Stacked Subway Tile: 6 Way to Rock the Look

Stacked Subway Tile: 6 Way to Rock the Look

Want to add some trendy tile to your home? No need to look further than the most timeless tile shape there is - subway tile! In the past year we've seen some of our most stylish clients swap the staggered for the stacked layout. It's a modern and bold twist on a classic look, that is sure to catch eyes. This layout is perfect for those who favor modern, contemporary, or transitional design styles. We hope you love these 6 ways to rock the stacked subway tiles look as much as we do!

1. Horizontally Stacked Subway Tile

Simplicity that lacks no boldness. We love horizontally stacked subway tile because of the strong grout lines. This creates a crisp geometric feel that catches the eye instantly. Take this look to the next level by picking a glaze and grout combination with high contrast, maybe even playing with complementary colors. 

Learn more about grout and get grout inspiration with our blog "How to Choose Grout for Your Handmade Tile"

Green Handmade Subway Tile Shower

3"x8" Subway Tile - 1036W Bluegrass. Design by @heathercfox. Photo by @tommymathews.
 

2. Vertically Stacked Subway Tile

Perfect for a small space, vertically stacked subway tile will give the illusion that a space is large than it is. Have you ever heard that vertical lines are more flattering than horizontal lines in clothing? Well the same principle applies to your tile backsplash! This look still has the strong geometric feel of the horizontally stacked subway tile, but gives a more delicate and sleek vibe. 

See the beautiful color variation of the tile below? That's unique to our handmade artisan tile making process. Learn all about it with our blog "A Complete Guide to Handmade Tile Variation"

Vertical Stacked Ceramic Subway Tile

2"x6" Subway Tile - 214 Coastal Breeze.

3. Ombre Stacked Subway Tile

Ombre tile has been a client favorite for years, and it's not going anywhere! We love pairing this look with stacked subway tile. The rectangular shape is more distinct, creating clear grout lines so the glaze colors don't appear as "blended." We think that adds to a modern aesthetic, amping up the geometric vibe of the tile

View more beautiful floor tile projects with our blog "13 Floor Tile Ideas For Your Home"

Ombre Stacked Subway Floor Tile

2"x6" Subway Tile - 613 Black, 958 Rainforest, 1036W Bluegrass, 1025 Heirloom Silver. 

4. Small Stacked Subway Tile

We are loving the movement towards smaller tile shapes. There's something about a 1" x 3" tile size like the project below that is just plain adorable! It's also extremely helpful in making a small space appear larger. It's an optical illusion: the more tiles your eye sees the more surface area it attributes to the space. Small subway tile is a more delicate approach to stacked tile because the grout lines are closer together, seeming less harsh and more blended. 

If you want to find more ways to make the most out a small space, check out our blog "6 Ceramic Tile Ideas for Small Kitchen Backsplashes"

Small Subway Tile Kitchen Backsplash

1"x3" Subway Tile - 11 Deco White130 White77E Grey. Photo: @creekwoodhill. 

 

5. Mixed Stacked Subway Tile

This stunning shower was featured on Stay or Sell on HGTV...and we think we'd stay. For this eye-catching look, they used a deep green subway tile stacking vertically, creating a statement shower wall. In order to really let this design pop they mixed the stacked subway tile with marble tile. We love the additional contrast of mixing tile materials and shapes- it only helps the stacked look stand out in the space. 

Love that glaze color? You're not alone. Our glossy greens are some of our most popular. Browse more installs in similar colors with our blog "Our Most Popular Glossy Green Glazes"
 Green Stacked Subway Tile Shower Wall

2"x6" Subway Tile - 47 Vermont Pine, 713 Peacock Green. Photo and design by @stayorsell on @hgtv.

6. Diamond Stacked Subway Tile

Diamonds are forever, and this tile look is just as timeless! Sometimes a little orientation switch is all you need to completely change a style. For this project we simply stacked square subway tile, tilted it at a 45 degree angle...and voila! Subway tile becomes diamonds. 

Get more subway tile layout ideas with our blog "6 Creative Patterns for Classic Subway Tile"

Square Diamond Blue Tile

3"x3" Subway - 21R Cobalt.

 

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