Metro tiles in kitchen?

[Bluesheep8]

Hi all, we have white levelled metro tiles with light grey grout in the bathroom and i really like them in there. We had a tiler round to measure for re tiling the kitchen and he said that metro tiles have been done to death now and that every new build he has done has metro tiles in the kitchen so in his opinion, they now look modern rather than traditional and that square tiles with a coloured (grey/beige etc) grout would look better. Our kitchen is painted units (dulux heritage York white which is a very pale cool cream) and we'll be having wood effect worktops. The house was built in 1906 and is an old mill workers cottage. I'm trying to keep it quite traditional and using neutral colours. What are your opinions on metro tiles in kitchens now? I will post a pic once I've tidied up!

White BEVELLED!

Personally I agree with your builder.. metro tiles are everywhere. To me they will look old fashioned quite quickly as they’ve been around for a while now. Originally in utilitarian type builds and renovations they were quite funky (think old fire stations/public conveniences/school conversions) but now I think of them being a tile that’s bought cheap as chips with no thought to the context of the building etc. I expect loads will come on to diss my theories but I think there’s nicer options out there. Sadly I think on Pinterest and the like all you still see at the moment is metro tiles which doesn’t help those who want to adopt a newer look.

Thanks for replying with your opinion, agreed re pinterest-metro tiles everywhere. I think I'm going to go completely the other way and have square with maybe some patterned (subtly) tiles around the cooker. I will post a pic so you can see where I mean and I'll welcome all suggestions. Am actually glad the tiler said what he said s I would've just had metro without even thinking. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with them at all but like he said, they are in v contemporary kitchens now and that's not the look I'm after for my old house.

Ok here's a pic. These are the current tiles. I'm thinking of having maybe plain shiny off white tiles from worktops up to cupboards, then something different around the cooker maybe? Would you do that? And if so, would you just di the actual 3 sides of the alcove or the two front/either side parts? I've seen some nice tiles on Pinterest which are sort of greige with a subtle white textured design on. Opinions and suggestions welcome! Oh and the door handles will be changed and worktops will be wood/wood effect.

Have you looked at Marlborough Tiles? These pics don’t really show the tiles off well, but they’re sort of a metro shape, so not square, and they’re sort of aged, with slightly wonky sides and a crackle effect. They do all sorts, with different patterns. May not suit you if you’re going for a more modern look.

Metro tiles make every room look like public toilets in the 80s/90s. Or the underground. I'm not keen.

I think they grey grouting looks grubby but quite like red, blue or pink.

Oh I like! Just think the tiles in that alcove should be subtly different to those in the rest of the kitchen but still tie in iyswim,. Hmmm maybe i could have different shaped tiles just around cooker, like the ones pictured, and square everywhere else.

I think whatever you do they should be the same on all the sides not just the inside bits iykwim

Thanks frank, thought that might be the case, that's that settled then, just need to choose now!

I've got metro tiles in my kitchen. I'm in a new build and didn't have a splashback behind my hob.
I hated all the splashbacks that were in our price range, and priced up the tiles and we've tiles the whole wall for the price of a splashback.
I don't give a monkey's about what's fashionable. I think it looks nice and we are the ones who have to live with it.
I'm planning royal blue metro tiles for my downstairs cloakroom.

I LOVE metro tiles and am planning having them in the kitchen when DH has finished all the gazillion other DIY jobs on the list. Currently have creamy yellow Fired Earth ones with grey grout and they're OK but I'm a bit bored of them after 20 years.

Dh is a tiler. He HATES metro tiles. He dreams about them. So popular are they. Travetine bathrooms and metro tile kitchens are, in his words , where his dreams go to die.

But that said- it's your kitchen. You aren't bored of them. You like them. So do what you Like. But keep in mind that everyone says they are unaffected by trends- they ALWAYS liked grey and yellow, they ALWAYS liked metro tiles, they ALWAYS liked avocado bathrooms No one fella like they are influenced by outside trends and zeitgeist - but they, unknowingly, are (otherwise the aforementioned avocado bathrooms wouldn't have been everywhere when then were!)

I still like metro tiles. Their popularity may wax and wane, but probably to a lesser degree than other types.