Why Metro Tiles Never Go Out of Style — And How to Lay Them for Maximum Impact

Walk into almost any newly renovated kitchen or bathroom in Dundalk and there's a good chance you'll spot a metro tile somewhere — on a splashback, climbing a shower wall, or running the full height of a bathroom. There's a reason this simple rectangular tile has stayed in fashion for so long: it's honest, versatile, and looks as good in a period cottage as it does in a brand-new build.

The tile itself is plain. What makes a metro tile project feel fresh, classic, or contemporary is almost entirely down to the layout, the grout, and the colour. Here's how to think about each.

Classic Brick Bond

The original layout, and still the most popular: each row offset by half a tile from the one below, exactly like a brick wall. It's a safe, timeless choice that suits everything from a traditional bathroom to a clean, modern kitchen splashback. White metro in brick bond with a slightly darker grout is one of the most enduringly popular combinations we sell, precisely because it never reads as dated.

Herringbone

Laid at right angles in a zigzag, herringbone turns a simple tile into a feature in its own right. It takes a little more skill to install and slightly more wastage in cutting, but the visual payoff is significant — it's particularly effective on a shower wall or as a feature panel behind a kitchen hob, where the eye naturally lands.

Vertical Stack and Vertical Brick

Running tiles in a straight vertical stack, or in a vertically offset brick pattern, draws the eye upward. This is a great trick in a bathroom with a lower ceiling, where it can make the room feel taller than it is. It also tends to read as more contemporary than the traditional horizontal brick bond.

Basket Weave and Soldier Course Borders

For a more decorative finish, a basket weave pattern — alternating horizontal and vertical pairs — makes a striking floor or feature wall, while a soldier course, tiles laid standing on end, works well as a border or transition between two tiled areas, such as the top of a half-tiled wall.

Getting the Grout Right

Grout colour changes a metro tile layout more than almost anything else. A grout that closely matches the tile lets the pattern fade into the background, creating a soft, almost monolithic look. A contrasting grout — dark grout with white tiles, for example — pulls the brick or herringbone pattern forward and makes it the star of the room. Neither is right or wrong; it depends on whether you want the tile shape to sit quietly in the background or take centre stage.

Where Metro Works Best

Kitchen splashbacks are the classic application, but full-height bathroom and shower walls are increasingly popular, especially paired with a patterned floor tile for contrast. Metro also works well as a half-height wall in a utility room or downstairs WC, finished with a simple trim or soldier course border.

Mixing Metro With Other Tiles

One of the easiest ways to elevate a metro tile scheme is to pair it with a patterned or textured floor tile, rather than tiling the floor in the same plain finish. A patterned, encaustic-style floor with plain white metro walls is a combination we see requested again and again, because the eye gets one area of detail to focus on rather than competing patterns everywhere in the room.

For 2026, we're seeing growing interest in warmer, softer tones alongside the classic white — sage green, soft terracotta, and warm off-white metro tiles paired with a darker, tonal grout, giving the same timeless shape a more current colour palette.

Come and See the Range

Metro tiles are genuinely one of those products that look better in person than in any photo — the slight sheen of a gloss finish, or the texture of a matte one, only really comes across when you're standing in front of it. Drop into our showroom at Unit 9, Butterly Business Park, Coes Road, Dundalk, and we'll help you work out the layout, colour, and grout combination that's right for your space. We're open Monday to Friday, 9:00–17:30, and Saturday, 9:30–17:00, or you can reach us on 042-9333722.