Marble Subway Tile

Basic subway tile is such a ubiquitous, affordable material for use in the kitchen. But what happens when you dress it up in marble? Here's a look:

We love fancy-pants carrara marble used in an unassuming 3x6 tile. Just adds a little unexpected texture and richness to the standard subway tile proportion. What do you think?

(Images: Style at Home via CocoCozy, DecorPad, Traditional Home via DecorPad, Collection Seventeen)

Categories: Supplies, Kitchens, Kitchen, Tile

Posted by Regina Yunghans

Regina is an architect who lives with her husband and son in Lawrence, KS. As a LEED Accredited Professional and longtime contributor to Apartment Therapy and The Kitchn, her focus is on healthy, sustainable living through design.
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Comments (6)

love it!
we have vermont danby marble countertops and I'm having trouble deciding what kind of backsplash to use.

My husband and I used carrera marble subway tile for the shower in a recent bathroom remodel--the effect is gorgeous! Expensive, but definitely worth it!

We also used it in our bathroom and love it. Bought it at Home Depot and it wasn't expensive (but the labor was more expensive since it didn't come in sheets like other tile).

I have been about a second away from doing my whole range wall/backsplash in carrara subway tile for the last four or five years. For some reason I haven't been able to pull the trigger, but these pictures are pretty persuasive.
I think what I really want is something longer and skinnier than subway, but I've never found it.

@splatgirl - An easy and less expensive way to get long and skinny tiles is to purchase tiles in a 12" square, then cut them down smaller. The work is tedious, but easy - you'll have to have a wet saw there anyway! If you cut it in quarters to 3"x12" rectangles, you'd have very interesting, designer looking tiles for no more cost than purchasing the most basic squares.

Thanks lizzielulu--well, yes, that idea has been visited and revisited. Tedious tile and stone jobs in the extreme happen to be my specialty, and I already have a big wet saw, but the space in question is over 100 sq.ft. That's a lot of cutting, and potentially, a lot of waste--skinny pieces are tricky anyway, and marble is soft and brittle.