6 Stylish New Ways to Use Metro Tiles
Metro tiles are still all the rage in modern homes, but why not add interest to this classic look with a little twist?
Jennifer Christgau-Aquino
6 December 2016
Houzz Contributor. Craftsman bungalow fan turned Eichler enthusiast, vinyl record collector and die hard home renovator who loves to turn antiques modern (a piano yellow, an iron bed hot pink….)
Houzz Contributor. Craftsman bungalow fan turned Eichler enthusiast, vinyl record... More
We’ve seen metro tiles hung in chevron patterns, laid in brick formation, stacked with straight grout lines, and in fetching colours. But wait, there’s more. How about a Tetris-like layout or a coursing pattern that mimics a textile weave? Those are just some of the emerging ways of working with the classic shape.
Metro tiles are easy to find and versatile, which makes them a go-to choice. Here are a few of the interesting ways you can use them.
Metro tiles are easy to find and versatile, which makes them a go-to choice. Here are a few of the interesting ways you can use them.
Style with a straight herringbone
This pattern, featuring tiles stacked so their corners form right angles, feels fresh, but Zuzanna Krykorka, of Studio Z Design, notes that it’s been around for thousands of years. For this project, the owners wanted a neutral colour palette with pattern, so Krykorka suggested this layout, different from the traditional herringbone pattern set on a diagonal.
This pattern, featuring tiles stacked so their corners form right angles, feels fresh, but Zuzanna Krykorka, of Studio Z Design, notes that it’s been around for thousands of years. For this project, the owners wanted a neutral colour palette with pattern, so Krykorka suggested this layout, different from the traditional herringbone pattern set on a diagonal.
Krykorka drew up the interior design to give the clients a better sense of what it would look like in their space, and even did a 60 x 60cm mock-up on a plywood board.
She used standard 7.5 x 15cm tiles in white and chose dark grout to emphasise the lines.
She used standard 7.5 x 15cm tiles in white and chose dark grout to emphasise the lines.
You could pick a lighter grout, which leads to a more subtle pattern, as with this splashback done in standard grey tiles.
The straight herringbone design takes longer to install than a simple metro tile pattern, so it can be a pricier option, says Melissa Couture-Peterson, a designer with Designs of the Interior.
The straight herringbone design takes longer to install than a simple metro tile pattern, so it can be a pricier option, says Melissa Couture-Peterson, a designer with Designs of the Interior.
Plump for pattern through colour
Architect Michael Howells used two colour groups of handmade, standard-size metro tiles to create a pattern on this bathroom floor. No two tiles are alike, which leads to the illusion that more than one hue is in play.
Architect Michael Howells used two colour groups of handmade, standard-size metro tiles to create a pattern on this bathroom floor. No two tiles are alike, which leads to the illusion that more than one hue is in play.
Weave in a coursing design
Colour and an alternative layout blend to create a subtle textile-like design called coursing, according to Daniel Ewald of etA Architecture. Metro tiles are offset and alternate in colour to look like a basket or textile weave.
This is a moderately more complicated pattern, with three colours of 7.5 x 20cm tiles. The design does require careful alignment and installation, Ewald says. Homeowners should make sure the installers are comfortable with it, and they should expect to pay more for the work.
Colour and an alternative layout blend to create a subtle textile-like design called coursing, according to Daniel Ewald of etA Architecture. Metro tiles are offset and alternate in colour to look like a basket or textile weave.
This is a moderately more complicated pattern, with three colours of 7.5 x 20cm tiles. The design does require careful alignment and installation, Ewald says. Homeowners should make sure the installers are comfortable with it, and they should expect to pay more for the work.
This kitchen splashback also features a coursing pattern with three colours, but it’s done on the horizontal.
It’s important to understand how any pattern will look in your space, says Kali Robledo, social media manager for Fireclay Tile.
She suggests getting samples from your tile supplier and putting them in the space. Homeowners should also do a mock-up on a large sheet of paper, sketching out a scaled version of the pattern, or use a designer who can provide a digital rendering.
She suggests getting samples from your tile supplier and putting them in the space. Homeowners should also do a mock-up on a large sheet of paper, sketching out a scaled version of the pattern, or use a designer who can provide a digital rendering.
Vote for vertical
This is a simple take on the traditional metro layout, just rotated to the vertical.
The homeowner’s initials are HH, and you can see this pattern is a comment on that, Michael Howells says.
This is a simple take on the traditional metro layout, just rotated to the vertical.
The homeowner’s initials are HH, and you can see this pattern is a comment on that, Michael Howells says.
Howells coordinated the grout colour with the worktops, so the colour threads up through the tiles.
When the grout contrasts with the glaze – especially in terms of light and dark – the individual tiles are much more identifiable and the size and pattern really sing out.
Discover 10 smart storage tips for your kitchen bins
When the grout contrasts with the glaze – especially in terms of light and dark – the individual tiles are much more identifiable and the size and pattern really sing out.
Discover 10 smart storage tips for your kitchen bins
This kitchen splashback features 7.5 x 20cm metro tiles in two finishes and set vertically. The random pattern and the stacked layout turn this classic into a modern statement.
Consider coloured grout
Customising a grout colour is an easy way to add interest and detail to economical white metro tiles, says Antony Martin, an architect with MRTN Architects.
Customising a grout colour is an easy way to add interest and detail to economical white metro tiles, says Antony Martin, an architect with MRTN Architects.
In this bathroom, the designers chose a yellow grout to match the custom-coloured towel hooks. Custom grout is only slightly more expensive than standard colours and shouldn’t affect installation costs, Martin says.
Grout is an easy means of offering a dash of colour without the big commitment of coloured tiles, Martin continues.
Here, green grout was used to highlight the traditional metro layout and continue the wall colour.
Browse more schemes brought to life with coloured grout
Here, green grout was used to highlight the traditional metro layout and continue the wall colour.
Browse more schemes brought to life with coloured grout
Play with mirrored finishes
Manufacturers have emerged with new, interesting materials for metro tiles, like these mirrored tiles with an antiqued finish used in a cloakroom.
Designer Jacqueline Fortier wanted elegant tiles that felt antique to honour her 120-year-old home. She likes the drama they add to the wall and the fact they’re not the kind of in-your-face mirror you would often see over a vanity unit.
She mixed two finishes – gold and silver – to give the feel of a naturally aged mirror.
Manufacturers have emerged with new, interesting materials for metro tiles, like these mirrored tiles with an antiqued finish used in a cloakroom.
Designer Jacqueline Fortier wanted elegant tiles that felt antique to honour her 120-year-old home. She likes the drama they add to the wall and the fact they’re not the kind of in-your-face mirror you would often see over a vanity unit.
She mixed two finishes – gold and silver – to give the feel of a naturally aged mirror.
It’s easy for mirrored tiles to look gaudy, Fortier says, but the classic shape of the metro tempers the effect.
It comes at a price, though, as mirrored tiles are typically more expensive than standard metro ones. It’s also worth noting they’re generally not suitable for shower enclosures.
Have you used metro tiles in a new or different way? We’d love to see! Upload your photos in the Comments below.
It comes at a price, though, as mirrored tiles are typically more expensive than standard metro ones. It’s also worth noting they’re generally not suitable for shower enclosures.
Have you used metro tiles in a new or different way? We’d love to see! Upload your photos in the Comments below.
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Love the patterns created using different colours, we're big fans of metro tiles at The London Tile Co!