Subway Tile: 5 Smart Ways to Add Personality to White Tile

As far back as the early 1900s, subway tile has been a popular choice for tiled surfaces. Whether on a kitchen backsplash, shower surround, or even around the fireplace, subway tile keeps on kickin’.

But let’s be honest, it can be a little boring. Between white cabinets, white countertops, white bathtubs, toilets, and sinks, installing white subway tiles can leave you wanting a little more.

This is why you might give a little extra thought to your tile’s personality and how you might add a little personality.

WHY IS SUBWAY TILE POPULAR?

There are endless reasons, but let’s hit the top ones…

SUBWAY TILE IS BUDGET-FRIENDLY

The average kitchen needs 30 sq ft of backsplash. You can easily find FABULOUS subway tiles for under $8 sq ft. So, worst-case scenario, your tile is going to cost $250 (do not check my math on that one). Best case scenario, you’re looking at approx. $90 (plus grout and spacers).

Of course, if you’re not DIYing, it’s more, but it’s also more with a more expensive tile regardless of who does it.

SUBWAY TILE IS TIMELESS

There’s a good reason why this tile has been kickin’ it since the early 1900s – it’s awesome. While tile trends come and go (ahem, penny, travertine, 4×4 porcelain), subway tile works whether it’s in style or not.

SUBWAY TILE IS FLEXIBLE

Subway tiles are a versatile product that can transition into tons of styles depending on personal tastes, color, layout, grout choice, etc…

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And while subway tile might sound boring, being so ‘affordable, practical, timeless, etc…’, there are some super fab ways to jazz it up to make it look like you spent more money, without bustin’ out the kid’s piggy banks.

1. KEEPING IT SIMPLE WITH WHITE 3X6 SUBWAY TILE

If you’re here for white subway tiles, have I got some beauties for you! We’ll get a bit more wild and crazy(ish) below, but let’s start with the basics…

WHITE 3X6 SUBWAY TILE

3×6 subway tile is the tighty-whitey undie of the tile world. It’s classic, it suits a wide range of homes and styles, and is timeless in the right situation. What it comes down to is choosing the right white for your space.

This laundry room below suits this clean, crisp white subway tile as it matches the Sherwin Williams High Reflective White cabinets and trim…

To add a bit of depth and variation, the grout is a mid-toned gray to show the brick-bond, classic subway tile layout. It also connects with the dark charcoal-black 12×24 tile floor.

If you have white cabinets, your white subway tile HAS to be a perfect match. 

This next tile isn’t a traditional 3×6 size, but it has great white bones for this space…

Trends may come and go, but THIS bathroom will keep on kickin’.

This next kitchen has off-white/warm gray cabinetry, white subway tile, and light gray grout, which slightly enhances the tile pattern…

Notice that all three of the above projects have non-white grout. This is a great way to show off the traditional subway tile layout, whereas, if the grout is white, the pattern will blend in.

This next kitchen’s subway tile backsplash was made more interesting by the tile inset behind the stove…

Sherwin Williams Pure White cabinetry with Benjamin Moore Classic Gray walls

Don’t get me wrong, I think it looks beautiful, as the kitchen is styled to support it. However, if you want a timeless look with mass appeal (for resale), stay away from any extra detail, either behind the stove or in any other form (i.e., no racing stripes – they’re definitely early 2000s).

BTW, notice how the white subway tiles recede in the above photo as it has WHITE GROUT. Compare this to the previously shown projects.

2. ADD COLOR OR TEXTURE TO A PLAIN TILE

Choosing a subway tile in a color (solid or mixed tones) is a great way to keep things classic and simple, while still adding a personal touch. The traditional shape of the subway tile gives you room to be braver with color and style!

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I’m OBSESSED with this next blue subway tile with its hand-glazed look…

Benjamin Moore White Dove on cabinets and walls

In this next photo (similar glazed-looking tile), notice that while the tile is flat (unlike the above tile), it still has a hazy, glazed look…

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This next photo is a great angle showing the glazing of this warm gray subway tile with soft, light gray grout…

BEVEL THAT BEACH!

Traditionally, subway tiles are flat with very slightly rounded edges. While this is a ‘timeless and classic’ approach, you can also jazz things up with a glazed finish (as shown in some of the above images) or a bevel or a reversed bevel (as shown below)…

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3. SUBWAY TILES DON’T NEED TO BE PORCELAIN…

Traditionally, a subway tile would be porcelain or ceramic. However, you can get the beauty and timeless nature of a subway tile PATTERN in a variety of products, such as…

• marble
• travertine
• glass (rarely my fave – too 2000s)
• natural stone
• glazed ceramic

Don’t limit yourself to what has always been done; see what else is out there!

In this next photo, we chose a beautiful tumbled travertine subway tile for my local client (in the early/mid-2000s). It complements the warm veins in her granite and the natural cherry cabinets…

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While travertine isn’t trendy again (for backsplashes), the tile size and layout help it along. If we were to update this space to today’s trends (while keeping the granite countertops and cabinets), we’d step away from travertine and go with a soft beige-brown subway tile or maybe a warm off-white.

This next kitchen features a gorgeous marble subway tile backsplash, coordinated with the white quartz countertop and white cabinets…

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While the above white-on-white-on-white kitchen might not be trendy forever, each element has a timeless quality. For example, if a new homeowner doesn’t like white cabinets, they could choose a dark gray-blue to complement the marble and quartz.

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Remember, if you’re looking for longevity…

NOTHING beats the timeless appeal of a simple 3×6 subway tile in a solid neutral color or marble. 

Unless you don’t like subway tile, in which case you probably aren’t reading this blog post and are installing something that might not be timeless (which is okay if you love it!)

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Many features in the above kitchen will come and go, but that white subway tile could live forever! Sure, it won’t suit everyone’s tastes, but compared to other options, it’s the most versatile.

4. PLAY WITH YOUR GROUT COLOR

The color of your grout is the most important element, aside from choosing the tile itself!

A well-coordinated, contrasting grout color…

• shows off your tile pattern
• enhances the colors in your tile
• blends your tile pattern and colors, making a simpler, unified surface

This next kitchen shows glazed porcelain subway tile with dark grout (it’s not black, but it’s darn close) to define the pattern and coordinate with the dark greige-painted island…

See the before and afters of this kitchen HERE

In this next bathroom, it’s obvious that it was renovated in the early to mid-2000s. How do I know?

• It was my client’s home. This was back when I had fewer wrinkles and way more energy. I’m also way better at color (it’s amazing what 15 years will do) and would make the walls less creamy-toned.
• The racing stripe in the shower was a popular feature in bathrooms and kitchens in the early 2000s – it ain’t anymore.
• Mosaic tile detail in a mix of travertine and glass.
• Dark espresso-colored vanity.

But what’s one thing that ISN’T outdated in the above bathroom?

The off-white subway tile. Add in a more modern vanity, updated tile floor, and nix the racing stripe, and this subway tile has years left.

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5. CONSIDER THE SIZE & LAYOUT OF YOUR SUBWAY TILE

As shown in a few of the previous photos, you can also jazz things up by varying tile sizes to add a slightly different look to your tile installation.

Next up, with its matching grout, the 4×12 off-white subway tile is a subtle complement to the white cabinets and black quartz countertop. My clients wanted a more contemporary look, so we did a stacked layout, rather than a brick layout…

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Notice how the matching grout blends the tile layout vs accenting it.

Next up, Buttercup!

I love the color my clients chose for their kitchen cabinets – Benjamin Moore Kitty Gray. And they couldn’t have chosen a better backsplash – love the super elongated, glazed look…

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IS SUBWAY TILE CURRENTLY IN STYLE?

Nope. But that doesn’t make it a bad idea. When it comes to timeless finishes (like subway tile), it doesn’t need to be currently trendy to be a good idea.

IS SUBWAY TILE HARD TO KEEP CLEAN?

Heck no. Whether it’s matte or glossy, as long as it’s not a porous surface or rough, it’s super easy to keep clean – one of the easiest tiles in fact. Of course, glossy is the easiest. Pay more attention to your grout and make sure it’s a quality one with sealant, so it doesn’t absorb stains.

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QUICK SUMMARY (TL;DR)

• Subway tile is popular because it’s timeless, affordable, and flexible for a range of styles.
• Consider a different grout color, tile color (not white), or tile layout to add personality to your backsplash.
• To change things up, choose a subway tile size in a material like marble, Zellige, or another material besides porcelain.

PHEW, we did it! If you have questions, check out my next link…

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