Mid-Century Modern Tile Ideas for Your Kitchen

Posted on Jul 12, 2018
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Cementine Retro Tile from Arizona Tile
Featured Image: Cementine Retro Tile from Arizona Tile

Mid-century modern design has recently resurfaced as a top trend in home design, proving it’s a timeless aesthetic that won’t soon go out of style. If you’re looking to renovate or remodel your kitchen and you’re as enamored by mid-century design as we are, look no further than these ideas for retro-inspired kitchen tiles.

Tile Ideas Inspired by Mid-Century Modern Design

Mid-century modern style is characterized by sleek, clean lines, minimal ornamentation and splashes of color, contrast and pattern. When it comes to choosing the perfect tile for your kitchen backsplash, walls or floor, here are a few ideas for achieving a mid-century look with tile.

Jumbo Hex Cotton, Café, Denim Tile Backsplash from Arizona Tile
Image: Jumbo Hex Cotton, Café, Denim Tile Backsplash from Arizona Tile

#1. Go geometric. One of the tenants of mid-century design is the use of geometric patterns. Organic shapes like a leaf mosaic or arabesque tile are more subtle, while hex, triangle and chevron tile arrangements create a more dramatic look. Retro patterned tile is also a beautiful and unique choice sure to enhance your kitchen.

#2. Find a retro color. A tile backsplash is a great opportunity to add a pop of color to your mid-century kitchen. Look for tile with hues inspired by the 50s, 60s or early 70s. Teal, mustard yellow, red, powder blue, seafoam green and orange are all striking options. If you don’t want to go too bold, mix a few colorful tiles into a neutral design.

Subway White Glossy Tile Backsplash from Arizona Tile
Image: Subway White Glossy Tile Backsplash from Arizona Tile

#3. Consider a straight set design. The mid-century modern movement was characterized by clean lines and simple, uncluttered design. To echo this in your kitchen tile, straight-set tile arrangements can be the perfect choice. If you’re using a subway tile or something similar, a straight design gives a neat, modern and surprisingly unique appearance to this backsplash.

Belgian Linen Fog Tile from Arizona Tile
Image: Belgian Linen Fog Tile from Arizona Tile

#4. Don’t skimp on texture. The mid-century style is clean and simple at its core, but that doesn’t mean you should avoid texture—quite the opposite. Go for visual texture to make an impact with your mid-century-inspired kitchen tile. Adding texture can mean anything from choosing small tiles (which will create lots of grout lines), to using tile that is literally textured, such as linen tile or brick-look ceramic tile. Even something as simple as a deeper beveled subway tile adds instant drama in a mid-century modern way.

#5. Create contrast. Finally, to create a cohesive mid-century aesthetic in your kitchen, contrast is the way to go. You could pair two contrasting tile colors (such as black and white), use two different tile materials for the floor and backsplash, or use a darker grout on light-colored tile. In any case, creating contrast is a simple and classic way to bring life to your kitchen design.

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