Bathroom renovations - is subway tile out?

[Anonymous]

I did this in the bathrooms I renovated in my house. However, I got the subway tile in a larger size, and in the shower I ran them all the way up to the ceiling. I hate that painted bit in the shower that gets wet and gets mildew, and looks very cheap. I also ran the subway tile halfway around the adjacent walls behind the toilet and sinks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I did this in the bathrooms I renovated in my house. However, I got the subway tile in a larger size, and in the shower I ran them all the way up to the ceiling. I hate that painted bit in the shower that gets wet and gets mildew, and looks very cheap. I also ran the subway tile halfway around the adjacent walls behind the toilet and sinks.

PP here again, when I say larger tiles, I’m still doing white subway tiles, just not the smaller ones that come on the shelf from Home Depot (3x6), but something bigger - I might have done 4x8 or something like that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hate the word - and concept of - "timeless" but I think that look is as close to timeless as you're going to get!

Not quite true. Subway tiles in certain colors is dated. Salmon, olive green, baby blue all come to mind that strike me as very dated. Also white and black.

But subway tiles in white are pretty timeless.

I'd go further. 6" square tiles seem just as innocuous. There was a period of decades when you wouldn't see anything else in a bathroom. During that time subway tiles weren't around. But no one would suggest 6" square tiles right now. To me this means subway tile are a trend, that currently has had a pretty long run, and will come to an end. I say this living in a 100-year-old house that has both 1920s (just a tiny bit) and contemporary subway tiles. I like them fine but they aren't always stylish and given how many have been installed in the last 20 years, there might be a better option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just don't do dark grout - I think that will look dated at some point.

Oh i dislike this anyway, it just reminds me of dirty grout.

But you also have to be careful with white since that can turn yellow.

Good point. Thanks. I assume there is no 3rd option lol.

I also thought about large tiles. Something like this. To make it easier to clean.

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59558ef12cba5e4becea4e46/1585895737586-2I42H4MG5U18KKFEE60V/zephyr+and+stone+grey+bathroom+tiles.jpg?format=1000w

I like the easy cleaning but HATE the look. I feel like I am in a mid-level business hotel.

op here: I totally get this

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Penny tiles on the floor, subway tiles on the wall, and you’ll be able to hose down the whole damn room. Use modern fixtures and it may not be exciting, but it won’t be dated.

Honestly, if you can make it a wet room, I’d do it! Signed, mom to boys.

Ha ha..trust me I have been thinking about it. I like the idea of penny tiles. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:…I think that look is as close to timeless as you're going to get!

+1.

[Anonymous]

Subway tile will never go out of style -- what will go out of style is white subway tiles with dark grout.

[Anonymous]

check out the authentic subway tiles here:

http://www.subwaytile.com/

It's gorgeous! I have no idea how much extra it costs than what you can find in regular shops, but it truly appears timeless

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hate the word - and concept of - "timeless" but I think that look is as close to timeless as you're going to get!

Not quite true. Subway tiles in certain colors is dated. Salmon, olive green, baby blue all come to mind that strike me as very dated. Also white and black.

But subway tiles in white are pretty timeless.

I'd go further. 6" square tiles seem just as innocuous. There was a period of decades when you wouldn't see anything else in a bathroom. During that time subway tiles weren't around. But no one would suggest 6" square tiles right now. To me this means subway tile are a trend, that currently has had a pretty long run, and will come to an end. I say this living in a 100-year-old house that has both 1920s (just a tiny bit) and contemporary subway tiles. I like them fine but they aren't always stylish and given how many have been installed in the last 20 years, there might be a better option.

On the contrary, if you live in a 40’s colonial, square tiles would be a great choice and subway tiles might look a little out of place. In a Victorian, square tiles might feel too modern. Although in both cases both can probably work, you don’t have to make a historically accurate room.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hate the word - and concept of - "timeless" but I think that look is as close to timeless as you're going to get!

Not quite true. Subway tiles in certain colors is dated. Salmon, olive green, baby blue all come to mind that strike me as very dated. Also white and black.

But subway tiles in white are pretty timeless.

I'd go further. 6" square tiles seem just as innocuous. There was a period of decades when you wouldn't see anything else in a bathroom. During that time subway tiles weren't around. But no one would suggest 6" square tiles right now. To me this means subway tile are a trend, that currently has had a pretty long run, and will come to an end. I say this living in a 100-year-old house that has both 1920s (just a tiny bit) and contemporary subway tiles. I like them fine but they aren't always stylish and given how many have been installed in the last 20 years, there might be a better option.

On the contrary, if you live in a 40’s colonial, square tiles would be a great choice and subway tiles might look a little out of place. In a Victorian, square tiles might feel too modern. Although in both cases both can probably work, you don’t have to make a historically accurate room.

I did live in 40s colonial with square tiles for many years, but I didn't know anyone who updated to new square tiles. They are currently kiss of death, although they had a very long run as the go to tile. I see no reason why subway tile won't be similarly hated in short order. It's rectangles vs square both should be simple enough to be timeless, yet for the last ten years every flipper has picked subway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just don't do dark grout - I think that will look dated at some point.

Oh i dislike this anyway, it just reminds me of dirty grout.

But you also have to be careful with white since that can turn yellow.

Good point. Thanks. I assume there is no 3rd option lol.

I also thought about large tiles. Something like this. To make it easier to clean.

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59558ef12cba5e4becea4e46/1585895737586-2I42H4MG5U18KKFEE60V/zephyr+and+stone+grey+bathroom+tiles.jpg?format=1000w

I like the easy cleaning but HATE the look. I feel like I am in a mid-level business hotel.

op here: I totally get this

The bathrooms in mid level business hotels are better than 95% of the bathrooms in most people's houses.

[Anonymous]

It's basic/neutral/bland and can institutional/vintage looking depending on how you style it. It's not aspirational but it's safe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Subway tile will never go out of style -- what will go out of style is white subway tiles with dark grout.

This right here. Use white grout and it will be fine.

[Anonymous]

We are going to be redoing our bathrooms and going to be installing Subway tile as well because while I love trendy things, I do not like paying for trendy items that I cannot easily change. I bring trends in via shower, curtains, towels, pillows, things like that. Not tile.
There is a really pretty green subway tile. I would like to add in one of them though for a little bit of a twist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Penny tiles on the floor, subway tiles on the wall, and you’ll be able to hose down the whole damn room. Use modern fixtures and it may not be exciting, but it won’t be dated.

Honestly, if you can make it a wet room, I’d do it! Signed, mom to boys.

This is what I have and it's not exciting but IMO gorgeous. I'm no professional designer but I honestly think the bathroom where I used penny and subway tile could go in a magazine or at least get really popular on Pinterest. You do need to be be careful about grout on the penny tile though. That you want to seal well and go dark because it's a lot of grout.

I have this combo with white grout. 6 years later, it's as good as new. I have no idea how the contractor sealed it so well. It's beautiful!