Colorful Subway Tile
There’s no denying the classic charm of clean white subway tile. A hallmark of vintage-style kitchens and baths, the rectangular tiles—traditionally 3 by 6 inches—create a look that’s both fresh and timeless. But the simple shape offers an inviting canvas for color, too. Pale pastels and subdued neutrals are an easy warm-up for walls, while vibrant brights can really rev up a space—or serve as accents or an inset amid a field of something less dramatic.
So go ahead and pick a hue or two: We’ve got 13 bright ideas.
Sea and Sky
Walker Zanger
Highlights: These handmade, hand-glazed tiles have a watercolor-like wash of blue.
Cost: about $10 per square foot; Walker Zanger
Dreamsicle
Roca Tile Group
Highlights: Tangy orange pairs well with white—or makes a sunny statement on its own.
Cost: about $6 per square foot; Mission Stone & Tile
Glowing Emerald
Heritage Tile
Highlights: A deep-green crackled glaze adds no-two-are-alike detail.
Cost: about $16 per square foot; Subway Ceramics
Natural Look
Horus Art Ceramiche
Highlights: This pale pistachio would marry well with stone finishes in warm tones.
Cost: about $8 per square foot; Tile Time
Firecracker
U.S. Ceramic Tile
Highlights: Inset a border stripe of bright red to wake up walls in a subdued hue.
Cost: about $5 per square foot; The Home Depot
Matte Metallic
Ann Sacks
Highlights: Variations in this bronze glaze give it a rich, burnished look.
Cost: about $16 per square foot; Ann Sacks
Bold Yellow
Solistone
Highlights: As a backsplash in a white kitchen, this gold hue would steal the show.
Cost: about $19 per square foot; Solistone
Dark Denim
Daltile
Highlights: This deep blue can serve as an anchoring neutral—lovely in a bath.
Cost: about $10 per square foot; Daltile
Green Sheen
Trikeenan
Highlights: This celery-green glaze has a subtle crackle for an aged look.
Cost: about $16 per square foot; Trikeenan Tileworks
Seaworthy
Heritage Tile
Highlights: Crackled bright ocean blue looks equal parts modern and vintage.
Cost: about $16 per square foot; Subway Ceramics
Glossy Greige
Allen + Roth
Highlights: For the color-shy, taupe adds a sophisticated look to a kitchen or bath.
Cost: about $4 per square foot; Lowe’s
True Blue
U.S. Ceramic Tile
Highlights: High-energy cobalt takes equally well to white or another bright.
Cost: about $5 per square foot; The Home Depot
Slightly Edgy
Ann Sacks
Highlights: A delicate outline of brighter blue makes this powder-pale tile a standout.
Cost: about $14 per square foot; Ann Sacks
