“Subway tiles are classic and timeless, yet versatile, which is why they are so great. They aren't going anywhere in 2021 or beyond,” shares Erin Davis, lead designer at Mosaik Design & Remodeling in Portland, OR.
For a strong, timeless appeal, limestone-look tiles like the Rushmore Rock are ideal, or if you're looking for strong contrasts as discussed above then the Lines Black are both great choices that will work great as backsplash or flooring equally.
Dreamy dark kitchens will beckon you in better than you expect! We know classic white ceramic subway tile will never go out of style, but that doesn't mean we can't look for ways to jazz it up! One of the current trends to give this timeless tile a fresh new look is adding contrasting grout!
Terracotta is back
But with warming, nurturing colours and textures set to dominate 2021, terracotta tiling is set to soar sky high. 'Lay them from kitchen through to hallway, cloakroom and dining room to really add warmth to your space.
Subway Tile is Classic
Although subway tile seems synonymous with farmhouse trends, it is actually a classic that has been in use for more than 100 years. The shape of subway tile is clean and very easy to incorporate into different styles.
Subway tile is traditionally 3 x 6 inches and this is the most popular size of subway tile. However, any rectangular tile with 1-to-2 dimensions can work as subway tile, with other subway tile sizes including 2 x 4, 4 x 8, and 6 x 12.
There are many timeless options for a kitchen backsplash such as hexagon tiles, picket tile, penny tile, and square format tile (just to name a few). Timeless Backsplash Tip: Opt for a natural stone like marble or slate for a more traditional and timeless look. For example, marble or slate mosaic tile!
Tile Sizes & Shapes
The tried-and-true 12” x 12” tiles are still popular, but tiles are tending to be larger and larger. Sizes like 16” x 16”, 12” x 24” and even 24” x 48” are becoming more prevalent. Large-format tiles have fewer grout lines to clean and help a room look bigger, more open and less busy.
Tiny Backsplashes
Skinny backsplashes are out of style, we are happy to report. A ceramic tile or glass backsplash that stretches from counter to cabinets is much easier to keep clean, and is more likely to catch spills and splatters.
White subway tile, like nearly any subway tile, is particularly easy to keep clean with much less maintenance and elbow grease than you might expect. With ceramic tile being stain resistant, paired with the fact that glaze is non-absorbent, you have a one-two combo for keeping things sparkling clean - and white.
If you want your kitchen to remain timeless in design, we suggest sticking with a classic field tile size such as a 3 x 6 subway tile or a 4 x 4 in a straight-set pattern. Or add some design detail with a herringbone pattern. Field tile will transcend trends, making your tile backsplash a sustainable design feature.
Two tones. Two-tone cabinets — the upper cabinets in one color, the lower cabinets in another — are a big trend for 2021. Adding an eye-catching touch to your kitchen, two-tone cabinets can come in infinite color combinations — including black and white or gray and white.
Black and white tiles are timeless. From classic tiling patterns to ornate and retro designs, there are many ways to adopt this tile trend. Black and white are colours that have been paired together for centuries.
Checkerboard Tile
Out of all the timeless tile designs, checkerboard is perhaps the most flexible. The design can make a great impact on the floors in a space as small as a bathroom yet is bold enough to make a statement in a larger surface area like a foyer.
Gray supplanted beige as the favorite neutral for a time, but now beige is making a comeback. When using beige tile in your home, we recommend adding an interesting twist, such as choosing beige with a pink undertone or adding texture, such as the fabric-look beige tile above.
Move over, marble — it's travertine's time to shine. It may be 2021 — but you wouldn't know it from looking at the current lineup of design trends. Everything from bright colors to bold patterns to squiggly shapes have returned from the 1980s this year, pointing to a renewed embrace of the maximalist decade.
For paint colors, whites, grays and pale blues are most popular both as they go with the most popular tile colors and also because they are light and neutral.
Subway tile is the most enduring choice for a backsplash. Avoid bold, trendy colors, and instead look for white or neutrals. Keep it simple, and bring in color elsewhere in the kitchen, with more easily replaced items, such as dish towels, art, bowls of fruit and rugs.
Natural materials, like wood and stone, are always in style. Have your contractor install maple, birch, or cherry cabinets. Look for stone options such as granite, limestone, or slate. Your kitchen will be stylish and trendy both now and in the future.
Slate, soapstone, and honed granite are timeless materials for countertop and backsplash, for houses of almost any period. This marble look-alike surface material from Okite is a compound of natural quartz and resin, which complements this period-style kitchen.
Most subway tile has grooves on the sides so you don't need to use spacers at all because it's an automatic 1/16″ grout line. I completely forgot about that and used 1/8″ spacers. This meant that we ended up with pretty wide grout lines. Which ended up being fine for the room, but it's just something to keep in mind.
1. Larger Tiles Make Small Rooms Appear Bigger. Because grout lines are thinner and fewer as part of the layout, smaller rooms appear bigger when using larger tiles. Large-format tiles make floors look more streamlined – therefore, creating the illusion of more space.
3″x6″ Subway Tile
Whether you are tiling from countertop to bottom of the cabinets or tiling all the way up the wall, this size creates a beautiful range of backsplash beauty.