Today I want to talk about the metro tiles that I love especially because they remind me of the metro in Paris, the city where I lived for two years.
Metro tiles are usually small tiles, originally 7.5 x 15 cm, white, with glossy finish and bevelled-edge. They are commonly called metro tiles because they first appeared in Paris and New York in the early 1900s with the construction of the first subway lines. These new white and bevelled-edge tiles have been designed to allow reflection and expansion of the low light underground, and were also economical and easy-to-clean.
These tiles over the past few years have become very popular as a covering for the kitchen or the bathroom and can be found a bit everywhere, from boutique hotels to hipster bars. I love them very much in the house because they give a vintage and at the same time industrial taste but they also fit perfectly into more classic and contemporary homes.
My favorite is the classic diamond white tile with white joint and layered in a brick effect (the tiles are aligned to the middle of the top tile): they give a geometric effect that I find perfect in both the kitchen and the bathroom.
But today these tiles can also be found colored or black, as in these images
Or, for a more surprising and modern effect, you can choose the classic white tiles but combined with contrasting or colored joints. I really like the final result.
There are several ways in which to lay the tiles to create different effects: they can be laid stack bond vertically, diagonally or in a herringbone way (traditional, straight or diagonal). Some examples in these pictures.
In short, the effect they create is simple but yet so beautiful that it is no wonder they are used so often!
Leave a Reply