Today’s post isn’t one I could have predicted I’d write. I anticipated being inspired by Europe’s grand, ancient architecture and home design, but I did not expect to be as enamored by the gorgeous checkered tile I kept spotting at the Palace of Versailles.
For me, black-and-white checkered tiles have always felt somehow dated to me. I think that stems from me only encountering linoleum versions in homes or diners. Stepping foot in the Palace of Versailles on large, beautiful squares of marble and granite changed the game for me.
The key is the direction the tile is laid–diagonal is best–and certainly the material used. I don’t see myself ever being attracted to shiny, solid-colored black and white ceramic tiles in a home, but I love the idea of natural stone tiles in various shades. For me, variations in veining is what makes any kind of tile work so compelling.
I LOVED the color variations of this palace hallway tile. 
I’ve followed Gwen over at The Makerista for some time and am always so impressed with how sure she is of her taste and traditional style. I love seeing her interiors as they are the opposite of the minimalist spaces I feel bombarded with on Instagram sometimes. She has checkered tile in her kitchen and she just put a variation of the trend in her girls’ bathroom! The two photos below are hers and are great examples of how to incorporate the look in a home.
How I’d Use Them:
- In a Bathroom—I love the image at the end of this post (but I couldn’t find a source for it on Pinterest) of a super tasteful bathroom. The size and shades of the tile are so beautiful and timeless. I love the idea of large tile in a small space like a bathroom and this is a perfect example of that. The color of the artwork in the room makes the floor pop even more!
- In an Entryway—In a big, open entryway with high ceilings, oversized checkered tile laid diagonally would be a grand way to invite people into your home!
- In a Kitchen—This style of tile would have to be done so tastefully in a kitchen. It would pair best with colored cabinets, in my opinion. I love the idea of the tile with muted green, gray, black, or a lighter shade of wood like the door I saw at Versailles (see first image in post). If you went with a wood tone, the cabinet style would need to align with the grandeur of the tile. In my own space someday, I’d likely only incorporate checkered tile if the tiles were quite large—that’s a personal preference, though.
- On a Patio—Gray and white or beige and white checkered tiles on a patio or covered outdoor living space sounds beautiful to me. What a stunning way to showcase pretty tilework and elevate an exterior space. The wildly talented designer Jenny Komenda is using beige and white tiles on a porch in her latest flip house and I can’t wait to see how it turns out.
Thanks for checking out today’s post! I’m truly having so much fun with these decor idea posts. It’s a challenge for me to critically think about why I like a particular home or design element and then how I’d use it in a space. Do you enjoy these types of posts? Would you ever put checkered tile in or outside of your home?