You might think of hex tile as the small tile used to accent small areas or cover a full room, but try round instead for a fierce, flexible look. Penny-sized round tile offers a fresh look easy to make retro or modern. In this article we will be exploring the many uses of penny tile and how to acheive the retro look with penny tile.

Today’s Penny Tile Looks

In the 1900s, penny rounds debuted on face-mounted paper sheets. Remodelers set the sheets into sand-and-cement mortar which doubled as their grout. Turn of the last century bathrooms and kitchens got an easy-to-clean porcelain finish from the tiny unglazed circles. The popular black-and-white patterns sprung up in many homes. Artsy installations of colors provided dotted floor designs and foyer floors boasted flower designs. Today’s penny tile still provides the no-slip surface for flooring, but in a vast selection of colors that now also cover walls and ceilings. This extended range of materials provides porcelain new ground in home décor.

Different Uses

New versions of these porcelain rounds feature enhanced hardness for improved durability. That means a lot to high-traffic areas like bathrooms, kitchens, foyers and mudrooms. The newer ceramic styles use a mesh-mounted style or glue dots to make installing them simple. You can quickly create a backsplash, shower wall or surround the fireplace with accents. The standard size of these tiles is ¾-inch – the exact size of a penny, but you’ll find a wide variety now. You can also find them the same size as a dime or quarter.

A Popular Choice

Celebrities like Mandy Moore have used these tiles to fully cover a bathroom. Rather than oppressive, it comes off as artsy. You do not have to have hit songs and movies to use these cute tiles to create a new look. Here are a few ideas for its use.

Staid or Splashy Backsplashes

Interior designers leverage the versatility of these circular tiles to create understated and bold creations. Using a single color or combination of two or three colors in the same neutral family can create an understated or staid tone for the room. For example, a black and gray combo or a white and cream combo creates interest and provides an eye-catching accent. Conversely, the same size tiles in contrasting, but vivid colors provide a bold statement. A combination like red and black or purple and white stands out and acts as an attention grabber in the room.

Architectural Elements

In kitchens, which tend toward sleek, smooth designs and squared off edges, penny tiles provide texture and contrast. They also serve to cover necessary architectural elements that otherwise would not contribute to the overall design of the room. One example is a weight-bearing pillar. Left plain, it contributes nothing to the interior design, but decorated with penny round tiles that match the backsplash it becomes a central component of the design.

Framing the sink or stove installation with metallic elements such as brass and gold colored penny tile rounds lends a lux look. They can exactly match a brass or gold rounded faucet.

Cabinet and Countertop Mosaics

Mix a number of colors of round penny tiles to create a mosaic on the cabinets or the countertop. You can use some of the backsplash colors to connect the cabinetry and counters with the rest of the kitchen tiles. This provides a great way of customizing bargain cabinetry to give it an expensive look. If your cabinets have scuffs or ruts that you can’t fill and you do not have the money to replace all of them, you can create a mosaic over the damage with penny tile for very little cost.

Instead of spending a fortune on redoing your whole kitchen, try penny tiles as an accent or to redo the countertops or cabinets. You can also create a breathtaking and artistic floor with them. You can get a designer look using the variety of sizes and colors available for a tiny price – much smaller than replacing cabinets and countertops would cost.

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