Creative Ways to Use Checkerboard Tile
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Time to read 3 min
Checkerboard tile is having a moment—but this iconic pattern has never really gone out of style. From vintage-inspired bathrooms and charming entryways to bold kitchens and modern spaces, checkerboard tile has a way of feeling both nostalgic and completely fresh. At Mercury Mosaics, we’ve given this timeless pattern a handmade twist with our Checkerboard Tile, pairing classic geometry with the color, variation, and character of handcrafted ceramic tile. And with new checkerboard color combinations to explore, there are more ways than ever to make the look your own.
Color completely changes the personality of the pattern. Soft neutrals create a quiet space, while unexpected pairings turn it into a statement.
A Fresh Take on Classic Checkerboard Tile
Traditional black and white checkerboard floors will always have their place, but checkerboard doesn’t have to stop there.
Color completely changes the personality of the pattern. Soft neutrals can create a quiet, organic checkerboard, while earthy greens, warm yellows, rich jewel tones, and unexpected color pairings turn it into a statement.
Our checkerboard pattern features approximately 4x4-inch handmade ceramic tiles, giving the pattern a scale that feels graphic without overwhelming a space.
Checkerboard Floor Tile
There’s a reason checkerboard floors have endured for generations. The alternating pattern immediately creates rhythm and visual interest while still giving a room a strong foundation.
Try checkerboard floor tile in an entryway to make an impression the second you walk through the door, bring vintage character to a powder room, or use an unexpected color combination to give a bathroom a playful focal point.
Our 4x4 Checkerboard Tile is suitable for low-traffic floors, bathrooms, and shower floors, making it especially fun for smaller spaces where the pattern can really shine.
Mercury Mosaics Handmade Tile / 2"x2" Checkerboard Tile / Juniper Berry and Patina
Bring Checkerboard Into the Bathroom
Checkerboard and bathrooms are a natural match.
For a classic look, keep the rest of the room simple and allow a checkerboard tile floor to become the focal point. For something bolder, take the pattern into the shower or pair colorful checkerboard tile with painted cabinetry, natural wood, vintage fixtures, or patterned wallpaper.
Because our checkerboard is handmade, even a simple two-color palette has movement.
Think Beyond the Floor
Checkerboard tile might be famous for floors, but we love seeing the pattern used in unexpected places.
A checkerboard tile backsplash can instantly bring personality to a kitchen. Behind a vanity, it becomes an easy way to introduce color and pattern without covering an entire room. Around a fireplace, checkerboard creates a graphic focal point that can feel anything from traditional to Mid-Century Modern depending on the colors surrounding it. Checkerboard doesn’t need high contrast to work; monochromatic or low-contrast pairings offer a sophisticated, modern feel.
Our 4x4 Checkerboard Tile can be used on walls, kitchen backsplashes, bathroom walls, showers, and fireplace surrounds, opening up plenty of opportunities to rethink where checkerboard belongs.
Play With Unexpected Checkerboard Colors
This is where things get really fun.
Checkerboard doesn’t need high contrast to make an impact. Pairing two colors that are closer in tone can create a softer, more tonal pattern, while contrasting colors make the geometry pop.
Warm ochres and yellows can give checkerboard a sunny, retro feel. Greens can make the pattern feel earthy and organic. Moody colors bring sophistication, while softer neutrals create a subtle checkerboard effect that lets the handmade variation take center stage.
The pattern stays the same, but the color palette can completely transform it.
Handmade Makes the Difference
Checkerboard is inherently precise and geometric. Handmade tile brings something different to that structure.
Each Mercury Mosaics tile is handcrafted in Minneapolis and features natural variation in color, size, texture, and finish. Instead of every square looking exactly identical, those subtle differences create dimension across the installation.
It’s what gives handmade checkerboard tile its character: classic pattern, imperfect beauty.
Whether your style leans vintage, Mid-Century Modern, colorful, coastal, moody, or somewhere entirely your own, checkerboard gives you a familiar pattern you can reinterpret through color.
Start with the floor. Take it up the wall. Make your backsplash the statement. Go bold with contrasting colors or keep things tonal and understated.
There really are endless ways to checkerboard.
