Whether it’s in the kitchen, bathroom, or another hardworking space in your home, you can’t go wrong with a classic subway tile. For us, it’s like the tile equivalent to a coat of white paint—a clean, fresh upgrade that looks good almost anywhere, with any architectural style. But, like the seemingly endless varieties of white paint (warm, cool, gallery, you get the picture), there are almost infinite interations of subway tiles, each with their own nuances. It made us wonder: What subway tiles do architects source for their clients again and again? To get the answer, we polled the members of our Architect/Designer Directory; here’s what they had to say:
Nemo Metro Wall Tile
Fireclay Tile
“Nemo Metro Wall tile… it’s the most economical we’ve found! For a more crisp edge we like Ann Sacks Kanso and for a handmade subway tile in varying sizes we often use Fireclay.” – Jennifer Marsh, Mowery Marsh Architects
Heath Ceramics
“Our favorite source for subway tile is Heath Ceramics. Depending on your selection, their Classic Field tile has different degrees of color variation, but it is in these color variations that a sense of depth, warmth and visual interest is found. Just make sure you have an installer that understands the concept of color modulation.” – Jeffrey Botwin & Philip Howlett, Herringbone Design
Adds Jute Home‘s Alison Davin on Heath Ceramics subway tile: “We love that it is handmade and has variation.”
Waterworks Architectonics
Sonoma Tilemakers
“The glazed subway tiles from Waterworks are my go-to. They come in many shades and are a timeless look. For budget-focused projects, we turn to Sonoma Tilemakers. It is an excellent value and offers quick ship options.” – Kriste Michelini, Kriste Michelini Interiors
Subway Ceramics
“We’re partial to Subway Ceramics through Heritage Collections. The edges are perfectly square so the grout line is always crisp and straight.” – Jayne and Joan Michaels, 2Michaels
Equipe Masia Collection
“A terrific subway tile is the Masia Collection by Equipe in Spain, which comes in 9 colors.” – Rose Carlson, Burr and McCallum Architects
More tile inspiration:
- Remodeling 101: A Guide to the Only 7 Types of Tile You Need to Know
- Remodeling 101: White Tile Pattern Glossary
- Everett & Blue: Hand-Painted Portuguese Tiles via the UK
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