Underground movement: How the subway tile conquered the world of design

To most people, subway stations, or the underground as we call it in Australia, isn’t a very sexy place to spend a lot of time. It’s certainly not the place that would inspire you to take a shower or play with your rubber duck.

And yet, the tiles that adorn the subway walls are the hottest thing in bathroom design today.

You’d have to be living in a tube station not to realise that the subway tile is on course for world bathroom domination. Designed for the New York subway in the early 1900s, the iconic 75mm x 150mm tile soon adorned the walls of stations all over the planet, from Paris to London.

The Manhattan architectural firm of Heins & LaFarge couldn’t have known that their simple rectangular design (probably baked by the Mueller Mosaic Company, New Jersey) would still be so popular in 2017.

No doubt the subway tile’s original benefits – durability, low maintenance, and reflectiveness – are as relevant today as they were 113 years ago. Which might explain why interior designers such as Greg Natale are still specifying them.

“They are such a classic look, we were using them 15 years ago,” says Natale. “Nowadays we are all doing bathrooms that are a bit more traditional and a bit more layered and the subway tile really suits that.”

Natale says the next big thing will be square subway tiles. “We’re using them in a few projects at the moment,” he says.

Adrian Zipevski, associate director Surface Gallery agrees that square subway tiles (50mm x 50mm) are going to be very popular, with some people steering away from the traditional subway size, and even colour.

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“The original subway tile is gloss white, but now we are seeing them in many different colours, and even in a matt finish,” Zipevski says.

And while most people still lay their subway tiles in a classic brick pattern, others are discovering how versatile the humble tile can be.

“You can lay subway tiles in every way from a herringbone pattern, to a basketweave, or vertical offset,” says Zipevski. “Choosing a contrasting grout, such as charcoal with a white tile, can also add an element of texture.”

Of course, Finnish architect Alvar Aalto laid his subway tiles in a grid pattern, one above the other, either horizontally or on end. Simple.

And in case you’re wondering, not all subway tiles are created equal. You can pick up machine-made ones for less than $30 per square metre. They’ll do the job, but they won’t be beautiful.

Or splurge and buy a batch of tiles that have been handmade in Spain. These won’t leave you much change from $90 per square metre, but the results will speak for themselves. The handmade tiles have a lovely antiquated edge and slightly wavy face, so they reflect the light in interesting ways, making them well worth the cash.