How to Use Subway Tile to Spruce Up a Kitchen
With so many options—colorful, classic white, matte, peel-and-stick—installing subway tile in a kitchen renovation has possibilities for every sensibility and skill level. Here are some of the many ways to use subway tile.
Keep It Classic
White subway tile is a classic for a reason. It was originally designed by George C. Heins and Christopher Grant La Farge for the opening of New York's first subway station in 1904. The shiny, easy-to-clean tiles reflected light and were a hit among civilians, who began to install the 3-by-6-inch rectangles in their bathrooms and kitchens.
Shane Michael Pavonetti, an Austin-based architect and contractor, and his wife, Holly, built their eco-friendly home on a lean budget of $175,000. The cedar siding used on the exterior reappears throughout the house. Keen on recycling the wood, the couple added shelving to their kitchen as well.
French-born chef, TV personality, and pop-up wizard Ludo Lefebvre says of his kitchen, "My life is based around cooking 24/7‚ so making the kitchen the star of our house was really the only choice. Our previous kitchen was tiny‚ and with two small children it became almost dangerous at times: too many people‚ not enough space. I wanted an open area where family and friends could be part of the experience but also have breathing room."
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In this exquisite, classically styled black and white kitchen, gleaming white marble countertops and cabinets are juxtaposed by a dramatic, gold-trimmed black oven and range hood. Two Bestlite Pendants from Gobi enhance the gold details throughout this kitchen, a favorite among black and white kitchens.
The kitchen in this family home in Sydney by Australian architects Bennett and Trimble enjoys morning light from two east-facing windows: one on the first level, and the other positioned up high near the roof’s northeastern corner. A KWC Eve faucet, Franke sink, and Miele appliances complement the elegant subway tile backsplash.
Set on a classic white subway tile? That's fine by rockstar interior designer Emily Henderson. In order to pick a white shade that's best for your kitchen, take note of its tone and glaze.
With a client wish list including ample natural light, high ceilings, outdoor connection, and peak energy efficiency, Mowery Marsh Architects check off all the boxes and more. In the kitchen, oak floors, inset walnut cabinets, Fireclay subway tile, and Caesarstone countertops read more classic vibes, while the furnishings are modern counterpoints. The refrigerator and freezer columns are Thermador, and the wall sconces are by Cedar & Moss.
For their DIY petite open kitchen, Kathrin and Brian Smirke designed the cabinets and had the boxes and doors made at a small cabinet shop in L.A. They also formed and poured the concrete countertops themselves and constructed the floating shelves with leftover clear pine and plywood.
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Designed by local firm Hogg & Lamb, a Queensland cottage known as B&B Residence has been thoughtfully extended with a crisp, new facade to better connect to its subtropical setting. The owners' minimalist sensibilities informed the aesthetics, which have been guided by an elegant, bleached palette and stripped-back surfaces.
Perched high in the hills of Silver Lake, this Albert P. Martin–designed midcentury home has returned to the market following a recent renovation and expansion. Originally covered in colorful tile, the kitchen received a monochromatic upgrade with white quartz countertops and new state-of-the-art appliances.
This kitchen in Austin, Texas, was designed by Royce Flournoy and expertly combines black, Shaker-style cabinets, white subway tiles, Carrera marble countertops, and wooden floors to create a balance between rustic warmth and industrial simplicity.
Opt for Dark Tiles
Black subway tiles add a dramatic, sophisticated edge to any kitchen.
The owners of this updated Tudor-style abode in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Eagle Rock, Amanda and William Hunter, are the design duo behind the William Hunter Collective, which rehabs homes. They reconfigured the 2,000-square-foot home to maximize space before tapping HGTV host and bestselling author Emily Henderson for the interior design. The resulting home blends traditional and modern design elements to create a "timeless and unique space." Handmade tile, soapstone counters, walnut wood, and steel make up the artfully styled kitchen.
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Fishtown Lokal is a newly launched six-room hotel in Philadelphia's hip and popular Fishtown neighborhood. The "Baller Jawn" is one of two two-bedroom bi-level apartments available in the six-room Fishtown Lokal. All of the lodgings embrace a clean, minimalist Scandinavian modern vibe. The kitchen cabinets were designed by True Hand Society and fabricated by Summus with leather cabinet pulls from Peg & Awl for an earthy feel.
Switch It Up and Go Vertical
This unconventional direction imitates the sparkling clean look of bathroom tile.
Frederick Tang Architecture renovated this Brooklyn brownstone with entertaining in mind. The new kitchen features a mix of IKEA and custom walnut shelving. The gray subway tile is from Nemo Tile.
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When tapped to redesign a darling cottage in Brisbane's Little Italy, the team at Cavill Architects was inspired by "architecture with veneration for the past." As a result, the newly remodeled dwelling now pays homage to the Italian migrant workers' housing that was a crucial part of the Australian city's post-war settlement. The open kitchen has a warm Mediterranean-like feel and overlooks the central garden.
Bring In Some Color
Blue subway tile seems to be a popular choice for the kitchen, but we wouldn't mind having any color of the rainbow in our space.
A family's dream of living in a converted warehouse becomes a reality when Zen Architects successfully transforms a leaky warehouse from the 1960s into a bright and airy family home—without compromising on comfort or energy efficiency. Bright yellow subway tiles complement dark teal cabinets and colorful dishware.
The updated kitchen of this circa-1969 Claude Oakland-designed Eichler has walnut-paneled cabinetry, quartz countertops, a turquoise tile backsplash, and a large center island with seating.
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The once dim, cramped kitchen in this 1963 Eichler in San Jose, California, now features luxe vinyl tiling, white slab fronts from Semihandmade, and a dual-pane window, courtesy of Cathie Hong Interiors.
Developed by Lang Architecture, Hudson Woods is an eco-friendly, locally-sourced, 26-family community spread across 131 acres in the midst of the Hudson River Valley. In the kitchen of one of the cabins, dark-green subway tiles contrast with wood cabinetry and a marble-topped central island that was crafted from blackened steel and walnut.
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When Greg Steinberg and Alexandra Becket, designers and owners of ModOp Design, conceptualized the renovation of their 1939 home in the Moreno Highlands in Silver Lake, their goals were to open it up to the lake's spectacular views and to create a vibrant, modern aesthetic—and to do it all on a budget. To add natural vibrancy and variable depths of color, they used tile selections from Heath Ceramics' Modern Basics line for the kitchen backsplash.
Mix It Up With Metals
Take a break from ceramic tiles with these metallic substitutes that are sure to make your kitchen renovation shine.
Designed to be energy efficient and to have a minimal impact on the environment, Fish Creek House by Archiblox was inspired by the principles of permaculture and the homeowners’ desire to be self-sufficient as they work towards minimizing their carbon footprint. The kitchen backsplash tiles are Perini tiles in jaca bronze, their metallic glaze reflecting the natural light.
Take Tile Up the Wall—and Around the Room
Promote your subway tile from backsplash to wall covering by expanding to the ceiling or into the dining room.
Gardiner Architecture ensured that flexibility, practicality, comfort, and spaciousness were all present in Elm Street House, as well as natural connections to the oft-used backyard and the surrounding neighborhood. The kitchen units are composed of blackbutt veneer and have a matte finish; the counters are Caesarstone. A pass-through window at the sink connects to the yard and makes for easy entertaining.
A young Vancouver family asked Falken Reynolds Interiors to convert their waterfront vacation home on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast into their primary residence. To facilitate livability for the foursome, an enlarged kitchen, complete with a large white island with wood hardware, was a major part of the renovation.
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