Subway tiles have been way more forgiving for me, especially on those wavy walls. They hide a lot of sins if you don’t stare too close.
Totally agree—subway tiles saved my sanity in my last reno. My bathroom walls are about as straight as a question mark, and trying to line up hex tiles just made the unevenness stand out more. Here’s what worked for me: I started with subway on the walls for that “clean but not too perfect” vibe, then did a small hex on the floor for a bit of old-school charm. The grout lines on the floor are a pain, but honestly, a darker grout helps hide the grime. If you’re not into constant scrubbing, that’s the way to go.
That’s pretty much the route I took—subway tiles on the walls, hex on the floor. If you’re doing it on a budget, subway tiles are usually cheaper and way easier to get straight, especially if your walls are less than perfect. Just a tip: I found using a slightly wider grout line with subway tiles helps hide any weirdness in the wall even more. As for hex tiles, yeah, those tiny grout lines can drive you nuts if you’re not careful with spacing... I ended up using spacers and still had to nudge things around a lot. Dark grout is definitely less stressful long-term.
Subway on the walls and hex on the floor is such a classic combo. I’ve done something similar in a couple of my flips, but I’ll admit, the hex tiles always make me pause. Ever notice how they can look amazing in photos but then you’re on your knees for hours, nudging each one so the lines don’t go wonky? I had one project where the hex floor took twice as long as planned—ended up with a few “creative” grout lines, but honestly, buyers never noticed.
I’m curious, have you ever tried mixing up the pattern direction with subway tiles? I did a vertical stack once instead of the usual brick layout, and it made a tiny bathroom feel way taller. Sometimes I wonder if we overthink grout color, too. I used to be all about matching, but after scrubbing white grout for months, I’m team dark grout now... less stress, more time for other projects. Ever regret a tile choice after living with it for a while?
I used to be all about matching, but after scrubbing white grout for months, I’m team dark grout now... less stress, more time for other projects.
Totally with you on the grout. I did a white hex floor with white grout once and it looked amazing for about a week—then every speck of dirt showed up like a spotlight. Swapped to charcoal in my next bathroom and never looked back. As for subway tiles, I tried herringbone on one wall and it was a pain to lay out, but man, the payoff was worth it. Never really regretted a tile choice, but I do wish I’d gone matte instead of glossy in one shower... water spots everywhere.
I keep hearing about how much easier dark grout is, but I’m still a little nervous it’ll make my small bathroom look even tinier. Did you notice that at all, or does it just kind of fade into the background? Also, was the matte tile slippery at all in the shower?