Subway tile remains the de facto choice for lots of renovators. A standard subway tile is 3 inches by 6 inches and for many people, those proportions seem to hit the sweet spot. Subway tile can enhance without stealing attention from other elements, and the grout lines don’t dominate or make the room look too busy. In general, simpler patterns and larger tiles rescind into the background and can shift the focus to the full room, while smaller tiles, particularly those with an intricate, repeating pattern and contrasting grout lines, demand attention of their own. Size, color, and pattern need to be considered together—and the choice should be fun to make, not stressful! “The backsplash is really eye candy and exists for the purpose of creating visual appeal,” says H-Millard. “Consider something that’ll flank your range hood beautifully, and experiment with texture too, not just size and color.”