6 awesome ways to use subway tiles in your home

Kayla Gulec Kayla Gulec
​Une petite cuisine sur-mesure, CuisiShop CuisiShop Cocinas modernas
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Tiles are a popular choice among interior designers and homeowners alike. They're classic, cheap, and you can put them in just about any room in your home. One tile trend that's on the rise is the subway tile. Anyone who's been in the metro knows about subway tiles–they're rectangular, white, and a little unexciting. But when these tiles are transferred to the home, they look completely different. 

Not everyone is sure about how to transfer this type of tile successfully into the home, and that's partly because there are quite a few different styles you can choose from and different ways to lay the tile. But not to worry, we've got your back if you're struggling! We want to show you six awesome ways you can use subway tiles in your home. If you love the look and price of subway tile and want to try something out of the ordinary, keep reading…

1. Use them in the bathroom

Tiles and bathrooms go together like peanut butter and jelly. They're great for any style, require little maintenance, and can be used in small areas or all over. 

This bathroom showcases the classic subway tile look. The tiles are all white and there's no visible grout, leaving a cleaner-looking space.

2. Use them in the kitchen as backsplash

Subway tiles aren't just for the bathroom. You can use them in the kitchen, too. Tiles are most commonly used as backsplash in the kitchen, as we can see in this image, but you can use them in other areas as accents as well. 

Here we have an amazing example of how to use black tile in the kitchen. In order to pull off this look, you need to balance your colours. Balance the black with dark wood flooring and make sure you have lighter elements to contrast against the black, such as a white kitchen island.

3. Mix it up with a thinner style

You don't have to stick with ordinary subway tiles in order to have the same look. You can opt for thinner or thicker tiles to match your tastes. 

Here we have a thinner model that makes this bathroom a little more modern. The sleek nature and grey colour of the tile in combination with the toilet and matching bidet create an elegant space.

4. For an industrial feel

Industrial Kitchen With American Diner Feel homify Cocinas de estilo industrial Madera maciza Multicolor metro tiles,dark grout,open shelving,vintage brackets,vintage accessories,bianco venato

You can achieve different design styles depending on how you use your subway tiles. This kitchen is a great example of how to get an industrial look

The fact that we can see the grout between these tiles is a huge contributing factor–remember how we couldn't see it in the bathroom earlier? Well here, the solid grey grout lines add a serious tone, and in combination with the open shelving, metal fixtures, and hanging lights, this kitchen really communicates the industrial style.

5. Use them for subtle texture

​Une petite cuisine sur-mesure, CuisiShop CuisiShop Cocinas modernas

Here we have another kitchen example, but this time, the tiles aren't used as backsplash. In fact, they're used as accents. We all know how accent walls in different colours can make a room pop or certain elements of the room stand out. Well, the same applies to accents made from subway tiles. 

This kitchen is mainly smooth in texture–we have glossy kitchen equipment, matte cabinets, and plain white flooring. But the addition of white subway tiles on the walls adds a nice texture and breaks the uniformity.

6. Use them to make things interesting

homify Paredes y pisos de estilo escandinavo Baldosas y azulejos

The last thing we want to tell you about subway tiles is probably our favourite thing about them. All of the images we've seen have shown us wonderful ways to add metro tiles to our rooms in order to achieve a certain look and feel, but the tiles were all laid in the same way–horizontally. If you haven't guessed already, that's not the only thing you can do with these tiles.

Here, we can see metro tiles that were rotated 90 degrees and placed in a zig-zag pattern on the wall. Not only that, but we have differentiating shades of grey, whereas the other images had only one colour. We wanted to leave you with this image so you can really appreciate all the possibilities you have with metro tiles. After reading this article, it doesn't seem so out of reach, does it?

If you enjoyed this piece, you might be interested in this bathroom floor guide!

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