Subway tiles vs. hexagon tiles in the bathroom - what’s your pick?

I get the appeal of subway tiles for predictability, but I’ve run into alignment headaches with old walls that aren’t square - especially in pre-war homes where nothing is level. Hex tiles (or even penny rounds) can actually be more forgiving on wavy surfaces since the joints break up the eye lines. Sure, grouting takes forever, but I’ll take that over staring at a crooked subway line every time I walk in. Just my two cents from too many hours spent cursing 1920s plaster...

- Totally feel you on the old house quirks - my bathroom walls are about as straight as a bowl of spaghetti.
- I went with subway tiles because I thought, “hey, classic and easy, right?” Wrong. Trying to line them up on my not-so-level walls had me questioning my life choices.
- Hex tiles looked intimidating at first (all those little pieces!), but now I kinda wish I’d gone that route. The way the grout lines break things up seems like it’d hide my less-than-perfect tiling skills.
- Grouting a million hexes sounds like a pain, but honestly, staring at my slightly slanted subway lines every morning is worse.
- If I ever do this again, I’m team hex - or maybe even penny rounds if I’m feeling brave. At least then any mistakes look “artsy” instead of just... crooked.

Definitely hear you on the “not-so-level walls” issue. I’ve worked on more than a few bathrooms where nothing is square, and lining up subway tiles can turn into a real headache fast. That “classic and easy” reputation only holds up if your walls are actually straight, which is rarely the case in older homes.

“The way the grout lines break things up seems like it’d hide my less-than-perfect tiling skills.”

You’re right about hex tiles (or penny rounds) being more forgiving visually. The smaller shapes and extra grout lines do a nice job of camouflaging minor imperfections - you can get away with quite a bit before anything looks off. Subway tile, on the other hand, really punishes any deviation from level or plumb; even a few millimeters out and suddenly every line looks wonky.

One thing to keep in mind with hex or penny rounds: grouting is tedious, but cleaning all those extra grout lines down the road can be a chore too. That said, I’ll take that over staring at uneven subway tile joints every day. Sometimes “artsy” is just code for “I made it work with what I had,” which honestly is half the battle in these old houses.

Honestly, I’m right there with you - sometimes “artsy” is just what happens when you’re working with walls that have a mind of their own. I picked hex tiles for my first reno and yeah, grouting took forever, but I barely notice the little mistakes. It’s kind of freeing not having to obsess over every line being perfect. In the end, it feels more like *my* bathroom, quirks and all.

Totally get where you’re coming from. I went with subway tiles in my last bathroom because, honestly, they were cheaper and seemed easier to line up. But after seeing a friend’s hex tile job - imperfections and all - I kind of wish I’d been braver. There’s something cool about a space that doesn’t look like it came straight out of a catalog. Those little quirks make it feel lived-in and personal.

And yeah, grouting hex tiles is a pain (I helped my friend for a day and my knees still remember), but you’re right: once it’s done, you barely notice the tiny flaws. I think sometimes we get too hung up on perfection, especially when we’re on a budget. At the end of the day, it’s your bathroom, and if you love it, that’s what matters. Plus, nobody else is going to get down on their hands and knees to inspect your grout lines... unless they’re really weird.