Is Glass Tile Out Of Style? (Find Out Now!)

Stylistic trends come and go. What may have been in style a few years ago can become passé before you know it. When looking for a home, you can often tell when a home was last updated based on the trends that were followed in the design.

Glass tile has definitely been trendy in recent years. While it is not universally out of style, there are definitely some choices that have gone by the wayside. Still, there are others like Santorini Shell, Statuario Celano, and Herringbone that will likely hold their place as stylish, attractive options. Despite the popularity of Subway tile, glass tile remains a favored option even today.

Glass tile is (Sort of) as it sounds: tiles that are made up from thin pieces of glass. They are constructed using a translucent glaze that gets fired onto the back of every tile. Whereas ceramic tiles have no transparency, glass tile does. It also leads to differences in the way light hits each time.

Glass tiles also tend to be quite a bit thicker and more sturdy than their ceramic counterparts. They have come into style within the last decade or so and can be found at big box home improvement stores now.

There are some who think that glass tile is starting to move on its way out. That said, glass tile for backsplashes is still quite popular. Some were turned off when it became commonly available through big box home improvement stores, but you would be hard-pressed to go more than a few homes without finding glass tile backsplashes.

Because of its beauty and greater durability, it makes for a great choice whether it is used in the kitchen or bathroom. How much longer it remains in style remains to be seen, but there are more than a few styles of glass tile that look to remain a feature for a long time to come.

Some prefer to have a symmetrical backsplash. But for those who don’t really like all the even lines, Pebble interlocking is the right choice. This is more of a contemporary style that works for both kitchen and bathroom backsplashes.

Option for more of a neutral, almost honey-like coloring, it plays off of stone and other tile types as well. The sheen that it projects gives the appearance of more natural light and the staggered sizes and lengths can give any wall a little bit of a unique feel as well.

If you want a more high-end visual out of your backsplash, Statuario Celano is a great choice. It actually combines glass and marble to create the perfect combination. It has all the same soft whites that are laced with touches of grey throughout to create those “veins” of marble.

But it also has the light, bright air of glass tiles. It looks sleek and compliments grey cabinetry wonderfully. It combines modern and classic into one of the most desirable combinations that you could find in glass tiles.

From an aesthetic standpoint, there is nothing quite like glass tile. There are more color varieties than you can imagine and the translucence of each tile allows light to play off of it in unique and beautiful ways.

These factors alone help it to take its place as one of the most contemporary, beautiful-looking backsplash materials that there is. The light reflecting off of the tile can even give your bathroom or kitchen the appearance of more space while providing more natural light.

For any area of your home, cleanliness is key. The harder a material is to keep clean, the less likely it is that someone would want it in their home. But a huge advantage to glass tile is that it is very easy to clean. Any splashes or grime that accumulates on glass tile can more often than not be easily wiped away. All it takes is a little bit of all-purpose cleaner or soapy water to get the job done.

On top of that, glass is actually impervious to water. It has an absorbency rate of 0%, compared the a few percent for ceramic. Because it doesn’t absorb water, you aren’t going to have to contend with mold and mildew sprouting up on your tiles. That alone is a benefit in and of itself.

Having an eye towards Mother Nature is as important as it has ever been. We as a society are looking to limit the negative impact that we have on the environment in any way that we can. Which is why going glass makes a lot of sense.

A lot of glass tiles are comprised of recycled materials. Even if your glass tiles are not made from recycled materials, they are recyclable themselves. That means that your old glass tiles can be reused later on down the line.

That is not even taking into account the manufacturing process behind glass tiles. It takes about half the energy that is required to make ceramic tiles, only improving its eco-friendly nature.

There are not many issues with glass tile, but one, in particular, jumps out: the cost. Simply put glass tiles are far more expensive than most other materials. Because of their durability, ease of cleanliness, and sheer beauty, they still remain quite popular, however.

The other thing to consider with glass tile is that it should be installed by a professional. Remember that glass tiles are translucent. That means being able to see the adhesive through the tile. While it is certainly possible to install glass tile in a DIY manner, it may not look as good as if it were done by a professional. Paying the extra and having the job done the right way will be more than worth it when you see your finished backsplash.