White tile with black grout is a classic combination for the ages. Compatibility, style and design when tiling your kitchen or bathroom is never an issue with white and black, and this article gets down to the details of it.
Looking to remodel your kitchen or bathroom, but you aren’t sure what tiling to go with? I promise you, the white tile-black grout combination is the right choice!
Filling white tiles with black grout is a popular design in bathrooms due to the stark contrast between the dark and light shades, as well as the compatibility with other colors.
Now that you know this is definitely an option, what about the design? What shape should the tiles be? Where do they go and can you do the work yourself? Should you even go with black and white?
Let’s get down to business!
Should You Have White Tiles With Black Grout In Your Home?
Absolutely! It’s no secret that black and white are an excellent pairing, so why not try it out?
White tile is a popular option for backsplashes, flooring, and shower tiling because of their clean, crisp look. Adding black grout makes them pop, separating them from each other a bit more so one tile doesn’t blend into the other.
These are two versatile, neutral colors that you’ll be happy to know will go with any previously chosen color scheme of the room you’re hoping to put them in. There’s nothing worse than coming across clashing colors!
Tiling is also amazingly easy to clean. Even a grease stain can be removed, thanks to the glossed, smooth surface. You don’t even have to worry about harming the grout line! It’s easier to spot the mess, and easier to clean. Chemicals aren’t even a requirement – I clean my own white tile with warm water and a washcloth!
Are you convinced yet? Let’s move on to design concepts!
Kitchen Designs
I think it’s fair to say that the kitchen is the one room in the house you can always count on getting dirty, even from simple day to day activity. Dinners, dishes, and messy children are the top contributors, and we’ll all agree that finding the easiest way to clean up after them is a priority – especially for parents.
Tile is, hands down, the best option here. You can wash them with whatever you want and don’t have to worry about damaging anything, making them easier to clean than most other surfaces such as painted walls.
White tiling in particular is a favorite due to how easy it is to spot a mess and clean it with little effort.
Take this setup for example. The large rectangular tiles separated by glack grout offer a crisp, refreshing backsplash to the counter. Not only do black and white go well together, you won’t find another color that doesn’t complement the duo as well! You won’t have to worry about it messing with your kitchen color scheme.
Subway tiling is a timeless choice. Giotile.com even calls it “The Forever Classic Subway Tile” in their article detailing the different styles of subway tile. Timeless, forever classic, this tile design fits with every kitchen and any color.
If you are more into the bigger tiles, fear not! You can find oversized tiling in subway style – or any other! Isn’t there just something about the oversized look that gives a whole new life to tiles and backsplashes?
White subway tiles aren’t the only ones with a fan club. Herringbone tile may not be the #1, but it certainly gets the job done – in a most stylish way! The great thing about this design is that it’s only a shift in position, so long as the tile is rectangular.
So, technically speaking, tiles you initially intended to use for the subway style can be repurposed for herringbone if you change your mind last minute!
Even in your kitchen, the white tiles with black grout theme is not limited to the walls. This combination is just as clean and tidy as it is when it’s plastered to the wall.
Bathroom Designs
Kitchens aren’t the only room in the house where this duo does well! Bathrooms are well known for being tiled, particularly when it comes to shower space. Why is this?
Well, as you can imagine, a bathroom is a place where a lot of things get wet. With tiling, you can avoid moisture build up that creates mold, mildew, and other unwanted issues. Not to mention, that easy-to-clean blessing isn’t limited to the kitchen!
All around, tiling is worth the price and labor for all that it saves you in the future. It doesn’t hurt that it’s impressively easy to put up in your home yourself, saving you even more money.
Let’s not forget about the versatility of this color combo! If you decide to go through with another bathroom renovation, pick a different theme for the room, white subway tile with the complementary black grout are a guarantee to pair perfectly with the change!
Returning to the oversized style, light subway tiles and dark grout looks spectacular in this setup! Don’t you agree?
Even with the white ceramic of the sink and toilet against the tiled wall, the appearance isn’t overwhelming. Imagine if the black grout wasn’t there – everything would blend into the next! That’s why it’s important to have something that separates the white, don’t you think?
Large white subway tile with black grout in a bathroom possesses such class! An excellent benefit of white tile is that it will make all the difference in a small bathroom. Even just an accent wall with those classic white subway tiles will open the smallest bathroom space up.
Any light color will do this, such as gray or light gray, and it works with things other than walls, such as a countertop or flooring.
This is a great example of a different tile pattern – and of the versatility of what we can consider to be white tile. Marble is a classic choice, but most people only recognize it as something to use for a countertop. It can, in fact, be used for tiling. Whether it be floor tiles or wall tiles, marble hexagons like these are sure to draw attention.
Choosing tiles like these assure that not everything in your bathroom will be the same color. Meaning, your stark white tile won’t blend in with your bathtub and sink. The light gray of the marble tile pattern changes the entire surface of the wall or floor, and the space is given more of personality than plain white subway tiles.
Floor tiles in a bathroom are something that, in my opinion, should be expected. Bathroom floors and walls are constantly getting wet from bath and shower water – have you ever tried to bathe a dog? – so having something other than floor tile, such as wood, would require more attention and upkeep than the white tile displayed in this picture.
It is much easier to wipe water, mud, or dirt off of glossed, sleek tile than wood.
In this photo, you can see the difference between having the light tile with black grout as opposed to the light tile with light grout, or white grout. Grout color really does make a difference in a subdued way. Whether it be as subtle as light gray or as contrasting as a dark gray grout, grout color does matter and it can be the cherry on top of your design!
Can’t make up your mind? No problem! You can just mix and match until you find what you want.
Here, you can see a pattern of white subway tile under two rows of plain rectangle tiles, with those dark grout lines we love so much. This is how you can give your bathroom walls something more by filling the space with personality that simply one solid color of paint can’t achieve.
Hired Help vs DIY
Now, for the big question: Can you do it yourself?
The answer? Of course you can! But, that doesn’t mean you have to.
Hiring professionals can genuinely be a great help, and completely worth the cost of labor. Especially with bigger tiles, you might be more inclined to have a professional handle those fragile pieces when they’re going up on your wall.
Professionals might be helpful in showing you how to best optimize the space in the room you’re remodeling, as well as what the best grout colors and tile color is for that area. There are more than just subway tiles to pick from! And who am I to say? Maybe you would prefer to try out black tiles with white grout!
I mean, just look at how sleek and classy this black tile wall is, set off by the white grout to make the herringbone design pop! The darker shade certainly makes its mark as a wonderful contemporary bathroom, wouldn’t you say?
We’re getting off topic, though. This is about white with black, not black with white!
Naturally, professionals will have the best up to date information on the proper flooring tile vs wall tile, both of which will require sealing to prevent moisture and damage. This way, you won’t have to worry about picking the right sealer at the store!
Match.angi.com is a website you can use to find bathroom contractors with a few simple clicks! All you have to do is enter your zip code, select the information that applies to you, and you’ll be emailed a list of up to date, valid info on contractors in your area – and even includes projected costs!
Yes, tiling your bathrooms or kitchens can be difficult. Difficult, but not impossible. Some people out there, people like myself, enjoy a hands-on project that they can accomplish themselves. Thanks to hardware stores such as Home Depot or Menards, projects like these can be made simpler and more affordable.
Mesh backed tile is a great help, and can be found at both of the aforementioned stores. Mesh backed tile is simply tile that has been netted together and can go up in sections, making the whole process much easier for those DIYers out there.
Tile Mountain offers a detailed, step by step instructional article on how to tile a wall. They cover tiling corners, only part of a wall, as well as pre-tile prep. Tile Mountain also offers video directions on how to lay flooring tile, highlighting the steps right below for your convenience.
You really can do it yourself! Happy tiling, and good luck.