Categories: Kitchens

A Guide to Selecting Subway Tiles for your Bathroom

Published by
James marcus

Traditional white subway tiles can be traced back to the early 1900’s in the subway stations of New York. These simple yet elegant and timeless tiles were created as a wall lining solution that would be simple to keep clean and tidy. Since then, subway tiles have been reinvented time and time again, cementing their place as a staple of modern interior design. When selecting subway tiles, there are many different options available to consider, each of which will create its own unique look in your new bathroom design or renovation project.

Selecting Subway Tiles in a Classic White

Its hard to beat the authenticity, simplicity and timeless allure of the classic white subway tile. When paired with white grout, these simple tiles will create a seamless effect, acting as a perfect neutral back-drop against other features in the bathroom such as modern bathroom furniture, patterned tile floor surfaces, luxurious towels and other materials or textures. If this is the look for you but you are curious about keeping grout lines clean, you may want to explore different grout types; an epoxy grout for example, is often a popular solution for the bathroom as it provides a simple to clean, non-porous solutions. Find out more about the different types of tile grout in our guide here.

Elegant, timeless and sophisticated, our Tavola collection features a range of colour options that are inspired by the Mediterranean Sea as well as a crisp white tile option for that perfect finishing touch in your next bathroom design project.

Subway Tile Sizes

The classic subway tile size is 75mm x 150mm however, you will find an impressive selection of size options available in modern subway tile collections that will help you create a unique look in your new bathroom. Modern tile formats include the ultra-slim 70mm x 240mm profile, 70mm x 240mm and the larger 100mm x 400mm. These modern interpretations of the classic subway tile format offer a contemporary touch to this timeless tiling choice, allowing you to explore new patterns and possibilities when it comes to creating that unique and personal touch in your home’s interior design scheme.

Made in Japan, the Sabu textured subway tiles create a tactile finish in the bathroom, perfect for feature walls in your design scheme. These elongated subway tiles are available in a selection of ocean inspired colour options that offer a tranquil and soothing vibe in the home.

Selecting Subway Tiles in Modern Colours

With an endless array of colours, textures and materials available to choose from, there are many ways you can incorporate more colour in your new bathroom design scheme using subway tiles. Trending tile colours include timeless neutral tones, retro themed burnt oranges, chocolate browns or mossy greens, along with nature inspired colour options or materials. No matter which colour palette you choose to explore in your selection of bathroom tiles, you are sure to find a subway tile to suit your unique creative vision!

Featuring a stunning 3D pattern, our Tunnel textured subway tiles are available in an array of modern and contemporary colours that will allow you to experiment in your new bathroom’s colour scheme.

Experimenting with Tile Grout & Patterns

A great way to enhance patterns using subway tiles is to contrast your grout’s colour with your tile’s colour (for example, using a charcoal grout with white subway tiles). This technique will frame each individual tile and pull focus to the tile layout pattern, making it a popular choice when modern layouts are used (such as herringbone tile layouts or basket weave layouts). One of the reasons why subway tiles are so popular is that their simple, classic rectangle shape allows for a wide range of patterns to be achieved; for more ideas on creating exciting modern tile patterns using subway tiles, see our guide here.

The stunning Gallery collection features an elongated subway tile format. These sophisticated gloss tiles are paired with a pink tile grout in this luxurious bathroom to complement the soft pink basin, effectively tying the room’s overall colour scheme together.

Experimenting with Space using Subway Tiles

Thanks to their slim, rectangular format, subway tiles can be laid in a variety of different styles and patterns, allowing for a wide range of designer looks to be achieved. With this in mind, you also have the freedom of experimenting with the perception of space in your bathroom by introducing different tile layouts that will create the illusion of additional space. Laying your subway tiles running vertically up the wall for example, will draw the eye upwards towards the ceiling, creating the appearance of a higher ceiling. Running your tiles horizontally across the wall on the other hand will enhance the perception of width in the space, making this a popular tiling option for narrow bathrooms.

Stylish yet timeless, the stunning Riverside subway tiles feature a glossy surface finish and an elongated rectangular format. This bathroom design runs the tiles vertically up the way, creating the illusion of a higher ceiling along with a sense of grandeur.

Natural Stone Subway Tiles

Create an ultra-luxurious vibe in your new bathroom using natural stone subway tiles! Options include wonderfully tactile travertine tiles, sophisticated marble tiles and plenty more. Natural stone tiles offer an incredibly unique and timeless quality in any style of interior design with each piece being different from the next. Furthermore, you will also find an immense range of naturally occurring colour options available to choose from such as soft pinks, lush greens, classic black or white tiles and plenty more. When selecting natural stone subway tiles, it is important to keep in mind that these tiles will require sealing as well as specialised tile cleaning products in order to ensure their quality and longevity in the bathroom – Visit our Resources page to find out more about caring for different types of tile materials.

For the ultimate in sophistication you can’t beat marble subway tiles. Real marble tiles add opulence to the bathroom with characteristic tonal and pattern variation, veining and natural movement. Our Calacatta marble subway tiles are featured in this elegant and romantic themed bathroom, effortlessly complementing the soft colours and gold fittings.

Luxurious Tile Finishes

Subway tiles are available in various interesting and textured finishes ranging from gloss tiles to matte tiles and even textured tiles. These more elaborate and detailed tile options provide the perfect solution when you are looking to create a show-stopping bathroom feature wall that can be complemented with the use of more simple and sleek finishes in your design scheme. Mirrored subway tiles are another exciting option that can be incorporated in the bathroom, being especially popular in smaller spaces as their reflective surface finish will allow light to travel throughout the room.

Our luxurious Chrysos collection features a stunning metallic subway tile finish. These tiles offer a popular solution for small bathroom designs as their rich, glossy and reflective finish will allow light to travel in the space and create a sense of depth.

Subway tiles have been a popular choice since their inception in the early 1900’s and continue to offer clean lines, tight grout joints, providing an inherently simple design style. These seven creative bathroom tiles allow you the opportunity to experiment with a range of different colours, finishes and even materials when selecting subway tiles for the bathroom. Our team at Perini Tiles can guide you through the process of curating the perfect bathroom colour scheme using a range of different bathroom tiles, including modern subway tile options – Visit our Melbourne tiles store or shop for tiles online here!

This post was last modified on 29/10/2023 23:35

James marcus

Garden Courte is a blog written by [James Marcus], a passionate gardener and writer. She has been gardening for over 20 years and has a deep understanding of plants and how to care for them. In her blog, she shares her knowledge and experience with others, providing tips and advice on gardening, plant care, and more.

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Published by
James marcus

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