take a look at your selection with all the other elements in the space and feel confident in your selections, don’t be afraid to take risks (unless its a dark contrast grout, be sure that’s the specific look you’re going for).