Subway tile

Since it was created the subway tile became "mom's favorite child" when talking about tiles. The name of these small 3x6 ceramic pieces date from 1904, when the New York subway was inaugurated. From that on they became an essential part of the stations in general and started being used also in London and Paris. Today, they are manufactured in classic styles and colored versions and are always a beautiful part of a lot of projects.

Subway tile became an essential element of interior design and holds more than 100 years of history. (and it sure feels like it) However, throughout the decades it has been transformed into different sizes, materials, and finishes, allowing creativity to be explored beyond the 3x6 white box - this one, still being by far is the most loved and desired. Maybe it's the Joanna Gaines effect??

The versatility and evolution of these small rectangles have also translated into an array of style options that go from farmhouse to elegant contemporary spaces and allows it to be widely used in installations within commercial and residential interiors.

Today, we see them wider, larger, longer, ceramic, glass, glossy, matte, installed stacked, horizontally or vertically, and even on a good herringbone pattern. It has truly honored its reputation of having a timeless aesthetic.

It sure has a distinct design, and it became a staple in the past decade, as it has continuously dressed the walls of many contemporary kitchens, bathrooms, and commercial spaces here in the US and around the world. It's versatility certainly allows designers to create beautiful spaces, putting their ideas to work the way they do best, which is to create spaces that are not dominated by the materials, but by their intention.

If you're a lover of the most famous rectangle that ever existed, go ahead. Use and abuse it. Make the most out of the great colors, sizes, and patterns that can be done with it. Make sure to have fun! It's not about replicating it, it's about creating, using the old to create the new. Reinventing, repurposing, reusing, that's what creating is all about.

• Pro tip: The smaller they are, the harder it is to install them, therefore, you'll pay more for labor if you want to use the traditional 3x6. Try going a little larger to save some $$ and/or allow for different patterns. ;)