Scouring the internet looking for the perfect subway tile bathroom ideas for your next remodel can quickly go from fun and exciting to downright daunting. With all of the incredible tile choices these days, how are you to choose? Well, how about with a bit of inspiration to get your creative juices flowing?
Whether you want to embrace the traditional aesthetic of your mid-century home or you’re ready to hit refresh with bathroom and shower tile in new and exciting colors, patterns, and combinations, these bathroom remodel ideas with subway tiles can help you turn your wildest remodeling dreams into a reality, whether your home design dreams are bold and daring, or charming and traditional.
With a mix of calming neutrals, textures, and greenery, pulling off a dramatic bathroom wall, like the one seen here using Tile Club’s La Riviera Quetzal Ceramic Subway Tile isn’t only possible–it’s encouraged.
Before we dive into our favorite bathroom and subway tile shower ideas, let’s review the benefits of subway tile that make them an excellent choice for any remodeling project.
The Benefits of Subway Tile
A staple of interior design since the early 1900s, subway tile is a simple tile full of endless design possibilities. Subway tile materials come in varieties like glass, marble, and ceramic subway tile, with countless shades and hues to tone down – or bring to life – the walls and floors of any space.
Each type of subway tile material and color option offers its own unique look and texture to fit any aesthetic. The basic rectangular shape makes it easy to accent other design elements or to arrange in countless layouts for even more design variations! Regardless of what your design plans entail, subway tile is a timeless option that can help you recreate your favorite looks from magazines, Instagram, or celebrity homes.
6 Bathroom Remodel Ideas With Subway Tile
Make It Monochrome
The term “monochrome” refers to using one color - including its hues and shades – in art or design. Incorporating monochromatic color schemes in your bathroom remodel can be easily accomplished by selecting matching materials for floors, walls, and showers, as well as matching your grout color to your chosen subway tile. This helps to create a seamless tile design and allows more opportunity for showcasing your favorite accents or bathroom fixtures you want to stand out within your space. That accent or fixture could be your favorite piece of art, salvaged mid-century fixtures, a one-of-a-kind sink, trendy accent stools, a vintage bathroom runner, the list goes on!
As illustrated throughout the marble-filled bathroom below, the monochromatic design of a white-based tile and grout accentuates the beautiful veining that naturally occurs throughout each Calacatta gold marble tile, adding gorgeous detail while allowing the brass fixtures, wooden vanity cabinet, and standing tub to shine alongside the accent wall and built-in storage niche.
Do you have a favorite color you would love to showcase in your next remodel? Set the foundation for a monochromatic master bath or powder room with a subway tile accent wall! You can build off that tiled feature with fixtures and accents in hues of that color.
A monochromatic tile and grout design (as seen here with Tile Club’s Glacier Pure White Polished Glass Subway Tile) can be used to accent your favorite features, like a vintage vanity, commissioned piece of artwork, or a breathtaking soaking tub.
Keep It Classic With Black & White Subway Tiles
If you love timeless interior styles, these black and white subway tile bathroom ideas have your name written all over them! The classic color scheme for decades, black and white subway tile bathroom designs can be made feminine or masculine, playful or refined. It all depends on how you style it!
Let’s take a look at some of our favorite black and white subway tile bathroom ideas ready to stand strong through years of ever-changing trends.
Need black and white subway tile bathroom ideas for larger spaces? Here is one we’re loving! This open concept black and white subway tile bathroom idea features our very own Thassos White Honed Marble Tile shower and bath walls, with a Nero Marquina Hexagon Honed Marble Mosaic Tile bathroom and shower floor accented with white grout lines.
Make the most out of a simple white subway tile wall by accenting with a basketweave tile floor and timeless accents displayed in designer Richard Lambertson’s bath. Achieve a similar look to this Architectural Digest-approved classic bath with Tile Club’s Basket Weave Carrara Black Dot Polished Marble Tile (approved for shower floors) and glass, marble, or ceramic white subway tile for the walls.
Looking for a white subway tile with a little “oomph”? Tile Club’s Bianco Carrara Polished Marble Tile brings together subtle detail and an elegant finish for a fresh bathroom design that dares you to dream big.
Take Multi-Color Tile For A Spin
Multi-color tile can be a visual dream for renovators that want their bathroom walls and floors to do the talking. Whether you plan to use your multi-colored tile as the main attraction, or you want to encourage your guests to take a closer look to spot the intricacies hidden within your tile walls, rest assured your two-toned tile choice will always hold something new for you to discover each time you wash your hands, lather up, or settle in for a soak.
Add dimension and interest to your commercial or residential with an eco-friendly recycled glass tile, like Tile Club’s Recycled Glass Subway Mosaic Tile in Blue Wood Color.
With ever-changing natural striations and colors throughout, you can’t go wrong with this multi-colored Calacatta Gold Polished Marble Subway Tile. Accent with other natural stones, neutral colors, and textures to more easily emphasize the diverse beauty contained within each marble subway tile!
Have you ever seen a subway tile as unique as this Blue Gemstone Agate Glass Tile? Whether you want the kids’ bath to make a statement, or your bathroom’s backsplash is begging to have some fun, our Agate glass subway tile won’t disappoint.
Add Texture to your Walls
A bathroom doesn’t have to be big to be interesting. In fact, some of the most exciting bathroom remodels we’ve ever seen are small but bursting with character. Adding a textured tile to your bathroom walls is one example.
Textured tile ignites the visual and physical senses while adding interest and dimension crucial to curating a pause-worthy powder room you’re proud to show off. Keep scrolling to see what we mean.
Visually and physically appealing design elements like these are hard to forget. Thankfully, you can bring this same spa-like experience to your home with the Mallorca White Ceramic Subway Tile which has a slightly unique handcrafted look from piece to piece.
If adding texture with some attitude is part of your goal, the Carrara Dots Etched Subway Marble Tile is the timeless yet trendy tile option worthy of your consideration.
Play With Patterns
From herringbone and chevron to basket weave and neatly stacked subway tiles, playing with patterns is one easy way to add interest and dimension to bathrooms of any size.
From floor to ceiling, you can mix, match, and experiment with subway tile patterns and set the stage for the bathroom remodel of your dreams. Add even more dimension with textured tiles or subway tiles with intricate designs for a truly one-of-a-kind look you’ll never grow tired of. Here are some of our favorite subway tile pattern options:
Glass subway tile is arguably the most resilient tile for every corner of the home, especially the bathroom. It’s both waterproof and easy to clean. Aside from an eye-catching tile layout, what more could you want? Add some excitement to your fresh, easy-to-clean bath with a unique subway tile pattern layout, like the herringbone layout of this Sea Glass Platinum White Tile.
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Love the look of a white subway tile, but want to make it a little more interesting? This triple basketweave design by Cathie Hong Interiors via The Spruce is simple and intriguing. Why not put it on your list of shower subway tile ideas for your upcoming bathroom remodel? You can a similar look using Tile Club’s La Riviera BlancWhite Ceramic Subway Tile.
Crisp and clean, a vertically stacked subway tile can make a big impression! Pictured here is Tile Club’s Calacatta Bluette Polished Marble Subway Tile with gorgeous natural veining and color variations that set the stage for a spa-like bathroom you will be proud to call your own.
Here’s another example of how stacked subway tiles can set the scene for a bathroom space with major personality. The use of our Mallorca Black Ceramic Tile, dramatic black tub, marble floor tile, and natural wood accent makes this a modern-day master bath worthy of attention.
Accentuate Subway Tile With Wallpaper
Wallpaper has made a comeback in recent years–and rightfully so. With so many unique prints for every style, finding the perfect wallpaper that fills you with joy and matches your favorite subway tile is a win-win in our book. When you consider wallpaper in your list of subway tile bathroom ideas, you’re opening up a whole new world of design possibilities you may not have realized before today. Keep scrolling to see what we mean!
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Few eras can compare to the vibrant design style of the mid-century era. If you love this look by London-based divinesavages as much as we do, you can achieve a similar mid-century-inspired look with a stunning wallpaper and Tile Club’s La Riviera Quetzal Ceramic Subway Tile, which boasts a beautiful peacock blue-green color. Photo via The Spruce.
Add a break in pattern to let a decorative detail stand out! While a green tile/white grout duo makes a statement on its own, the wallpapered ceiling and half walls, fresh flowers, and black and white accents leave you with a bathroom design that’s anything but ordinary. Achieve a similar look with Tile Club’s Stardust Stream Glass Mosaic Subway Tile for water-resistant walls to preserve your wallpaper. This bathroom belongs to Harpers Bazaar Executive Editorial Director, Joyann King, as seen on Elle Decor.
Find the Subway Tile of Your Dreams at Tile Club
The best bathroom tile design idea isn’t the one that’s trending, or the one seen in that magazine, or the one your favorite influencer revealed in her latest post. The best bathroom tile design is the one that brings you joy every time you step foot in your space. It’s the one that begs you to leave the bathroom door open so you can see it every time you walk by, and that others can enjoy as much as you do.
When you want to find the subway tile design ideas that speak to who you are and what you love, Tile Club is here to help. Whether you’re confident in your aesthetic or you’re still figuring it out, our best-in-class tile selection and team of tile experts are here to help make your ultimate design goals a reality. Browse, shop, or contact us today to get started. Or, for even more tile inspiration, visit the Tile Club Blog.
