The Tile Mistake You're Probably Making In Your Midcentury Kitchen

Subway tile is a now-classic backsplash choice in the kitchen, which exploded onto the design scene in the 2000s as a chic, clean tile option for an elegant yet modern kitchen. But what you may not know is that this style of tiling has deep historic roots. While some designers long believed that subway tiles were a mid-century modern (MCM) design convention, in truth, the subway tile predates the 1950s and '60s by several decades. This may come as a bit of a bombshell for some MCM-loving home decorators, who believed that subway tile was a quintessential choice for that period. However, it's the tile mistake you're probably making in your mid-century kitchen.

So, what is the real history of subway tile then? With an origin story that dates back to the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries, subway tiles were an invention following technological modernism in and outside the home. While some believe subway tiles were created as an easily cleaned surface for underground train stations, others theorize that as indoor plumbing grew increasingly common in late-Victorian homes, so arose the need for a building material that was sanitary and easy to wipe clean. Regardless of its true origin story, it's not entirely as accurate to mid-century design as other materials you may want to consider for your time-period, mid-century modern kitchen.

It's understandable why people would mistakenly think subway tiles were a mid-century design, considering its clean lines and minimalism that are typically characteristic of MCM design habits. And while it wouldn't be unusual for a mid-century room to inherit vintage features as we come to expect in homes nowadays with 90s-tastic design choices, it wouldn't have been the material of choice in the era, either. In the absence of subway tiles, then, what were the actual trends of the time? 

Colorful tile backsplashes actually were the en vogue design choice of the '50s and '60s, and it wouldn't be uncommon to see geometric tiles on the kitchen walls. While sleekness was the name of the mid-century game, so were boldness and brightness in backsplash design. So, diamond-shaped, hexagonal, micro-square, or herringbone pattern tiles ruled the aesthetic of MCM kitchens, as did color at times. Material-wise, these bold backsplash tiles were often ceramic or porcelain, and there is a difference, in line with the cleanliness that subway tiles provide.

Another popular kitchen material in the mid-century was terrazzo, a manufactured material that features a cement base set with marble chips and offcuts. Terrazzo is a hot trend for bathrooms nowadays, and it's only a matter of time before this MCM fashion is popular in kitchens again, too. During the '50s and '60s, a terrazzo tile backsplash would have been the epitome of cutting-edge décor, despite the material's roots in a centuries-old Venetian pavement tradition.

As discussed, the subway tile has a conflicted origin story, from subterranean train stations to easy-to-clean and hygienic indoor bathroom spaces. However, it is relatively agreed upon that the subway tile was crafted in response to a growing industrial, technological presence where modern inventions, like a subway, necessitated inventive materials. The first time subway tile was used in a subterranean train station was in New York City's City Hall Station in 1904. Its crisp white surface reflected light, brightening up the otherwise dark and dingy station. The new invention gave the appearance of sterility, something the Victorians would have undoubtedly appreciated given their penchant for cleanliness.

Today, the subway tile backsplash trend may seem a bit outdated for the kitchen, and, ironically, midcentury tiles are experiencing a mega comeback. That's not unlike the timeline of the two materials from the early 20^th century to the mid-century; subway tile was once a fashionable Victorian and Edwardian choice until it was supplanted by the geometric ceramics and terrazzo options of the '50s. Perhaps fashion is cyclical after all, but if you plan to be appropriate for the MCM period, then keep this history lesson in mind when you're choosing your backsplash tile for your kitchen.