Your Tile Choice Reveals If You Really Get Craftsman Style

Subway Tile or Handmade: Craftsman Tile Choices for Kitchen and Bath

Tile selection makes or breaks Craftsman bathroom and kitchen authenticity. The wrong tile—too modern, too ornate, or simply wrong for the period—undermines even perfect woodwork. Understanding what original Craftsman homes used, and which modern options capture that aesthetic, guides decisions that feel right for a century.

The Original Craftsman Tile Aesthetic

Arts and Crafts designers approached tile as both practical material and artistic medium:

Handcrafted appearance: Tiles with visible variation—slight color differences, surface undulation, irregular edges—were prized over machined uniformity. This connected with the movement’s core value of human craftsmanship over industrial precision.

Matte glazes: Original Craftsman tile featured matte or satin finishes rather than high gloss. The soft surfaces absorbed light rather than reflecting it, creating warmth in rooms often lit by single windows.

Earth-derived colors: Green, brown, amber, blue-gray, and cream dominated period palettes. These colors came from natural minerals and oxite-based glazes rather than synthetic pigments.

Simple shapes: Squares, rectangles, and hexagons defined Craftsman tilework. Avoid decorative shapes, complex mosaics, or pattern tiles that read as Victorian or contemporary.

Subway Tile: The Versatile Standard

Subway tile appeared in original Craftsman homes and remains appropriate today:

Proportions matter: Classic subway tile measures 3″ x 6″—a 1:2 ratio that creates visual rhythm. Modern variations (2″ x 4″, 4″ x 8″, 4″ x 12″) alter the aesthetic significantly. Stick with traditional dimensions for authenticity.

Finish selection: Avoid high-gloss subway tile, which reads modern. Matte, crackle-glazed, or handmade-look subway tiles better suit Craftsman interiors. Beveled edges add period-appropriate shadow lines.

Color choices: White and cream remain classic, but period homes also featured soft greens, pale blues, and warm gray subway tiles. Consider departing from default white if your room’s woodwork supports bolder choices.

Installation patterns: Traditional running bond (offset) installation is most common. Stack bond (aligned) reads more contemporary. Herringbone, while period-appropriate in some contexts, feels busy for most Craftsman spaces.

Handmade and Artisan Tiles

For true period feel, handmade tiles deliver what factory tile cannot:

Surface variation: Handmade tiles vary in thickness, surface texture, and color from piece to piece. This variation creates depth and visual interest that uniform tile lacks.

Color depth: Artisan glazes develop unique color characteristics during firing. No two tiles are identical, creating the organic appearance that defined original Craftsman tilework.

Edge character: Irregular edges create shadow lines and grout joints with varying widths. This imperfection reads as intentional craftsmanship rather than manufacturing defect.

Sources: Fireclay Tile, Pratt and Larson, Mercury Mosaics, and Motawi Tileworks produce handmade tiles appropriate for Craftsman homes. Expect to pay $15-50+ per square foot.

Hex Tile: The Period Floor Favorite

Hexagonal floor tile appeared in countless original Craftsman bathrooms:

Size matters: Traditional hex tile measured 1″ to 2″ across. Modern large-format hex (3″+) reads contemporary and should be avoided in period bathrooms.

Color patterns: Classic applications used single colors (usually white) or simple borders. Two-color patterns (white field, black border) are authentic. Complex multi-color patterns and decorative medallions are Victorian rather than Craftsman.

Unglazed options: Original hex tile was often unglazed porcelain. The matte, slightly rough surface provides slip resistance and authentic appearance. Sealed unglazed tile withstands bathroom moisture.

Modern alternatives: Reproduction hex tile from manufacturers like Daltile and American Olean captures the period look at moderate prices. Handmade hex tile provides superior character at higher cost.

Kitchen Tile Applications

Craftsman kitchens featured tile differently than Victorian or modern interpretations:

Backsplash restraint: Original Craftsman kitchens often had limited or no backsplash tile—painted walls or wainscoting extended behind work areas. When tile appeared, it was typically a single row behind the sink or a modest backsplash behind the stove.

Countertop edge tiles: Some period kitchens featured tile countertops with bullnose or cove edge tiles. This application can work but requires careful execution and color selection to avoid dated 1970s-80s associations.

Floor tiles: Kitchen floors in Craftsman homes were often wood or linoleum rather than tile. Tile floors, when present, used simple patterns in durable materials.

Bathroom Floor Considerations

Hex remains king: White or cream hexagonal tile is the most historically accurate bathroom floor choice. It works equally well in small powder rooms and larger master baths.

Basketweave alternative: Basketweave patterns (rectangular tiles arranged in alternating directions) appeared in period bathrooms as an alternative to hex.

Threshold treatment: Original bathrooms often featured marble or tile thresholds between bathroom tile and hallway wood floors. Recreating this detail adds authenticity.

Size the room: Small bathrooms handle 1″ hex well; larger rooms can accommodate 2″ hex without appearing busy. Avoid oversized tile that overwhelms historic proportions.

Colors for Craftsman Tilework

Greens: From sage to forest, green tile defined Arts and Crafts bathrooms. Grueby Pottery’s famous cucumber green influenced countless tile installations.

Browns and ambers: Warm earth tones connected interior tile to exterior stonework and woodwork. These colors work especially well in homes with darker wood trim.

Blues: Soft blue-grays rather than bright or navy blues. Think weathered denim or aged copper patina.

Creams and whites: Not stark white—warm whites and cream colors that harmonize with aged woodwork rather than contrasting against it.

Grout Selection

Grout affects final appearance as much as tile selection:

Color matching: For uniform appearance, match grout to tile color. This minimizes grid pattern and emphasizes tile surface.

Contrasting grout: Dark grout with light tile (or vice versa) emphasizes individual tiles and geometric patterns. Period-appropriate for hex floors and some subway installations.

Width matters: Narrow grout lines (1/16″ to 1/8″) create refined appearance. Wider joints (3/16″+) read more rustic and accommodate handmade tile irregularities.

Installation Considerations

Prep work: Tile over properly prepared substrate. Period homes may need backer board installation or mortar bed work before tiling.

Layout planning: Dry-lay tiles to plan cuts and ensure symmetry. Period bathrooms were often small; every cut tile is visible.

Period-appropriate accessories: Soap dishes, toothbrush holders, and towel bar brackets built into tile installations appeared in original homes. Reproduction period accessories are available.

The right tile selection honors Craftsman design principles while creating durable, functional surfaces. Whether you choose affordable reproduction tile or invest in handmade artisan work, understanding period aesthetics ensures results that feel authentically Craftsman.