My bathroom has subway tile, but somehow it does not look as nice as these...!

i'm sorry... i just don't like you, subway tile. even when it's fresh and new, there's something about the lines that makes it look dirty to me. maybe i'm biased because, as a NYC dweller, i see it in the actual subway?

That makes some sense Capowe08. So far I like it, but I'm a west coast dweller.

Omg dream shower...

I think it looks really nice in simple and clean bathrooms. I'm sure it it was decked out in tackiness, it wouldn't look as nice.

I think capowe08 might not like subway tile with dark grout. I think white tile with dark grout looks like crappy 80s/early 90s decor. But I love white subway tile with bright white grout.

I TOTALLY agree with capowe08. Even in those pics above, which are clearly pretty bathrooms, it just feels yuck and ugly and cold to me... and forever dirty.

As an aside... that last bathroom looks like it was designed for a skinny giant.

The trouble with white grout is....it doesn't stay white. We recently did our bathroom in white subwya tile and used a pale grey grout, and it looks great.

phew - i feel so much better not being alone here in my dislike of subway tile! Even with brand new, beautiful, bright white grout, there's something about the pattern of how it's laid that just overcomplicates things for me.

though i will say it's not as bad in smaller doses, like in the skinny-giant bathroom's sink backsplash.

Medenver - v good point about the grout colour. I love subway tiles, I think they're a design classic but I agree that grubby grout may make the tiles look vintage, but often also grubby. (And they're not just for bathrooms. I actually have them - with white grout - in my kitchen)

As an NYC-dweller, who spent much time in the Astor Place subway station, I actually do like subway tiles, but not for a bathroom. They're a little cold-feeling (especially in these bathrooms where everything is white-on-white, and I prefer my bathrooms to be a tad warmer feeling and cozy.

But, I do like subway tiles as a backsplash in a kitchen.

I think they're lovely!

I love subway tiles! I grew up in Brooklyn and my parents' bathroom had the original white subway tile shower with these thin green tiles as trim... it was gorgeous. When I was in second grade we studied the subway system and made copies of the mosaics with paper tiles. That totally gave me an appreciation for the real tiles!

I'm going to disagree w/ the group because I LOVE subway tile (as well as, penny and hexagon tiles). I was watching "Restorer Guy" last week and he re-did a 1920's bathroom and did white subway tile with historically accurate gray grout. I thought it look fabulous.

I will trade it any day for the disgusting plastic tiles in my rental :(

I traded disgusting plastic tiles in my shower for subway tiles and love love love it. But yes, the grout gets dirty.

I think subway tile looks best when complemented by another texture like wood. I also think it looks great in a bright color like sunshine yellow or apple green, with light grout. These bathrooms are pretty, but almost too sterile and monochromatic to have much personality.

Getting mine done as we speak. Love subway tiles since the first day I saw them - 28 years ago!

Love subway tiles too!

cristin
www.simplifiedbee.com

I'm surprised that there's no photo of subway tiles set vertically - my favorite variation on the theme...

question--i just bought a place that has subway tile... yay! but it is covered with about 3 layers of paint...boo! can i use any ol'd paint stripper to take it off without hurting the glaze on the tile?
thanks :)

I love subway tiles! We have them in both showers in our apartment, but unlike the normal ones, they have a very shallow bevel at the edge, which is a nice touch. The grout is white and not dirty. Why would the grout of subway tiles get any dirtier than any other grout of the same color? I think it's more of an association for NYers.

If I ever had my bathroom or kitchen done, I would definitely go with subway tiles. Using a an off-white or grey grout would not show the dirt as much. They're so classic and would always look good. Injecting a little color with an accent tile would break it up a bit if you didn't like all white.

If you need to patch a room with really old subway tiles - or if you want a vintage look - take a look at these http://www.subwaytile.com/news.shtml#aug061

they're the new mosaic tiles. Nice but will look so dated in five years.

I always fancied subway tiles but after spending time in Paris I've gone off them. They say 'public convenience' to me.

I have original subway tiles in the bathroom of my 1920's era house. I love the style, but when it was done the tiles only went up to about 4 ft. This would be fine except, in the shower area a previous owner added square tile above the subway tile and it looks horrible. Unfortunately I think the only way to fix it is remove all the tile and start over.

Subway tile will look dated in five years? I've seen bathrooms where it doesn't look dated after sixty years (a little grubby, maybe, but not dated.)

And I must be the only one who likes the sterile, monochromatic bathrooms. Bathrooms are SUPPOSED to be sterile.

It looks like the bathrooms I spent time with....in jail

Who says subway tiles don't have a lot of variety? Obviously someone hasn't looked at tiles lately, you can get pretty much anything in a subway shape these days, including gorgeous glass tiles. Although you will pay for it!

Marvelous post. Thank you Maxwell.

Me, I'm liking. Thank you Geoff.

i am a big lover of french subway tiles-they differ slightly from the new york ones as they are grooved and have a distinct bevel (spelling?) around the border. and they come in traditional colors from the paris subway-dark green, gold, brown and blue andof course, white along with newer, more modern colors like metallic grey and bronze. they also have a brighter sheen so even if youre not a tile scrubber (i am not!) they keep on looking bright...i have them in 2 of my apartments so if anyone wnats a photo sneak peek i'll be happy to send them off.

In my home, both the bathroom and kitchen are done in subway tile. The kitchen is tiled with black subway tiles as a backsplash while the remainder of the walls are done in white subway tiles. The grout is black throughout. The bathroom is done with black tiles and white grout which I clean every other day but find the effect worth it!

Nothing better than a bathroom done in subway tiles. My bathrooms were just redone, and when we ripped out the HIDEOUS BROWN chick-let like tile that was laid over it, what did we find, a hexagon floor edged with SUBWAY tile.

It never goes out of style.

subway tile & hexagon floor--a match made in heaven.

the subway tile makes me feel happy (remembering my grandmother's bathroom in Jackson Heights, Queens) from years ago.

We just installed white subway tile, vertically to give our bathroom a modern look. It looks great. I agree, I don't like dark grout. With white grout it looks amazing and gives our bathroom a much needed refreshed look.

oh well, frankly speaking, if my bathroom were like one of those above, I'd have felt like being in public toilet of subway station... the idea of subway tile - methinks, it'd not be a good idea, rather look tacky. :-(

Dirty grout is a terrible curse. But, not to worry. It's just a cleaning/sealing issue. Clean grout, properly sealed, will stay white and clean forever. If you're stuck with someone dingy grout, you can still make a difference; even if you are a renter. There are grout whitening items on the market; toothbrush and tooth paste, clorox bleach pens, oxyclean, baking soda, etc. There are even grout paint pens. Lots of easy options

But, my personal prefernce is starting over; remove the old and regrout. A grout saw will remove that old yucky grout very quickly. It seems a daunting task, but you only need to remove about 1/8". The hardest part is getting started. If mildew is the problem, use a mildewcide. Allow 8-24 hrs to dry, and then regrout with a stain resistant grout. Epoxy grouts are very popular, but some companies like lacticrete make stain shedding non-epoxy grouts. Then seal, seal, seal. A renter might spend $30 total elbow grease. Not a bad investment if you love the place otherwise.

I love it!

Check out my bathroom remodel with subway tile here:

http://tearinguphouses.blogspot.com/2009/09/before-after-pictures-little-blue-house.html

Kelly

personally i wouldn't mind some more color in those tiles:

Sol LeWitt's subway tiles (custom tiles from Spain):
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/14/arts/design/14lewitt.html

or the Orange Line circular tiles in Downtown Crossing, Boston:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ptobin/2959456181/

If you are "in love with Paris" and love their subway tiles, you must check this out:

http://www.metropolitantile.com

I like the dark grout because you can see the shapes of the tiles which adds interest to simple tile. It doesn't strike me as dirty.