Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Oct 07, 2025

Genius Subway Tile Ideas Are Worth Recreating in Your Own Kitchen

Genius Subway Tile Ideas Are Worth Recreating in Your Own Kitchen

These backsplashes deserve a standing ovation.

It's no surprise subway tiles are popular for kitchen backsplashes. They're cheap, easy to clean, endlessly versatile, and arguably the most timeless option on the planet-no matter what environment they're in, subway tiles never seem to look dated. Whether you're renovating your kitchen, or you're just hungry for interior design inspiration, this batch of subway tile kitchen ideas and backsplash ideas will do the trick. From creative layout ideas to colorful variations, cool grout trends, and classic looks, you'll find something to recreate or Pin ahead.



Try Allover Tile


Subway tile on all of the walls (and up to the ceiling!) makes for easy cleanup in this kitchen by designer Philip Mitchell. The unlacquered brass hood and butcher block countertop add warmth to the space.



Extend to Your Pantry


In this entryway by designer Jim Dove, tiles extend to the mini staircase and onto the walls for a seamless look. Double pantry pullouts on one wall allow for sleek kitchen food storage.



Hide Your Subway Tiles


In this kitchen by Regan Baker Design, the floor-to-ceiling wood facade conceals the cabinets and countertops. If you want to use tiles as a backsplash but have something more sleek and modern in mind, too, consider a similar design concept. That way, you can feature both materials.



Only Go Half Way


In this space designed by deVol Kitchens, deep turquoise lower cabinets ground the spaec while the sage walls add a touch of levity. Between them, the subway tiles feel like a natural addition, thanks to the dark green grout instead of a classic white option.



Be Eclectic


Here's proof that subway tiles can even blend in with an industrial, modern environment. This kitchen designed by ETC.etera features edgy concrete floors, a retro red stool, classic black stained-wood cabinetry, an ultra-sleek island, and simple subway tiles. All together, they create an eclectic yet cohesive whole.



Switch Up the Pattern


If you were looking for ways to switch things up, look no further than this kitchen designed by Janis Nicolay. She went the traditional route with classic white subway tiles, but then opted for a chevron pattern for an understated but fun twist.



Reach for the Ceilings


Though subway tiles are most popular as a backsplash in the kitchen, they can also stretch all the way to the ceiling. In this Catherine Kwong-designed space, the subway tiles complement both the formal, sophisticated elements as well as the more casual and approachable parts.



Color-Block


Subway tile offers tons of room for creativity in the kitchen. Here, Chango & Co. created two stripes of olive green to add color and break up the white backsplash. They're placed under the white floating shelves, playing up the linear motif further.



Stay Neutral


Subway tile is great for going grayscale. In this kitchen designed by Chango & Co., the black grout pops against the white tiles. The graphic and geometric repeating bond pattern lends itself nicely to the monochrome color scheme.



Switch Up Your Grout


For this Los Angeles kitchen, Jenn Feldman Designs chose a tonal grout to blend in with the navy tile, which is set in a refreshingly unexpected chevron pattern.



Mimic Natural Stone


If you love the look of marble and other natural stones but don't want to splurge on a marble slab for the entire kitchen wall, opt for marble tiles instead. As you can see in this kitchen from @amuneal, it boasts that same coveted look.



Protect Your Wallpaper


If you can't resist a good wallpaper moment and want it in every room in the house, we support you. But one thing to keep in mind when decorating with wallpaper in the kitchen is how well it will resist moisture. It's best to just keep it out of splashing range all together. That's where subway tile comes in.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
OpenAI and AMD Forge Landmark AI-Chip Alliance with Equity Option
Munich Airport Reopens After Second Drone Shutdown
France Names New Government Amid Political Crisis
Trump Stands Firm in Shutdown Showdown and Declares War on Drug Cartels — Turning Crisis into Opportunity
Surge of U.S. Billionaires Transforms London’s Peninsula Apartments into Ultra-Luxury Stronghold
Pro Europe and Anti-War Babiš Poised to Return to Power After Czech Parliamentary Vote
Jeff Bezos Calls AI Surge a ‘Good’ Bubble, Urges Focus on Lasting Innovation
Japan’s Ruling Party Chooses Sanae Takaichi, Clearing Path to First Female Prime Minister
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Sentenced to Fifty Months in Prison Following Prostitution Conviction
Taylor Swift’s ‘Showgirl’ Launch Extends Billion-Dollar Empire
Trump Administration Launches “TrumpRx” Plan to Enable Direct Drug Sales at Deep Discounts
Trump Announces Intention to Impose 100 Percent Tariff on Foreign-Made Films
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Singapore and Hong Kong Vie to Dominate Asia’s Rising Gold Trade
Trump Organization Teams with Saudi Developer on $1 Billion Trump Plaza in Jeddah
Manhattan Sees Surge in Office-to-Housing Conversions, Highest Since 2008
Switzerland and U.S. Issue Joint Assurance Against Currency Manipulation
Electronic Arts to Be Taken Private in Historic $55 Billion Buyout
Thomas Jacob Sanford Named as Suspect in Deadly Michigan Church Shooting and Arson
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
New York Man Arrested After On-Air Confession to 2017 Parents’ Murders
U.S. Defense Chief Orders Sudden Summit of Hundreds of Generals and Admirals
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
Trump Claims FBI Planted 274 Agents at Capitol Riot, Citing Unverified Reports
India: Internet Suspended in Bareilly Amid Communal Clashes Between Muslims and Hindus
Supreme Court Extends Freeze on Nearly $5 Billion in U.S. Foreign Aid at Trump’s Request
Archaeologists Recover Statues and Temples from 2,000-Year-Old Sunken City off Alexandria
China Deploys 2,000 Workers to Spain to Build Major EV Battery Factory, Raising European Dependence
Speed Takes Over: How Drive-Through Coffee Chains Are Rewriting U.S. Coffee Culture
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Ringo Starr Champions Enduring Beatles Legacy While Debuting Las Vegas Art Show
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Colombian President Petro Vows to Mobilize Volunteers for Gaza and Joins List of Fighters
FBI Removes Agents Who Kneeled at 2020 Protest, Citing Breach of Professional Conduct
Trump Alleges ‘Triple Sabotage’ at United Nations After Escalator and Teleprompter Failures
Shock in France: 5 Years in Prison for Former President Nicolas Sarkozy
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
BNP Paribas Abandons Ban on 'Controversial Weapons' Financing Amid Europe’s Defence Push
Typhoon Ragasa Leaves Trail of Destruction Across East Asia Before Making Landfall in China
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Big Banks Rebuild in Hong Kong as Deal Volume Surges
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Arnault Denounces Proposed Wealth Tax as Threat to French Economy
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Denmark Investigates Drone Incursion, Does Not Rule Out Russian Involvement
Lilly CEO Warns UK Is ‘Worst Country in Europe’ for Drug Prices, Pulls Back Investment
Nigel Farage Emerges as Central Force in British Politics with Reform UK Surge
Disney Reinstates ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ after Six-Day Suspension over Charlie Kirk Comments
×