Which subway tile size for kitchen splashback?

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

Hi, I want to get white subway tiles for our kitchen splashback. We're going for a fairly classic look in a Victorian house. I'm just wondering which size works best. I had decided on flat 7.5 x 15cm ones but now I wonder would that be too busy. Would 10 x 20s or 10 x 30s look better? Or would they look too large in the area between counter and wall cabinets? I'm tempted by fewer grout lines and the larger ones are less expensive but I fear they'd look out of proportion size-wise. Any opinions? Thanks.

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Comments (4)

PRO
Design Penguin Ltd
8 years ago
Difficult to say without knowing the distance between your counter and cupboards. The general rule of thumb for a pattern repeat is minimum five. Meaning if you can fit at least five tiles between the two spaces it will be fine. Less than five and the proportions may look a bit off.

Best advice I can give is try before you buy. If you get some samples and stack them up you'll be able to see for yourself. And if you're worried about it being busy your instinct for flat rather than bevelled is spot on.

Good luck!
hounoc thanked Design Penguin Ltd
hounoc
Original Author
8 years ago
Thanks. That's very useful to know (re the five tiles rule of thumb). It's looking like the smaller tiles will be best but our kitchen design isn't finished yet so don't know exactly what distances we're dealing with.
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PRO
Design Penguin Ltd
8 years ago
Happy to help. Your kitchen planner or interior designer will work from industry standard measurements for the height of the counter and where the cupboards should be positioned for the reach of an average person. The gap should be approx 450mm. In kitchens that are already built sometimes it isn't - because the person who built it was crazy or very tall or both. As yours will be from scratch you have the chance to build it so it works ergonomically as well as visually. Something you can check with your designer or planner and take it from there.
hounoc thanked Design Penguin Ltd
PRO
Italian Tile & Stone
8 years ago
You should base your decision on the overall area to be tiled rather than just the height. The standard between wall and top units is 600mm so if taking Design Penguins point both should work. I would say that if your area is under 4 sq metres use the 7.5x15 , 4-6 sq mt use whichever you prefer and above 6 sq mt use the larger one.

Bear in mind that with the 7.5x15 you have 88 tiles in a square metre and in the 10x20 you have only 50 so over larger areas the smaller tiles look busier ....

Best.

Luke
hounoc thanked Italian Tile & Stone

Which subway tile size for kitchen splashback?

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Which subway tile size for kitchen splashback?

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hounoc
Original Author