Classic subway tile is usually bright white, glossy, 3” x 6” and laid in a 50% running bond pattern, but sometimes it’s fun to change things up a bit. Although many of our clients generally like subway tiles, they often ask us to present something that’s a bit more unique. There are several ways to implement subway tile in a more creative way.

Proportion

Traditional subway tile is 3” x 6”. The length is exactly twice as much as the height, a 1:2 ratio. Many manufacturers now feature a variety of subway tile sizes, including some that are a bit longer, which often looks more elegant in my opinion. We used longer white subway tiles in the project featured above and on our Mid-Century Blue kitchen renovation project. In the close-up photo of the range, you can see that this tile also have an understated texture.

Texture

If you definitely want a white tile, but you don’t want it to look monotonous, you change the surface texture. We’ve specified subway tile with a handmade look on several projects, including our Ventnor Contemporary Coastal project –the front of these tiles are a bit wavy and irregular. Other tile designs feature surfaces with a more contemporary subtle pattern. Different tile textures can bring your attention to how the light in the room hits and reflects off of the glaze. 

Finish

Speaking of glaze, subway tiles aren’t always glossy, sometimes they have matte finish. If you want to get really creative, you can mix matte and glossy tiles in the same color on the same surface. There are also glazing methods that result in what’s called a “crackle” finish or crazing. This technique adds a sort of patina to the tile and is caused by large fluctuations in temperature while the tile is being made. Although the surface of the glazing may appear to have cracks, there’s no influence on the integrity of the tile itself. 

Color

If you’re using a bold color elsewhere in the room through paint or non-white cabinetry a white subway tile may be perfect, so that you don’t have competing visual elements. But if the surrounding design features are in neutral tones, there’s a great opportunity to bring in color and visual depth through tile. Gray cabinetry was balanced with dark green tile in a South Philly Kitchen we redesigned.

Variation

If all of your subway tile is the same color, but you feel the need for more visual interest, you might want a tile with high variation. That means that all the tile is the same color, but some of the colors in the batch are a bit darker or a bit lighter, so you end up with a monochromatic look. Each individual tile will often have some variation as well. This characteristic can also contribute to a handmade look and feel. A high variation subway tile was selected for our Colorful Collingswood project.

Install Pattern

Creating a more customized look can be done through having the tile installed in a less common pattern. For reference, a 50% horizontal running pattern (often called a brick pattern) is by far the most common tile installation pattern. But other patterns include stacked, basketweave, 33% running bond, chevron, and herringbone, just to name a few. 

Be aware that the more complicated the pattern the more labor that will be required from your installer. For example, a herringbone shower ends up costing 3x more for tile work, when compared to a 50% running bond. You’ll also need more tile, because there will end up being more waste, since a herringbone pattern requires more tile cuts. 

Subway tile is never going to go away, that’s what makes it a classic. But as you can see there are ways to include a classic element in an interior, while still making it your own. Implementing just one or a combination of the methods above can be used to personalize a subway tile.