I hear you on the hex tiles—stepping on them kinda feels like a foot massage, which is a weird perk I didn’t expect. But man, grouting those little suckers took forever. Subway’s way easier to slap up and wipe down, but it just doesn’t have the same vibe. My last flip had both: subway on the walls, hex on the floor. Best of both worlds... unless you’re cleaning grout lines for days.
Hex tiles totally have that spa feel, right? I did a client’s powder room with matte black hex on the floor and it looked killer, but wow, my knees hated me after grouting all those edges. Subway’s classic, but sometimes feels too safe for me.
SUBWAY TILES ARE FINE, BUT HEX TILES JUST HIT DIFFERENT
Subway’s classic, but sometimes feels too safe for me.
Couldn’t agree more. Subway tiles are everywhere—my mom’s house, my last rental, every HGTV show ever. They’re fine if you want something that’ll never go out of style, but honestly, I got bored just looking at samples. Hex tiles actually make a space feel special. The spa vibe is real, and the pattern just gives a room some personality.
I hear you on the knees, though. I tried laying hex in my own bathroom for the first time and thought I’d never stand up straight again. Grouting all those little edges took forever. Still, I’d do it again. The end result is worth the pain—plus, you get bragging rights for surviving the install.
If you’re after “safe,” subway’s the way to go. But if you want your bathroom to look like you actually made a decision? Hex all the way.
I get the love for hex tiles—there’s just something about them that feels a little more intentional, you know? I restored our 1920s bathroom and went with tiny white hexes to match the original floor. It was a pain (my back still remembers), but now every time I walk in there, it feels like stepping into a bit of history. Subway tiles are classic, but hex has that old-house charm that makes me smile. Plus, they hide dirt better than you’d think... which is a bonus when you live with two muddy dogs.
Hex tiles just have that soul, don’t they? I went with them in my 1915 powder room—tiny black and white ones, and yeah, the install was tedious. But now it feels like the floor’s telling a story every time I walk in. Subway tiles are nice, but they never quite give me that “lived-in” vibe. And you’re right about hiding dirt... those little grout lines are sneaky.