The ceramic “subway” tile appeared at the beginning of the 1900s in the stations of New York subway inaugurated in those days. It became popular very soon, so it appeared in pre-war homes as kitchen and bathroom pavement. Easy to clean, reflects light and doesn’t absorb grease. It didn’t change at all in over hundred years. Its modern variations are different only in size and color.
The most frequently used size is 10×20 cm. It’s easy to count with and to handle. Size 7,5×15 cm is also a classic one. Models with size 10×30 and 7,5×30 cm represent the modern line.
The shiny surfaced is the absolute traditional, original type. Matt surface came in fashion a couple of years ago, rustic/vintage styles were serviced with cracked glazed variation.
There are two types of surface. Beveled: all four edges are cut angularly, so it is three dimensional. Simple: its surface is flat and plain which is different from an ordinary wall tile only in size.
Among colors, white was always the most popular – just like today. Cream, sage green, dark green and black belong to classic colors also. Current trends here are: turquoise, grey, lime green, mauve etc. We can surely find a perfect one for our taste.
The size of the applied interstice for metro tiles can be between 2-5 mm. Wider one can be applied for the beveled type. Traditionally, its color is the same as the tile’s, but using a different colored interstice is popular also. White-grey pairing is the most common which gives it a more modern, industrial look. Interesting space can be reached with a bold colored (red, green etc.) interstice.
Decor elements can be also purchased for metro tiles. They can be combined with self-patterned or color printed elements. The really special metal (golden, silver colored) decoration elements can be bought by piece, the others by square meters. Long and narrow finials and square beveled complementing pieces can be found in the collection.
We can try several tiling patterns. The classic half-offset brick pattern never goes out of fashion. Herring bone and double basket wave are popular for a long time also. The modern solution is without any offset, where all the interstices align.
Since it is a perfectly traditional and simple-lined tile, it fits for almost every style, especially the shiny beveled type. That’s why it’s easy to pair with other pavements. Maybe it’s the most elegant with wooden like tiles, but it can be put with concrete tiles, black-and-white paving, old bricks or even polished concrete floor.
Ask for help of an interior designer for choosing the proper pavements.