Gray kitchen cabinets with white subway tile backsplash

Decorating & Design

February 5, 2021

There’s a reason why decorating with subway tile is perpetually popular, especially in the kitchen. Not only is it a timeless and classic look, but subway tiles are also hard-wearing and well-priced. Here are some of House & Home‘s best kitchen designs that incorporate the beloved tile.

To keep all the attention on the luxurious Lacanche range and matching vent hood, Emily Griffin opted for open shelving and white subway tile with a contrasting grout, which are both très Parisian.

Photographer: Sian Richards

Source: House & Home November 2019

Designer: Emily Griffin

Subway tile is a classic for a reason, and in designer Luke Havekes’ New England-style country kitchen, wheat-colored tile on the wall and vent hood is so simple but makes a big impact.

Photographer: Maxime Desbiens

Source: House & Home September 2019

Designer: Luke Havekes

“I wanted the kitchen to look like it had always been in the house,” says H&H‘s Kai Ethier of her sister’s stylish apartment. Kai created a vintage vibe with a porcelain, apron-front sink, muted mint cabinets and subway tile.

Photographer: Ashley Capp

Source: House & Home Makeovers 2018

Designer: Kai Ethier

Dare to go dark? Black subway tile with matching granite countertops create a moody look in this kitchen. A trio of rift-cut white oak shelves adds warmth.

Photographer: Colin Way

Source: House & Home October 2020

Designer: Mark Cayen, Empire Kitchen & Bath & Wiseman and Gale

Elegant white subway tile makes the richly veined wood cabinets really stand out. The combination of white and wood with rustic elements evokes farmhouse flair.

Photographer: Janis Nicolay

Source: House & Home March 2019

Designer: Kyla Bidgood & Kris Hageland, Bidgood + Co

In this storybook country home‘s kitchen, glossy subway tile with a contrasting grout feels right at home with the trad cabinets and handsome wood island.

Photographer: Janet Kimber

Source: House & Home November 2020

Designer: Philip Mitchell

For a touch of French bistro flair, designer Elle Patille added an industrial, Edison-bulb fixture and open shelving overtop of classic white subway tile. Her selection of ceramics, spreads and artwork really pops!

Photographer: Robin Stubbert

Source: House & Home December 2018

Designer: Elle Patille

From the wicker light fixture to the butcher-block countertops and tasseled rug, bohemian vibes abound in designer Judith Gougeon’s compact kitchen. A bold subway tile backsplash with dark grout adds even more interest.

Photographer: Maxime Desbiens & Angus McRitchie

Source: House & Home June 2018

Designer: Judith Gougeon

Why not defy expectations with a bright-colored subway tile? The homeowners’ love of sea glass was the inspiration behind the frosted-glass backsplash in this P.E.I. kitchen.

Photographer: Alex Lukey

Source: House & Home July 2019

Designer: Architecture by David Lopes

Panelled rift cut oak cabinetry and subway tile bring textural interest to this white, wood and black kitchen. Benjamin Moore’s Black Beauty (2128-10) on the built-ins feels undeniably modern.

Photographer: Kiely Ramos

Designer: Collective Studio

Floor-to-ceiling subway tile not only looks beautiful but is easy to clean in this restaurant-style kitchen! Industrial elements, like the vent hood, graphite storage and black track lighting, amp up the cool factor.

Photographer: André Rider

Source: House & Home December 2018

Designer: Camille Daher

The 12-foot-long kitchen island is wrapped in Neolith, while white lacquered cabinets and subway tile act as a clean slate.

Photographer: Stephani Buchman

Source: House & Home April 2020

Designer: Architecture & design by StudioAC; Interior decorating by Quinn Cooper

Glass uppers double as window frames to the subway tile backsplash — plus, highlight colorful cups and ceramics. “It’s nice to see pieces that would otherwise be hidden,” says homeowner Ali Yaphe.

Photographer: Stacey Brandford

Source: House & Home February 2019

Designer: Ali Yaphe & Mazen El-Abdallah

Subway tile is a great option for small spaces — just look to designer Alanna Dunn’s cool Calgary condo for inspiration. It’s anything but builder-basic, thanks to the backsplash, gilt hardware, and wicker and rattan bar stools.

Photographer: Phil Crozier

Source: House & Home August 2019

Designer: Alanna Dunn, Reena Sotropa In House Design Group

For a look that is still timeless, try gray subway tile instead! In this coastal kitchen, the cool-toned backsplash ties in the contoured vent hood and hardworking countertops.

Photographer: Virginia Macdonald

Source: House & Home May 2019

Designer: Tommy Smythe & Lindsay Mens Craig, Sarah Richardson Design

This Edinburgh kitchen is an eclectic mix of old and new. The Saarinen pedestal table is a modern foil to the classic bistro subway tiles, Aga cooker and rush-seated wood chairs.

Photographer: Chris Tubbs

Source: House & Home December 2014

Navy subway tiles are a nod to signature maritime colors — an appropriate choice for a Halifax kitchen.

Photographer: Janet Kimber

Source: House & Home March 2017

Designer: 31 Westgate

This kitchen has the timeworn look of an old French country house, thanks to hand-hammered 2” x 9” tiles.

Photographer: Adrien Williams

Source: House & Home October 2016

Designer: Blazys Gérard

Go bold with black subway tiles. The dramatic inky tile in this kitchen makes white dishes and stainless steel pop, while the glossy finish keeps the look stylish, not sombre.

Photographer: Alex Lukey

Source: House & Home October 2016

In this Victoria, British Columbia, kitchen, a diner-like banquette looks handsome below classic white subway tiles. The large-format 4” x 12” bevelled tiles are substantial and look original to the home.

Photographer: Janis Nicolay

Source: House & Home March 2017

Designer: Bidgood + Co.

The vintage fridge might be the star of this kitchen but the tile’s not too shabby, either. This grey subway tile, grouted in white, picks up light and creates dimension by adding depth.

Photographer: Janis Nicolay

Source: House & Home September 2013

Designer: Joanna Vagelatos

Classic silhouettes, luxe finishes and contemporary elements help make this kitchen warm and comfortable. Sixty square feet of hard-wearing white subway tile is grouted in a contrasting grey to pick up on the room’s color palette.

Photographer: Alex Lukey

Source: House & Home March 2016

Designer: Rachel Fox

Here, an entire wall, including the range hood, is clad in a classic white subway tile. The idea was borrowed from hardworking restaurant kitchens that often hose down the walls at the end of dinner service.

Tour this kitchen on H&H TV.

Photographer: Valerie Wilcox

Source: House & Home March 2016

Designer: Qanuk Interiors

When new white cabinets, counters and subway tile were added to this loft kitchen, the room’s footprint felt more open. The barstools and pendants have a striking presence against the white finishes.

Photographer: Sarah Murray

Source: House & Home September 2013

Designer: Jamie Hamilton & Greer Nelson

This kitchen, featuring a fireplace oven, is nothing less than a showstopper. Ceiling-height subway tiles and open shelving create the feel of a European bistro kitchen.

Photographer: Michael Graydon

Source: House & Home September 2011

This edgy kitchen is modern but not stark or spare. The wall of subway tile combined with unique cabinetry styles and materials make this room one of a kind.

Photographer: Virginia Macdonald

Source: House & Home November 2016

Designer: Connie Braemer

In this cottage’s bright and open kitchen, watery blue subway tiles nod to Hamptons style — a look that’s perfect for breezy summer living.

Tour this cottage on H&H TV.

Photographer: Jason Stickley

Source: House & Home

Designer: Emily Griffin

Grey cabinets and marble subway tile are an elegant, muted backdrop for the punchy brass accents in this kitchen.

Photographer: Angus Fergusson

Source: House & Home February 2016

Designer: Allison Willson

The white walls and subway tile in this airy Birmingham kitchen provide the perfect neutral envelope for a stunning collection of industrial pendants, vintage accessories and period-style hardware.

Photographer: Courtesy of deVol Kitchens

Source: House & Home October 2016

Designer: Helen Robson

The full-height subway tile walls in this Tommy Smythe–designed kitchen are a unique envelope for elegant accessories and an oversized red lantern.

Photographer: Angus Fergusson

Source: House & Home January 2012

Designer: Tommy Smythe, Sarah Richardson Design

The indigo lower cabinets in this Vancouver kitchen play nicely with clean white uppers and glossy white subway tile.

Photographer: Tracey Ayton

Source: House & Home July 2015

Designer: Kenny & Michelle Gemmill

The bold colors and gutsy patterns in this kitchen are offset by the more neutral tones of the plank ceiling and the subway tiles. Together, the mix is both classic and cutting-edge.

Photographer: Angus Fergusson

Source: House & Home January 2015

Designer: James Davie

In this West Coast kitchen, vintage-inspired signage and a weathered step stool offset pristine white cabinets, a white subway tile backsplash and the oversized island.

Photographer: Tracey Ayton

Source: House & Home May 2016

Not only does bringing the white subway tile to the ceiling keep this kitchen light and bright, but it makes the sleek vent hood pop. A bold patterned tile floor and runner add global character to this sophisticated space.

Tour this kitchen on H&H TV.

Photographer: Brandon Titaro

Source: House & Home October 2016

Designer: Reiko Caron

Polished white subway tiles defined with dark grout give this kitchen an ageless European sensibility, while modern appliances and accessories keep the room grounded in the present.

Photographer: Angus Fergusson

Source: House & Home October 2011

Designer: Ingrid Oomen, Qummunicate

Author: Victoria Christie & Day Helesic