American Olean Chloe has a white pinwheel with a black dot. It's a similar feel.

http://americanolean.com/images/products/zoom/DP_AO_CHLOE112_C.jpg

I think anything black and white would look fantastic.. you could go with at white tile and a black dot

Sorry screen prevented me putting in all the pics...so love the one of the front porches...but any black and white is good for me and I especially like the boarders. This can be a really inexpensive floor...hope this helps ..Robyn

Thanks for the suggestions, have gone with 50mm hexagons in a mat finish, mainly white, with a black border and the occassional black tile scattered across the floor.

sounds real nice fiona_ab, see what you can do when you are pushed to have to make a fast decision ha-ha
Please post pics.

Cheers,
Barbara

Sounds good fiona...I have this too that is why I suggested it....you will be happy with it...

Can anybody explain to me why the craze over subway tiles? Ever since I was a child I have hated these, they were at every subway I used ro get to and from anywhere. What;s the appeal? Do these ugly things (my opinion) that remind me of dirty old trainstations and smelly public toilets have some sort of magic that everyone seems to be spellbound?
Is it the fashion alone that drives the craze or something else...I can't see it and would never do it Please Explain?
I see that in a few years these tiles will 'date' any bathroom or wet area where they are installed. Does anyone else feel this way?
Not every old building had subway tiles...these were the least attractive things back then and reserved for.... public facilities. Nobody had them in their houses...maybe with the exception of some of the bathrooms in those old rooming pubs....and again, catering for use by the public.
Oh please explain...I feel sick every time I see them being extolled as "The" thing....there are so many beautiful tiles available today...WHY?

Hi Ladyrob1, I must agree with you that I can't see the appeal but I think the simple explanation is, that someone decided they liked the tiles and I would hazzard a guess that allot of peolpe who like them, haven't ever seen these tiles in a subway but perhaps in a magazine as a lovely makeover worth a million dollars.
I personally don't like the look of them, instead I would go with a nice glass splashback in a kitchen at least, or nice modern large tiles in a bathroom for instance but at the end of the day, it's personal taste, as it is with all decorating either inside or outside the home.
You have such a negative memory of these tiles associating them with dirt, dank, unwelcoming places but as I said don't stress too much, it's just one of those things.
It's a bit like me, when I was reading another forum on Houzz about painting doors, kitchen cupboards, fireplaces and even walls, BLACK, I too immediately thought, where did this love of black come from, I'd never seen or heard of it ever before but I must say the pictures provided looked stunning surprisingly even though it's not for me.
I hope I have helped you with your "shock horror" thoughts about the love for these subway tiles!!!

Thanks barett11....I really appreciate the insight.My dislike of these tiles does come memories of the past...It never occurred to me that a lot of people would never have seen them before! Of course! I am 71 and have seen many more styles come and go.

On the positive side, I've been playing with a 94 yr old miner's cottage I bought 30 years ago and have a real sympathy for what should go into it.... so of course the theory applies in the reverse and now I know why admirers are so "dimb struck"...they have never seen certain things before! Oh dear, how dense can one be!

It had not even occurred to me that these tiles would be a "new" thing for the younger people and when presented in a million dollar reno who could resist?!

You'd think, though, that the designers of today, as we of yesterday were, would be well schooled in the history of design and the materials used...apparently not so these days, sadly, Hence glossy mags with subway tiles in private bathrooms and behind kitchen sinks! UGH!
Suppose the consolation is that oldies like me are out of the game now with all our knowledge and memories, so the newbies have free slather!

I really like the TV program THE BLOCK and am quite amused at some of the things the young people think are wonderful!...including the use of Black...but must admit it works, its elegant if used properly...the LBD is also back along with "Grandma Chic" pre and post WW11 dress design......SO...barett11, you've made me aware of my age and knowledge repository!
You know, though, even if I had a house that would bring a million if the wet areas were tiled with subways...I wouldn't do it to myself even if the buyers had to live with it later...that's how badly those tiles affect me! Oh well, as they say, "Ignorance is bliss".
ThankYou!

It's just a tile size. Like any decorating choice the trick is to be stylish without screaming fashion victim, so that it takes longer for it to date! I have had a lot of "what the hell were they thinking"moments since moving in, as my taste is clearly very different from the previous owner's.

Large format tiles and old houses, with barely a right angle, do not go together. For large format tiles to look good you need sharp angles and flat walls/floors. Smaller tiles are a bit more forgiving. I already have the plasterer despairing about the state of the cornices, without adding a tale of woe from the tiler.

For me subway tiles, in subways, make me think of the City Circle stations and the fun of being a country kid let loose in the city!

Ladyrob, subway tiles may make you think of public convieneces, so I shall aim for First Class Ladies Restroom!!

Ladyrob1, You are most welcome for the explanation.
I'm 57 so a wee bit younger than yourself and I admit, there amazing things being achieved on The Block for example, which I don't watch because I can't stand the childish behaviour, although I do acknowledge their tallent, some of the things to me, look totally unrealistic for day to day living with perhaps a handful of kids in the mix.
Each room is simply perfect with the cushions on the bed just so and a kitchen that is not being used to say cook a big batch of home made tomato sause for example ha-ha.....because the hot plate isn't big enough to do it!!!!!.....but non the less, the end results on such shows, is simply stunning.
You have made me laugh about the LBD, although that has been quite popular for a very long time to my memory but the "Grandma Chic" is just beyond me, never liked it then and don't like it now, like clothing that was lime and green for example ha-ha.....or a table made from an old wooden pallet or chairs made from milk crates, then I also end up saying
"what is someone thinking"!!!....looks ghastly to me but that's where the word "chic" comes into play!!!
I like all my walls to be the same colour, plain but elegant neutral curtains, a real hardwood table to eat on, real leather furniture but the young ones are having a ball with their design ideas and as you've just realized, not always to yours or my tastes but I say to allot of people allot of times, if they like it, then it's all that matters!!!
Call me old fashioned if anyone wishes to but I'm ok with that, because these modern young ones of today will one day also get called old fashioned perhaps, when the next generation start to build and decorate, God help us ha-ha

@ fiona_ab....Sounds absolutely luxurious!
Maybe you could source some of the Art Deco books on interior decor for first class ladies restrooms! Gorgeous!
Baretta11 settled the problem for me. .I'm an oldie and these subway tiles have memories of uses of old....its just the resurgence of these items in private homes that I found perplexing...but for younger people who haven't seen them before...and those like youself at City Circle...the association is different... so hope I have not spoilt your enthusiasm with my memories. We couldn't have a tiler in despair now could we? And we couldn't have you thinking of...well...just forget it. Don't let my thoughts bother you...you have to use what pleases you and is practical and the First Class Ladies' Restroom sounds lovely! A PIC would be nice when finished.

@baretta11...you made me laugh heaps! You sound down to earth and no fuss...I like that. My walls are all natural timber, curtains cream, some pink in the bedroom and bathroom with pressed metal rather than subways...a bit older style but painted pale shell pink. Yes real hardwood rable, decent sized cooktop...I imagined the tomato sauce but could not imagine these young people even cooking that! Decent 6ft 1924 bathtub all reglazed...the whole bathroom is reminiscent of the inside of a shell...used to live in the islands so a few shells for decoration... "Old Fashioned" never dates! THE BLOCK will date very quickly and even become non finctional....but there's the money so let them play.
The wooden bathtub got me...couldn't wait to see if it had been made from a solid lump of wood...but Oh No...the bottom is glued.....one day the people below will have a shower where they don't expect! Then how will that be fixed and who will foot the expense? No thanks!
"Grandma Chic" is a big joke for me too. My Grandma was always classical and simple and always looked lovely..."Little Old Lady passing by...".
At least what 'we old fashioned ones prefer is founded on substance, substance lasts a lifetime and then some. Some places are dateless as are some dress fashions.
All this renovating and decorating is fun to watch...even thechildish antics and the bare faced lies...don't know how they do it, I'd be out of the game very quickly!
Looks stunning but wonder what it will look like, say, in about 12 months...and I don't think God would be at all prompted to save them from some of the folley.....but it seems to be a temporary world with temporary fittings....I'd rather live in the past in my solid old house that nothing has managed to destroy in 94 years...it will outlast me...and then some developer will come with paper and glue and put up a block of temporary units....Reminds me me of the three little pigs somehow...or the Cheshire Cat and Alice..
.."Which way should I go from from here? asked Alice.
Cat: "you can go either way...they are all mad. "
Alice" "But I do not want to go among mad people".
Cat: "Oh you can't help that, everyone is mad here...you're mad and I am mad...".
Alice:"How do you know I am mad?"
Cat: (who by that stage had become partly invisible) "You must be if you are standing here talking to me!" Enjoyed the exchange baretta11 Parla Italiano?

@ ladyrob1, glad I made you laugh, I tend to have allot of people say I have the ability to do that.
No Italian, I'm born Australian to Polish immigrents but I think if you are euro, your view of life is different to how Aussie kids were raised.
Hubby and I are trying to build our own home, been working on it some 7 years now, with only our own money being used, we have to have a good season as farmers and sometimes there are a few years in a row where things aren't as good as we'd like, hence building has been some what drawn out.
It's just a house for hubby but for me it's my dream home, my first and probably last, so I've spent many months drawing up plans until finally we are away to the extent that we will be able to put the roof on shortly!!!
We're building out of limestone and we've been a bit extravagant with an indoor pool!!!
Very touchy about everything looking just perfect but still "homely" as we want to be able to feel comfortable, not concerned about some fluff on the floor or a crooked pillow on the couch ha-ha
I've attached a few photo's of the completed pool prior to the frame going up and then a photo showing the outline of the home facing north with all the lovely big windows and doors.
Oh dear I have digressed somewhat from the original forum haven't I, sorry to the readers ha-ha

Maybe your closing comments will redeem you, after all, part of it was about wet areas. LBDs and Grandma Chic hardly has to fo with tiles either,,,but its the essence of the discussion...if it pleases you have it and who cares what other people think. I am sure the readers won't mind...I even put in a Cheshire Cat!
From subway tiles to indoor pools to literature about "being"... its all about what Houzzers are. I get into trouble for having a different opinion and some take it personally...its difficult in writing . Anyway, again, thanks for the exchange of project ideas. A PIC of the indoor pool when finished would be great!

Need some advice urgently what colour grout to use with these bathroom floor tiles . white or black there is a small black tile between each tile. tiles bought from beaumonts.

@Louise,

You've jumped onto someone else's OLD dilemma page, suggest you post your own dilemma then you will get plenty of suggestions from other readers however, for a quick response to your simple question, perhaps black grout but Beaumonts would be able to also tell you what would best suit this design, they are very helpful!!

@Louise, I feel black would make the grout lines too bold and detract from the beautiful patterns on the tiles. I would also hesitate with white as it may look grubby quickly in a frequently used floor. I would suggest a light to mid grey -just needs be careful it doesn't have undertones that are too blue or brown.