I'm shopping for subway tile now and this thread was very helpful- thanks to all! Let me apologize in advance for the following ramble... if there's anyone else doing a remodel with subway tile perhaps this will be of interest. Mine is actually for a bathroom but the color discussion in this thread is so relevant, I hope it is still on topic enough. Now to decide not only whether it's Home Depot gloss white (US Ceramic, I think... though since we started shopping I think they are transitioning to selling a cheap version of Daltile only instead - which is fine that might work for us too. They no longer carry the US Ceramic we originally sampled in the store by us... though they do online). So... HD US Cermic Gloss white vs. Arctic White Daltile vs. Arctic White Matte Daltile vs. their slightly offwhite version. This is for a bathroom, pretty much floor to ceiling on 3 walls, with polished stainless steel and chrome fixtures, and ikea plain white cabinets (Applad doors - not quire as white and shiny as their ulta-mod Abstrakt). The Daltile HD option is a good one because it is 1/3 inch deep, which means it will match the depth of the carrera marble accent tiles we are thinking of using. It's actually hard to find anything but really common/cheap (and cold/too modern even for us) glass tile to match the 1/4 inch depth of the cheapest US Ceramic 22cent tiles that we thought we would use. I welcome any opinions/thoughts/advice/experiences... Has anyone used matte subway tiles? How do they compare in looks overall to gloss? To be honest I thought the matte finish might make it look LESS cold and sterile. My dad (the tile guy) thinks using subway tile and chrome is going to make my bathroom look like a gas station... I think the marble accent tiles (3x6 carrera hampton pillow top from TileShop is what we're leaning towards) will warm it up just enough. They are just a little visual interest for a border band around the middle of the wall all around the room. Also, the accents in the room are teak wood - the shower drain grill which is the length of the shower pan floor, the shower seat, and probably the shower mat and waste bin, etc. etc. Which also warms it up! Finally, I will be installing a crystal light fixture on the wall facing you when you walk in, to warm up the light in the room, provide some sparkling and "shadow interest". I am hoping the white tile, polished finishes, marble, crystal and teak will all harmonize well! I also hope putting marble and crystal accents in our second bathroom in our 50s postwar suburban bungalow won't be too high-minded an d out of keeping with the house... We are trying to be subtle and keep things in line. The rest of the basement model uses harmonizing and quality finishes... the upstairs has basic nice elements, hardwood floors, quality furnishings --transitional style-- but nothing as high quality as the work we are doing ourselves in the basement. Hopefully the handsome but mundane subway tile will bring down the tone enough to make it in keeping with rest of the house :)... Nicole Nicole

Ah, a topic I may be able to help out with. We recently installed off the shelf (Lowe's) white subway tile. The brand is American Olean (not sure about the spelling!). I remember reading in a magazine that in a white kitchen there should be varying shades of white to keep it from looking sterile, just as someone mentioned above. When my husband installed it he and my mom both liked how it looked: as if it had been grouted with gray grout. I knew I didn't like this look but was almost talked into it. I mention this because of your previous statement "i have always loved the white subway with white grout look, but i donno, with the different shades, i might have to try something else, and that really worries me because i am detouring from what i originally like. " Stick to what you like or you won't be happy. I almost went with gray grout. Perhaps it may look better or more appealing but it is not the look I'm going for. And since you've mentioned that you are worried about the shade of white you've chosen change it now before it's too late. I personally think it will look great but being that you are questioning it makes me think it is not really what you want and are hoping to be talked into liking it. But if you stick with your tile I wouldn't go with a cream grout but rather one that matches the tile and blends nicely. To answer your question In my opinion the color of the grout makes a difference. Just look at kitchens with white subway with gray grout vs white grout and you'll see what I mean. I don't think an off white grout will make it blend with the cabinets better, it could make it look soiled. White will make it look whiter but IMO cleaner. I say keep the backdrop (backsplash) simple. As someone mentioned above you will have things on the counter to break it up. I plan on putting more items on our counters and the gray grout for me would be too busy. Not to mention I'm not the tidiest-so I need everything else to be simple. I sure hope I did't confuse you! Here are pics of our off white cabinet, BM moonlight white, though not quite as creamy as yours, with white subway tile and bright white grout. Below is a link to segbrowns kitchen. I think the pewter grout in this kitchen looks great because of all the other elements. But with such creamy cabinets as yours I'm not sure about gray/pewter grout. Gray grout look (before grouted). My cabinets look quite stark here but are really creamier in person. Hopefully you can see a difference in the shade of the cabinets compared to the white subway-it is hard to capture in a pic! Here is a link that might be useful: segbrowns kitchen

White can be very tricky. Do you have a sample piece that you can bring around with you? Also when you zero in on a white, try to get a sample board or order as many samples as you can so you can line them up. I installed a white crackle that showed a greyish cast. We tore it out and replaced it with another tile. I have Dove White cabinets but my granite is giallo ornamental(long story) not the best choice with the Dove White. Your soapstone will blend in with whatever white you choose. But you need to look at it at various times of the day and with your lighting. I got advise from various tile stores. Some are better than others but they will help steer you. Also, have you check the Finished Kitchen Blog? Good luck!

After seeing it here, I have fallen in love with the Grazia Melange subways, which have subtle shade variation within the tiles. The Milk blend looks weird on the info screen, but all the actual pics I've seen are really white or slightly warm. The grey blend is beautiful too, and I think it would look lovely with your counter and cabs. I did some googling and found it for sale online, I think it was $15-16/sf based on the per piece price. Here is a link that might be useful: Melange info