11 Edgy Industrial Style Kitchen Tile Ideas
Inspired by open-plan industrial spaces, warehouses and old factories, this stripped-back style is refreshingly streamlined.
A spate of housing shortages in the 2000s led to the renovation of many disused factories built during the Industrial Revolution. These airy, open spaces with their exposed brickwork, huge windows and dominant metal features made for unconventional yet practical and attractive dwellings and the industrial interior aesthetic was born.
If you’re keen to embrace the cool, neutral look of the industrial style, keep reading to learn how it’s done and discover the best tiles for your kitchen space.
Image credit: @countrylife_escape
Recommended Tile: Rio Blanco
Industrial-style kitchen tile ideas
Whether you’re embarking on a complete kitchen refit, renovating an old warehouse or factory home or adding industrial-style elements to an existing kitchen, we’ve scoured the internet to bring you our pick of the best industrial-style kitchen tiles.
Concrete effect floor tiles
If one thing springs to mind when you think of a disused factory or warehouse, it’s probably concrete. This ubiquitous building material is cheap, fireproof and widely used for flooring.
Concrete is one of the most basic building materials and you can get an industrial look by incorporating concrete-effect porcelain tiles into your design scheme. Polished concrete floors can look incredible, but they’re not as durable as porcelain floors and can crack and chip. Porcelain tiles are practical, tough, easy to clean and feel better underfoot. Opt for large-format tiles to create a seamless, spacious look.
Image credit: @nykke.jones.interiors
Recommended Tile: Freya
White metro wall tiles
With their links to Victorian underground train stations, simple metro tiles are perfect for creating a clean, industrial vibe in your kitchen. These humble tiles were specifically made for hard-working environments, their practical shape, durability and great looks ensuring their enduring popularity.
Use this iconic tile to line walls, splashbacks, pantries and even floors. White tiles with black grout provide the best look for this edgy interior style.
Image credit: @housebeautifuldecor
Recommended Tile: Emilia Blanco
Wood effect wall tiles
Wood-effect porcelain tiles are a beautiful addition to an industrial-style kitchen design scheme. Wood-look tiles provide a warmer aesthetic than concrete, metal and glossy porcelain and can be used effectively alongside other natural-looking materials.
Wooden tiles are often used for floors, but they provide welcome texture and interest to walls too. The plank-style tiles will create a welcoming, rustic, look and can be used to soften harsher surrounding materials.
Image credit: @designplusmag
Recommended Tile: Naturae Wood Effect Forest
Wood effect floor tiles
Real wooden floors are undeniably beautiful but don’t provide the most practical surface for a busy working kitchen. Wood-effect porcelain tiles incorporate images of real wood and realistic textures to create a floor surface that’s almost indistinguishable from the real thing. Look for older styles of wood-style floor tiles in keeping with the salvaged, upcycled look.
Image credit: @davonport_interiors
Recommended Tile: Woodlands Forest
Sleek white floor tiles
For a chic, scandi-style take on the industrial style, add crisp white floor tiles into your design. You can opt for white, wood-effect planks, bright stone-effect flooring or plain white porcelain tiles.
White tiles will effectively reflect light, making spaces feel larger, and are a great choice if you want to evoke the open, airy feeling of industrial, loft-style apartments.
Image credit: @harpersproject
Recommended Tile: Concrete Bianco
Textured wall tiles
If you don’t have exposed brick or stone walls you can add a modern twist to an industrial-style kitchen by cladding the walls with textured tiles. Get the look with streamlined linear designs like matchstick mosaics and our chic maple-effect panel tiles.
Image credit: @omegaplc
Recommended Tile: Forest Of Dean
Warm stone floor tiles
Add warmth to a sleek, minimal industrial-style kitchen by introducing natural stone floor tiles. These timeless tiles are perfect for adding texture and character to interiors and will effortlessly complement exposed brick, wood and metal elements.
Image credit: @themaincompany
Recommended Tile: Casablanca
Herringbone floor tiles
The industrial style aesthetic can be quite gritty with its use of raw materials and exposed elements. Use tiles to add interest, style and unexpected splashes of beauty. Wood-effect parquet style tiles laid in a herringbone pattern provide an elegant touch without detracting from the urban industrial vibe.
Image credit: @froystore
Recommended Tile: Wildwood Herringbone
Marble splashback
Although marble is often associated with lavish kitchens, it’s an incredibly versatile stone which suits all interior design styles. The neutral colours of marble and its striking natural patterns help it to blend in with the other natural materials utilised in industrial-style designs.
You can opt for polished, honed or tumbled marble finishes, each with their unique benefits. A polished marble splashback will provide an unexpected contrast against the mostly matt textures found within industrial design schemes.
Image credit: @agaaustralia
Recommended Tile: Elgin Gloss
Large format floor tiles
Industrial-style kitchens are often spacious, with vast expanses of floor and high ceilings. Most of us don’t have the luxury of a huge kitchen but clever use of tiles can help you create the illusion of space.
Light-coloured, large format tiles (the larger, the better) are the best option for helping all sizes of kitchens to appear bigger. Fewer grout lines help to create a sleek, seamless-looking floor.
Image credit: @arrediaminsieme
Recommended Tile: Canyon Plain
Embossed wall tiles
Textured wall tiles are perfect for adding interest and character to industrial-style kitchens and are an excellent option if your kitchen lacks exposed brick or stone walls. Embossed tiles will add an exciting new dimension to your kitchen walls, stick to light colours and neutral shades with vintage-style patterns for the best effect.
Image credit: @smithandsmithkitchens
Recommended Tile: Devonport Blanco Decor
How can I make my kitchen look industrial?
The industrial interior design trend sprung from converting disused factories and warehouses into welcoming, comfortable homes.
Industrial-style interiors incorporate many elements including natural materials, neutral colours and repurposed objects. Key features of this paired-back aesthetic include:
- Exposed brickwork
- Metal or wooden beams
- Large windows
- Concrete or wooden floors
- Exposed pipes
- Rustic additions like scaffold board shelving, black metal taps, shelf brackets and furniture legs, brass accents and reclaimed wooden furniture
Although the industrial style can be seen as cold and minimalist, you can effectively blend elements of other styles like farmhouse, rustic and coastal to create the perfect environment.
Adopting the industrial style can be a savvy move if you’re on a budget and have a home with an abundance of quirky features. Embrace original brickwork, exposed pipes and beams and vintage furniture.
Even if you have a modern kitchen, you can incorporate the industrial style aesthetic. Although this style works well in large, open-plan kitchens, you can get the look in smaller kitchens by keeping colours light and bright and introducing concrete or wood-effect flooring, simple wall tiles and plenty of metal
What size tiles make a kitchen look bigger?
Large format tiles are the best choice if you want to create a large, seamless-looking kitchen floor. Stick to tiles with subtle textures in light colours for the most authentic industrial style effect.
What tiles should I choose for an industrial-style kitchen?
When choosing tiles for an industrial-style kitchen colour, size and texture are key. For the floor, we recommend large format tiles in concrete or stone-effect porcelain, natural stone tiles and wood-effect tiles
For industrial-style walls look for sleek metro tiles in neutral shades, wood-effect tiles and subtly textured wall tiles.
We stock a wide range of industrial-style tiles at Atlas Ceramics. Browse our selection yourself or call one of our helpful experts for advice.