Versatile and Timeless Hex Tile Designs (Hexagon Tiles)
Classic hex tile (also known as “hexagon tile” or “honeycomb tile”) is a popular and timeless choice of tile in home design. Interior designers love using hex tiles on the bathroom floor, shower floor, shower wall, and even for the kitchen backsplash. It is such a classic and beautiful tile option for your home!
Let’s take a look at favorite hex tile design ideas, where to buy beautiful hexagon mosaic tile as well as larger hexagonal tiles, how to choose the perfect grout color, and, of course, some interior design inspiration!
What Is Hex Tile?
Hex tile refers to any tile that has a six-sided, honeycomb-like geometric shape. These tiles are a stylish choice known for their timeless appeal and ability to create a visually dynamic surface- it’s versatility in the interior design world makes it such a popular tile choice!
Ranging in various hexagon tile sizes, from small mosaic formats to large-format pieces, the six-sided tile interlocks to form a continuous, captivating design- a perfect pattern that looks like a honeycomb! Whether used for a classic look on a vintage bathroom floor or a more modern feature on bathroom walls, hex tile—often called honeycomb tile—adds depth and character to any space.
History of Hex Tile
The use of hexagonal tiles dates back centuries, with early examples appearing in ancient Roman and Islamic architecture. They used this unique shape as intricate mosaics and wall decorations.
However, the six-sided shape experienced its first major modern resurgence during the Victorian Era in the 19th century. During this time, industrial manufacturing made mass-produced ceramic geometric flooring—including triangles, diamonds, and hexagons—affordable for middle-class homes, particularly in entryways and the newly developed tiled bathrooms. (And I bet you thought a hexagon tile floor was a contemporary design!)
Hex tile popularity boomed in the early 20th century, where the small, often white, hexagonal mosaic became a symbol of cleanliness and hygiene in classic American bathrooms- a trend that continues to stay popular today. Hex tile is loved for its vintage look, timeless geometric appeal, and the tile’s ability to blend seamlessly into both modern designs and homes embracing a more traditional look.
The Best Hexagon Tile Materials
Similar to most tile shapes, hex tile is available in a variety of materials. The most common include porcelain tile, marble tile, ceramic tile, natural stone tile, and glass tile.
Porcelain and ceramic tiles are an excellent choice for areas with heavy foot traffic, where you’d like a water-resistant tile (some are even suitable for outdoor use for pool areas, patios, and other outdoor spaces), or a space where you prefer a tile that is easy to clean! (*Read more about Porcelain Tile Vs. Marble Tile if you just can’t decide!)
Natural stone tiles, such as limestone or travertine, have a more traditional feel and adds that natural texture to your design. Some natural stone is also suitable for outdoor use with their water-resistant designations and suitability for freeze-thaw cycles. (*Be sure to check out Beautiful Stone Paver Driveway Ideas (And Favorite Stone Pavers!)
Easy-to-clean glass tile often comes in hexagon mosaics, or small hex shapes, and is available in unique patterns.
Marble hex tile is an absolute favorite! Hexagon marble tiles offer an elevated look, and are an ideal choice for someone who is set on using beautiful natural marble tile in their home! While marble subway tile or intricate designs and patterns such as marble herringbone tile are popular choices, marble hex tile can give an entirely new look- embracing a fresh geometric pattern while retaining it’s timeless design characteristics. It also looks fabulous paired with marble subway tile!
Hex Tile Sizes and Colors
Hex tiles are sold in a variety of sizes, ranging from the small size 1-inch tile to the larger 12-inch tiles. The installation process varies for small vs large hex tiles. Like most mosaic tiles, the small hex tiles are sold with a mesh backing for easier floor and wall applications, whereas large hex tiles have an individual piece-by-piece tile installation.
Large tiles typically are easier to clean due to less grout lines vs a mosaic tile. These are common, especially in porcelain or ceramic, on floors in mudrooms, laundry rooms, and kid bathrooms.
Hexagon tiles come in a wide array of colors and patterns. They can be matte (like the super popular, and affordable, matte white porcelain tile), or glossy (as a shiny ceramic or porcelain), or come in a honed or polished marble. Hex tiles come in many colors, and can even be laid out in intricate patterns (similar to penny tile), or as a tile border, to give a pop of color and design.
Many new homes are embracing the vintage look of tile decoratives and pattern, and honeycomb tile is a versatile shape to achieve different looks- you can arrange them in different ways to create your own unique designs! And if you’re looking to freshen the look of your older home, one of the most popular old home updates is to give new visual interest to a tile space that once felt dated- and hex tile is the perfect choice!
Small hex tiles are super popular and can feel fresh with color (available in both light and dark color options), or feel traditional and timeless in a classic 2-inch hexagon tile in Carrara marble (a favorite!). A popular dark color palette is a classic navy blue, and some fun and popular light color palettes are light green, light blue, and even light pink- all great options for adding some color, especially in a fun kids bathroom!
There are endless possibilities of different designs: from porcelain tiles in larger hexagonal shapes suitable for a kid-friendly bathroom floor tile, to matte white porcelain hex tiles for a budget-friendly bathroom design, to timeless hex marble mosaics that can be seen in kitchens, bathrooms, mudrooms, laundry rooms, or even on a fireplace surround in the living room! Smaller sizes of hex tiles can also be incorporated into tile borders or shower niches as a fun design element!
(*Note: a matte porcelain white hex tile combined with a white grout is an inexpensive way to brighten up a space in a classic way, while keeping the project budget-friendly! It’s also one of the best-selling options for affordable and high-quality hexagon tiles!)
While not as popular as the classic honeycomb shape, there are also elongated hexagon tiles that feels “pulled” from end to end, where 2 parallel sides are long, and then the 2 sides on each end are short. Think of it as a stretched out honeycomb shape.
Where to Use Hex Tile
There are so many rooms both in and out of the home where hex tile can look fabulous!
- Bathroom or Powder Room: The most popular rooms to use hex tile is in the bathroom or powder room! From shower wall tile, to shower floor tile, from a shower niche to bathroom floor tile, hex tile is a lovely addition. White hexagon tiles are a fantastic choice for a fresh and bright look in bathrooms and powder rooms. Carrara marble hex mosaics (honeycomb mosaic tile) always look fabulous on bathroom floors and walls- and it’s such a classic look!
- Laundry Room: Hex tiles are often used as laundry room floor tile, and often in larger tiles. Interior designers love playing with a bit more color in the laundry room, so this would be a great room to try different colors for a hexagon floor tile- a bold statement makes such a design impact! Equally as pretty are the matte white porcelain hex tiles for easy cleaning and embracing that bright, fresh look.
- Mudroom or Entryway: Similar to the laundry room, larger hex tiles tend to be a popular choice for the mudroom or entryway, so there is less grout to deal with (especially with heavy foot traffic). Porcelain hex tiles are a great idea for a space prone to dirty shoes! Consider white porcelain that is easy to clean, or tile with patterns or darker solid colors to hide dust and dirt as guests come in and out.
- Kitchen: While not as popular as the bathroom, hexagon tiles are used in the kitchen as a kitchen backsplash- often in white (for that clean white kitchen look), or as the Carrara marble honeycomb tiles (the small hex mosaic tiles). I’ve seen quite a few kitchens embrace the vertically “stretched” hex tiles in white as a beautiful kitchen backsplash as well. (Note: If you love a classic white kitchen, you’ll get the best results using white hexagon tile with white grout, or even a beautiful Carrara marble hex if you love a little bit of gray. Both look stunning!)
- Outdoor Spaces: Porcelain, ceramic, and some natural stone tile are used in outdoor spaces such as an outdoor patio or pool area- what a fun place to try out the classic hex tile shape!
What Is The Best Grout For Hex Tile?
Grout is often overlooked as that last step after making the huge decision of what tile to use, so people often don’t give enough thought to it! However, grout can truly make or break a look. For example, using a white grout for a white matte porcelain hexagon tile is naturally going to give a very clean, fresh, and bright look.
However, using a dark grout is going to make a bolder hex pattern visible, and give a completely different look. Tile experts may tell you that a white grout will get dirty more easily (which may be true), but interior designers will tell you that a good white grout is an absolute favorite for a seamless look between tile pieces.
If you don’t want to feel overwhelmed with the decision of which grout to choose, I have 2 favorite grouts- the first is a beautiful white that looks fantastic with white tile, and the other is a soft gray that I love using for tile projects with Carrara marble. Read about those 2 favorites below!
Favorite Hex Tiles
A personal favorite, small 1-inch or 2-inch Carrara marble hex mosaics are the perfect fit for someone looking to embrace a very timeless and elevated look. And someone looking for tiles at the best price might love the classic white porcelain hex tiles that come at a very budget friendly price point! Here are a few favorite hex tiles you’ll love!
*If you want to try out different colors, styles, or sizes of hex tiles, you can pick out a bunch of samples from DesignShop and have it sent to your home overnight!
- Tile ONE – A Carrara marble classic!
- Tile TWO – A shimmering mother of pearl look in easy to clean cast glass!
- Tile THREE – A classic Bianco Carrara marble honeycomb mosaic!
- Tile FOUR – Another shimmering mother of pearl look in easy to clean cast glass!
- Tile FIVE – A gorgeous light blue porcelain tile
- Tile SIX – A beautiful pop of color on a hex mosaic
- Tile SEVEN – A very affordable hex tile with a classic fresh and bright look
- Tile EIGHT– (Tile Sample HERE) – An Italian-made matte porcelain that is so versatile!
- Tile NINE – A beautiful patterned blue and ivory hex tile that would look fabulous in a kids bathroom, laundry room, or mudroom.
- Tile TEN – How adorable is this patterned hex deco tile? The perfect girls bathroom tile!
- Tile ELEVEN – A gorgeous white and blue marble hex tile with the prettiest petal detail.
- Tile TWELVE – There are so many beautiful designs you can do with small hex tiles- from pretty rosettes, to borders, to pinnacles, and incorporating 2 or more colors.
Hex Tile Design Ideas and Inspiration
Here are some fabulous hex tile design ideas and inspiration!
This marble honeycomb tile floor is beautiful, classic, and so versatile- it’s such a perfect tile for adding a fun wallpaper to this powder room! The white grout gives it a softer honeycomb look- a timeless tile pairing that will never go out of style.
This elongated hex tile (or “stretched hexagon tile”), adds such an intricate detail to this shower floor. The soft gray grout pairs beautifully with the Carrara marble hex tile, allowing for easier cleaning vs white grout.
Marble hex tile shower floors compliment the larger marble subway tile shower walls- a classic look that’s a go-to for many interior designers. LOVE this timeless design!
How stunning is this marble hex detail in this gorgeous bathroom!? From a distance, most would assume it is a shower niche (bath niche), however, since there isn’t room to actually place anything on a shelf, it is more of a tile statement piece- and one that was pulled off fabulously!
The subtle pop of color in the honeycomb tile wall piece pairs beautifully with the bathroom’s details including this beautiful shower curtain.
This framed hex tile wall piece is simply stunning!
The gorgeous hex tile is carried throughout the bathroom on the floors with the most darling detail of a hex tile border- such a fun way to add visual interest and charm to this adorable girls bathroom.
(Shop the look here! : similar sconce shades, favorite monogrammed towels,
A more modern take on a blue hex bathroom floor, that gives such a beautiful and whimsical pop of color in this crisp white bathroom! Designers Elly Poston and Lizzie Cox used touches of pale blue throughout this bathroom—on the ceiling, the floor tiles, and the pretty sconce shades- love!
(Shop the look here! : ceiling pendant, sconces, similar trash can and look-for-less trash can)
Interior designer Rachel Shingleton isn’t afraid to go bold with color in this whimsical blue and white bathroom that features a floral motif on the hex floor tiles.
(Shop the look here! : monogrammed hand towels, woven tissue box, wallpaper, sconces )
Interior designer Bailey Ward uses a beautiful and practical larger hex floor tile for a kids bathroom- larger tile equals less grout, which means less cleaning!
Tori Alexander, behind Alexander Interiors Nashville, pulled off laundry room magic in this gorgeous space using large hex floor tile and stunning blue and white wallpaper.
(Shop the look here! : ceiling light, monogrammed hand towels, wallpaper )
A forever favorite by interior designer Tori Alexander of Alexander Interiors Nashville- her use of a classic white hex floor tile gives design detail and visual interest while allowing the blue paint and wallpaper to shine.
Hex tile is such a classic tile choice that is used by homeowners and interior designers who love a more grandmillennial style or traditional design style, while also loved by those who embrace a modern twist! Used to spruce up both a large or small space, hexagon tiles are a great choice if you love that classic honeycomb pattern. Similar to subway tiles, its popularity never goes out of style!
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Porcelain Tile Vs Marble: Pros, Cons, and Design Ideas
Mapei Warm Gray Grout: A Favorite Grout For Marble Tile
Mapei Avalanche Grout: A Favorite Grout Color For White Tile
