When it comes to choosing tile for your home renovation, you face an endless number of tile shapes, sizes, patterns, styles, and colors to choose from. Here is a short guide to tiles shapes to help you select the right one for your design project.
Backsplash tile shapes
Backsplash tiles are available in a variety of eye-catching shapes, that foster your creativity. Square and rectangles have been popular backsplash tile shapes throughout years, and classic hexagon tiles that look more vintage are back in style again. Subway tile can look both classic and modern, while mosaic tile can give your space a unique flavor. A diamond-shaped tile backsplash can be used to create a variety of looks from elegant to contemporary. Besides the standard geometric shaped tiles, there are many wonderful non-standard, less common shapes such as stars and crosses, basketweaves, arabesques, scallops, ovals, triangles, ogees, etc.
Subway tiles
Subway tiles, being a subset of rectangular tiles, remind you of subway stations in New York City. They are simple, versatile, and have elegant proportions. Due to their usual glossy, glazed finish, subway tiles are stain-resistant, easy to clean, and reflect light. They make stunning backsplashes in kitchens and bathrooms, and also function well when used on feature walls. Nowadays, subway tile is available in a variety of materials, like ceramics, stone, glass, and marble, to name a few.
Diamond shaped tile
Diamond-shaped tile is a popular choice for mosaics. Diamond tiles can be easily stacked alongside each other to cover any amount of space and offer endless unique design options. They have been used throughout history in varying diamond tile patterns like the cube pattern, the chevron pattern or the star pattern. These patterns create a geometric layout and fit well with any design. Diamond tiles are often used as a kitchen backsplash, statement wall in a shower or a bathroom floor.
Brick tiles
Brick tiles are thin slices of brick that were cut from a standard-sized clay brick. Roughly 22mm thick, brick wall tiles maintain the same color, shape, and texture as a full-sized brick and are great for adding a sleek and stylish appearance to your walls. They are typically used as means of decoration indoors, on feature walls, or even entire rooms. But brick tiles also have some inherent protective properties that make them heat- and weather-resistant, so there is no reason you can’t use them on exterior surfaces too.
Round ceramic tile
One of the most special tile shapes is round ceramic tile, which is small in size and known as penny tile because this circle tile is similar in size to pennies. Originally popular in the early 20th century in black and white penny tile patterns, the penny tile is now available in a wide range of materials, colors, and finishes. Penny tiles usually come in sheets to form circle mosaics and are a good choice for curved walls. Another type is bubble mosaics that are made of different sizes of circles with rings and offset piercings to create their signature look. These tiles are versatile and look great in any color combination.
Chevron tiles
Chevron tiles are parallelograms that are typically arranged on walls and floors in a classic zig-zag pattern to give the iconic “V” shape. Chevron style first emerged in ancient Greece and has been used by builders and architects for centuries with the latest adaptation in Art Deco designing. Today, chevron tiles are made from water-resistant ceramic and porcelain and come in an array of sizes ideal for almost any room. They look youthful and modern, so you can install them on walls and floors to create elegant, contemporary spaces.
Fish scale tile
Fish scale tile has “s-like” curve that resembles the fish scale. This unique tile shape dates back to the 8th century and has stood the test of time because it can provide a beautiful statement to any room. Fish scale tiles are most often used in bathrooms and as backsplashes. They can be placed in a variety of patterns, each creating a new look. You can install fish scale tiles side by side to create rows or mismatch them and connect on the flat ends. You can even fan them out or create a circular pattern.
Herringbone tile
Herringbone tile is made of standard rectangular pieces that are installed to meet the perfectly straight edges to form a zigzag pattern that looks broken or staggered and has an eye-catching asymmetrical appeal. This type of tiles is typically laid at a 45-degree angle to the floor or wall, but it can also be laid horizontally. You can install herringbone tiles on a floor in any room or create a kitchen backsplash, a feature strip, or a whole feature wall. This classic design is always in style.
Basket weave tiles
Basket weave tiles can add a sense of movement to any design and are an excellent choice if you are going for a classic, Grecian or another type of Mediterranean style. The basket weave pattern works best in small areas and is popular as a shower floor option. It uses square and rectangular tiles that are installed in a way that resembles the texture of a woven basket. This design looks difficult to install, but it is often offered as a mosaic tile that can be laid out in sheets.
Pinwheel tiles
The pinwheel pattern is created by combining two different tile formats, usually with squares of different sizes. A small square tile is surrounded by larger square tiles. But you can also create a pinwheel, using pinwheel tiles in different formats, such as squares and rectangles. Rectangular tiles are installed to form a kind of frame around a central square tile. Pinwheel tiles are a classic flooring option and work well for a backsplash or a wall.
Arabesque tile
Arabesque tile takes its distinctive shape from design in the Middle East and can come as mosaic tiles and beveled tiles. Mosaic arabesque tiles come in sheets; they are polished and are available in a variety of materials or color options. The beveled edge option can give some texture and dimension to your tile design without having to do anything too extreme. Arabesque tiles are the perfect solution for those who want to add a certain exotic vibe to their interior design.
Hexagon tile patterns
Hexagon is a classic shape that was used in tiles for hundreds of years. Hexagon tiles have six sides and fit together perfectly to create a cohesive pattern. Classic hexagon tile patterns continue to adorn homes since the 19th century and are a natural choice for flooring or walls. Hexagon tiles are available as tiny shapes for mosaic designs and large-format sizes that make a room appear bigger and more spacious. Many people like hexagon tiles because they look stylish and are easy to install.
Octagon mosaics
Octagon tiles are a timeless option that offers a classic look from the Victorian era. Octagon mosaics are the most popular variant of octagon tiles. They are made from a variety of materials such as glass, ceramic, stone, metal, and often feature contrasting colors such as black and white. This style is known as “octagon dot.”
Mosaic tile patterns
Mosaic tiles come in a range of shapes, styles, and colors and allow you to create a unique look that makes a statement. Square, rectangular, hexagonal, and penny round shapes work well in such mosaic tile patterns like Amalfi, chevron, Athens, stria, Cardine, and more. Mosaic tiles are great at creating textures because of the prominence of grout lines.
3D tile mosaics
3D tiles have their roots in the classic relief sculptures, which once adorned the walls in ancient buildings. 3D tile mosaics can take on many styles, from traditional looks to a more rustic style. These texture tiles are an exceptional choice to add a character to your space.
