Tag: feature tiles

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RENO ADDICT

7 different ways to use subway tiles in your home

The love affair with subway tiles has not waned in the past 12 months. If anything, it’s continued full steam ahead as savvy interior gurus come up with new and different ways to use these immediately recognisable tiles. While the classic, ‘horizontal with white grout’ arrangement remains popular, there are plenty of other ways to use subway tiles in your home that utilise their clean and timeless appeal while adding a touch of the quirky and new.

Here are some of our favourite ways to use subway tiles in your home.

7 different ways to use subway tiles in your home

1. Place them vertically

7 different ways to use subway tiles in your homeImage source: Pinterest

Looking for a quick and easy way to switch things up? Try flipping your tiles so that they are placed vertically instead of horizontally. This works well for both bathrooms and laundry spaces.

2. Get creative with grout

7 different ways to use subway tiles in your homeImage source: Decor Pad

There is no rule that grout has to be white. One of the easiest ways to modernise your design (and spend less time cleaning) is with a different coloured grout. Popular choices include black, dark grey, light grey and even coloured varieties for small spaces.

3. Play with colour

7 different ways to use subway tiles in your homeImage source: OK Interior Design

There are plenty of gorgeous colour options for subway tiles now available. While white will always be clean and classic, experimenting with grey, pastels, teal and even black can make the look your own.

4. Texture

7 different ways to use subway tiles in your homeImage source: Tile Junket

Textured subway tiles are a great way to play around with the trend in a new way while still remaining true to its roots. You could also play around with matte versus gloss tiles or different materials.

5. Mix and match

7 different ways to use subway tiles in your homeImage source: Perini

Torn between colours? Why not go with both! In this example, teal has been paired with pale grey (and white grout) with fabulous impact.

6. Shake up the size

7 different ways to use subway tiles in your homeImage source: Tile Ideaz

Big doesn’t have to equal beautiful. Depending on the size of the room you’re tiling, smaller tiles may work better for the space like in this bathroom.

7. Focus on a feature (wall)

7 different ways to use subway tiles in your homeImage source: Tile Junket

If you don’t want to go the whole hog, a subway tiled feature wall could be a great option. It allows you plenty of freedom to play around with colour, shape and texture in a ‘safe’ yet still stylish way.

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Bathrooms Design Expert Tips RENO ADDICT

Expert advice: How, when and why to use feature tiles in a bathroom

Image courtesy of Houzz

Whether or not to include a feature tile in a bathroom is something I debate all the time. From a patterned floor to a feature shower niche, it’s not simply about a feature wall anymore as I think that’s a little dated and 90s. Furthermore, I believe that if you’re using a feature tile it needs to have a practical purpose.

Image courtesy of Houzz
Image courtesy of Houzz

Optical illusion

Feature tiles are your secret weapon when it comes to making a bathroom feel more spacious. If I’m designing a bathroom that is wider than it is long from the door, I will sometimes run the floor tile (or a derivative of it) from the floor up the back of the wall opposite. This will elongate or lengthen the room and is a great trick for small spaces.

Accentuate the positive

Another reason to use a tiled feature wall might be to highlight an architectural feature – you might not have plain, straight walls and have nooks or cut-outs instead. Adorning them with a feature tile can be a good option – in fact, using a feature tile in a bathroom niche is very popular at the moment.

Image courtesy of Kyal and Kara
Image courtesy of Kyal and Kara

 Zoning

Just as a rug can help zone a living space, a feature tile can serve the same purpose. For example, if your bathroom has been designed with a ‘wet room’ concept, where it’s very open, you may want to use tiles to carve up the space. You could change the tone, texture or shape (just one by the way!) of your tiles on the floor or wall to help define the bathroom’s zones.

Subtle texture

Your feature tile doesn’t have to be highly contrasting. In fact, if your bathroom is on the smaller side it is preferable to use the same tile in a different size or shape as busy tiles can be overwhelming. In a small bathroom I would use a 300mm x 300mm floor tile with the same tile in a different format on the wall – the tile might come in a hexagonal shape or you could lay a subway tile in a herringbone format. This technique is great for creating subtle textures and interest.

Image courtesy of Beaumont Tiles
Image courtesy of Beaumont Tiles

A word of warning

I would rarely put a coloured or beautiful feature tile behind a toilet as the toilet is not something I ever want to highlight. Also, if you’ve spent a lot of money on a feature tile, you need to consider how much of it you will be covering up. For instance, if you’re putting them behind your vanity you should consider that you’re going to be mounting a mirror on top of them. A cheaper tile is probably a better solution for that area and you can use your feature tile elsewhere. Basically, don’t ever use a feature tile in a space where you won’t be able to see and enjoy most of it!

Less is more

While feature tiles can be super effective, if you’re using one, let it be your bathroom’s hero and don’t overdo it by adding feature tapware, lighting, basins or a feature bath too. Like most matters of design, simple is often best.

–Naomi Findlay is one of our resident experts, principal of Silk Home and founder of the International Institute of Home Staging. 

Read all her articles for Reno Addict.

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Homewares The Block

Where to buy your favourites from last night’s The Block room reveal, including the tiles!

There were some great things to lust after in last night’s ground floor apartment reveal. Here’s some of my favourites.

matt kim bedroom

I really loved the textures and colours going on in Matt and Kim’s bedroom. Not exactly my taste but I still appreciated the look and some of the great finishes.

Continue reading “Where to buy your favourites from last night’s The Block room reveal, including the tiles!”