Metro tiles: your complete guide to the timeless classic

Few tiles are as endlessly adaptable as the metro. Born on the platforms of the Paris Métro and the New York City subway system over a century ago, the humble rectangular tile has never really left us — and it’s easy to see why. It suits a Victorian terrace and a sleek modern new-build in equal measure, works brilliantly on walls throughout the home, and comes in enough colours, finishes and layouts to feel completely different from one project to the next.

If you are looking to refresh a kitchen splashback, bring life to a tired bathroom, or create a striking feature wall, the metro tile remains one of the most reliable and stylish choices available to homeowners and designers alike.

What Exactly Is a Metro Tile?

In its purest form, a metro tile is simply a rectangular wall tile, classically around 10×20cm, often featuring a gently bevelled or completely flat edge and a glazed finish. That underlying simplicity is exactly what makes it so versatile. It can appear crisp and highly contemporary in a brilliant gloss white, or warm, textured and characterful in a crackle-glazed heritage tone.

Today, the definition has expanded. You will find elongated formats, miniature brick styles, and materials ranging from classic ceramic to natural stone. Whether you want to recreate traditional exposed brickwork with an easy-to-clean surface or aim for a sleek, reflective modern aesthetic, there is a metro tile designed for the job.

A Kaleidoscope of Colours and Finishes

While bright white will always be the defining classic, metro tiles have gone gloriously colourful in recent years. Interior trends are embracing soft sage and forest greens, plaster blush pinks, deep inky blues, warm terracottas and smoky charcoals. These richer tones bring immediate personality and warmth to spaces that might otherwise feel clinical.

Finish changes the mood of the room just as much as the colour does. A high-gloss glaze feels incredibly crisp, clean and helps bounce light around darker rooms. A matt finish is softer, more understated and highly modern. If you want to add historical depth or an artisan touch, look for a crackle glaze, an undulating surface or a hand-made effect finish.

Layout Patterns That Change Everything

One of the greatest strengths of the metro tile is how radically its appearance shifts depending on how you lay it out. By playing with the orientation, you can trick the eye, highlight architectural features or completely modernise a traditional tile.

• Brick bond (offset by half): The timeless, forgiving default. It evokes the classic subway look and is brilliant for disguising uneven walls in period properties.
• Herringbone: Turns a simple rectangular tile into an immediate statement. It creates a sense of movement and luxury, perfect for a feature splashback behind a range cooker or a striking shower enclosure.
• Vertical stack (straight or offset): A highly contemporary layout that draws the eye upward — an excellent trick for making a room with a low ceiling feel significantly taller and more spacious.
• Double-height or third-offset: Subtle designer twists on the classic brick bond that add unexpected visual interest without overwhelming the space.
• Basket weave: A retro-inspired, geometric layout that creates a woven effect, perfect for feature panels or dado-height bathroom tiling.

The Power of Grout

Never underestimate the impact of your grout choice. Using a matching grout (such as white grout with white tiles) keeps things seamless, subtle and visually expands the space. Conversely, a contrasting grout (like dark charcoal grout against white or pink tiles) frames each individual tile, emphasises the layout pattern and leans heavily into a bold, industrial aesthetic.

Where to Use Metro Tiles: Kitchens

The metro’s natural home is undeniably the kitchen splashback. Because they are typically made from glazed ceramic or porcelain, they are highly heat resistant, non-porous and incredibly easy to wipe clean after messy cooking sessions. A deep, richly coloured gloss tile behind a hob catches the light beautifully and provides a highly practical barrier against grease and sauces.

Where to Use Metro Tiles: Bathrooms & Beyond

Metro tiles are equally at home as bathroom wall tiles. You can run them floor-to-ceiling in a wet room for a dramatic, immersive boutique-hotel feel, or tile up to dado height and finish with a decorative border or metal trim for a classic period look. Because they are so versatile, they are perfect for wrapping around awkward boxed-in pipework or creating integrated shower niches.

Beyond the obvious wet areas, a panel of coloured or herringbone metro tiles makes a beautiful, highly durable feature wall in a bustling hallway, a busy utility room, or even framing a living room fireplace.

With endless combinations of colour, finish and layout, the metro tile proves that simple design is often the most enduring. Order up to 5 free cut samples online to try different colours and finishes in your own home’s lighting, or visit our Ascot showroom to explore the collections in person.