Decorating & Design
Is Penny-Round Tile The New Subway Tile?
Published on January 17, 2017
Move over subway tile, there’s a new tile trend that’s back and here to stay. Penny-round tile has been around for over a century, and is one of our Top 10 Design Trends Of 2017. Its quaint quality offers a smart look on walls, floors and ceilings and pairs especially well with brass fixtures and marble sinks. Similar to subway tile, it’s an affordable yet stylish choice, and can be found in any big box home store for practically pennies per square foot.
Get inspired to embrace this look in your bathroom or kitchen with these images from around the web.
Penny-round tiles in black show off their versatility, offering a completely different look than simple white. It’s graphic and offers major impact when paired with a patterned floor tile, as seen in this eclectic bathroom.
Penny-round tiles envelop this bathroom, giving it a retro look. A modern vanity, sink and wall sconce in warm wood and gold balance the otherwise all-white space.
The small scale of penny-round tile lends itself to a variety of unique applications. Blogger Elsie Larson of A Beautiful Mess chose to use the tiles to create a large black heart on her bathroom floor, offering a graphic hit that’s girlie but not too sweet.
Turquoise penny-rounds in the color of the ocean bring a soothing vibe to this contemporary bathroom. White grout keeps the shade from overwhelming.
Who says penny-rounds can’t be glamorous? Done in varying tones of silver to match the vanity countertop, they add subtle sparkle to the space.
In this small white kitchen, a penny-tiled backsplash adds subtle texture while blending into the background, letting the brass hardware and colorful accessories shine.
Not ready to commit to tiling an entire wall with penny-tile? Use them as an accent, like blogger Hollie Cooper of The Pink Zipper did to define her shower recess.
White penny-round tile with white grout lets the matte black hardware stand out in this modern bathroom, proving the tile’s ability to lend itself to a variety of looks — a common quality of trends with staying power.
Wrapped in seashell-blush penny-rounds that call to mind a sandy beach, this bathroom exudes a tropical feel. Brass faucets blend into the warm background.
This bathroom uses penny-tile two ways: first, surrounding a simple open shower floor-to-ceiling, and then covering half the wall against a standalone tub. Both applications look clean and airy — perfect for a bathroom.