Checkered Tile Floors - Get that Black and White Marble Checkered Look

Earlier this week, I shared the design plans for the Fischer Flip mudroom / laundry room. And a major aspect of the design includes installing diagonal, gray and white checkered floor tile. (Is it also called harlequin tile??)

I am so overly obsessed with this look, I wanted to do another post solely dedicated to my love for the checkered tile floor and delve into the different variations and options you have when looking to do this in your home.

There are a hundred different variations of this floor pattern, using various colors and types of tile. But for this post, I’ll be focusing on the black and white, or gray and white, marble checkered look.

So, if you are thinking about installing your own checker tiled floor, then this is the post for you! We’re going to talk about all the considerations you’ll need to think about before picking your tile, and deciding your layout and design.

Size of Tile

When you are planning your checkered floor, it’s important to consider the size and scale of the tile you will use. Do you like the busier look of smaller tiles? Or the spacious feel of large format tiles?

For large spaces you can get away with larger tiles. In this stunning dining room by Chris Loves Julia, they went with a 24×24 inch tile. It’s huge, but totally fits the scale of this extra big dining space!

Checkered Tile Flooring options and styles to consider. All you need to know before you go for that black and white checkerboard tile look! | Naomi Bjerk Blog — Chris Loves Julia

We decided to go with a 18×18 for our 250 square foot laundry space, and I feel like its a nice spacious look. But I’m very glad we didn’t go bigger!! I’ll be honest, size wasn’t the biggest deciding factor for me. I knew I wanted a large format tile (ranging from 16×16 to 24×24), but I based my decision on the best looking (and cheapest) tile and it worked out to be 18×18.

Common sizes you’ll see for tiles include: 30×30, 24×24, 18×18, 12×12, and 6×6. Perhaps the most popular sized tile is the 12×12. I think this is a nice size, and I love this bathroom below by Jaimee Rose Interiors. Here the 12×12 goes nicely in the space!

And finally the smallest you can get before going into mosaics is 8×8 or 6×6. I think this look can get a little busy, but it also makes quite the impact. If you want a bit of a retro vibe, this is definitely the way to go! I just love the below room by Sarah Gordon and how the muted monochromatic space lets those smaller checkered tiles shine.

When picking the size tile for your space, definitely weigh in the other elements of the room. Are there a lot of busy looking details already? Maybe opt for larger tiles. Going for a traditional look? The 12×12 never fails! Prefer a vintage vibe? Consider some smaller tiles for your space.

Tile Material

A lot of the black and white (and gray and white) checker board floors that I see are marble or marble-look-a-likes. But that doesn’t mean you have to use real marble tiles to achieve the look. Marble can be expensive to buy and is often more money to install because of increased difficulty. There are a variety of options when it comes to tile material

Obviously nothing will ever replace the variation and beauty of real marble tile. The space below is just gobsmackingly stunning… You can tell it’s real marble because of how unique each tile is. And it’s that raw natural beauty that truly steals the show in this space.

If you love the the marble tile look, but hate the price and the idea of dealing with finicky real stone, you can consider a ceramic or porcelain tile. They make many very realistic porcelain and ceramic tiles that give you that subtle veining.

This beautiful floor by The Life Styled Co uses porcelain tiles, but still has a marble-look. I love the gray and white veining in the tiles. It adds such a nice nuance.

And then of course, you do not have to go for a marble effect at all. There are many beautiful porcelain and ceramic checkered floors that have no veining at all. This marvelous kitchen floor by Joanna Gaines, is simply black and white.

Which Tile Finish?

When looking for your checkered tile, be sure to consider what kind of finish you’d like your tile to have. Tiles range from polished, to matte, to tumbled, and each of these will give you a very different look.

Perhaps the most formal and traditional look is achieved with a polished tile. These will have a shiny appearance, and offer a more glam style. In the grand hallway below, the sheen of the tile elevates the space.

If you want a more casual or old-world look, opt for matte or honed tiles. These low to no shine tiles, as seen in the bathroom below by Ham Interiors, offer a ‘lived-in’ vibe. Real stone tiles will be called ‘honed,’ and man made tiles with low sheen are usually called ‘matte’.

And finally if you like that really old-world, totally organic, natural vibe: check out some tumbled tile. Usually an option in real stone, the tumbled look is more jagged and raw. It’s missing those perfect lines and edges and has a softer effect. Keep in mind, these imperfections will usually require larger grout lines, as seen below.

Colors for the Checkerboard

There are endless options when it comes to color for your checkered tile floors. The most classic and common route is the black and white combo. But you may also want to consider a softer look, like gray and white. You could even play with the white tile and consider an ivory or beige for a warmer effect. The floor below looks fabulous with a clay and black combination.

If you prefer to walk on the wilder side, consider some more fun color options. You could use white and red, blue and green, pink and orange… Seriously, go nuts with it! The checkerboard pattern is just so classic, that you can’t go wrong.

Border or No?

You may have noticed that some of the floors above have borders around the edges and some have the checker board pattern going all the way to the wall. In general, no border is a cleaner more modern look. But, the border can add elegance and flair if you choose to go that route!

In the photo above, Ham Interiors used a checkered tile pattern that went all the way to the walls. I think it gives this historic home an updated and more modern leaning. Using traditional materials in a slightly more modern take can be a great way to get that transitional look that is so classic and beautiful.

In this entryway, the Fox Group used a small gray border around the gray and white tile and in this case it perfectly defines the space. Without a border this flooring transition might not look so intentional and thought out.

Direction of Tile

In almost all of the pictures I’ve been sharing, the checkerboard pattern is going diagonal to the walls. This causes triangles around the edges and a diamond look. But, you can also consider laying your tiles in line with the walls for another look.

This stunning space uses a perpendicular tile pattern that gives the space a more casual vibe. I think that if you lay your tiles in line with the walls your design will usually lean slightly more casual or retro.

Checkered Tile Options

Ok, now that you know exactly what size tile you are looking for, how you’ll lay the tiles, what sheen you prefer and whether or not you’ll use a border…. How are you going to find these tiles for your harlequin floor??

Fear not, after spending hours of searching the vast internet for options, I’m here to share with you some of my favorite tile combos to get that checkered tile look!

First things first, it’s best if you can find a darker and lighter tile in the same product line. That way you can be sure that they will be the same height and size and coordinate together properly. If you are using real stone, this may not be possible and you’ll have to pay extra close attention to the dimensions of the tile and also how they are cut (rectified, beveled, tumbled etc.).

My Checkered Tile Floor

Updated to add:

The mudroom checkered tile floors turned out incredible!! Letting those floors go may be one of the saddest parts of selling the Fischer Flip. They were also our biggest tile job to date. We learned so much through the process… like always buy Mapei tiling products. They are far superior to what Menards and Home Depot sells in the grout and mortar department. We got up close and personal with a 24″ tile snapper. Cut many a door jamb with the multi-tool saw. And regretted not buying and using tile leveling clips. Through the whole thing, my confidence in tiling has increased exponentially and I cannot wait to tackle our next project! Check out the final look below…

Gray and White Checkered Floor in the Fischer Flip House Mud Room / Laundry Room with Shaker Peg Wall

Now, sadly I don’t think this tile is available any more at Home Depot right now… But I think this line of tile has some very similar options at an affordable price.

EMSER tiles from Home Depot
You should be able to mix and match any of these since they are the same brand, and finish. There are a variety of options in the 18″ and 24″ sizes.

And here are some other options to consider for your marble-look tiles:

1. Bedrosians Urban porcelain tile (24×24) matte in Iron Blue and Lava Gray

2. MSI Alicante porcelain tile (18×18) matte in Bianco and Grigio

3. Carrera Marble polished tile and Vogue Gray Polished Marble Tile (18×18)

4. Bedrosians Urban porcelain tile (24×24) matte in Raven Black and Nova White

5. Black Slate Tile textured and Crema Antiqua Tumbled Travertine Tile (12×12)

6. Pianetto Polished Porcelain tile (24×24) in Sabbia Bianco and Laurento Gray

And not to be discounted, is the option to cover your existing floors with vinyl peel and stick tiles in this same style. Check out these Floorpops for a cheap and easy upgrade! Chris loves Julia even made their own line specifically so you can achieve the checkered marble tile look.

Pretty nifty right?! I would say that this is definitely a style I would like to replicate again in another space. Since installing this checkered floor, I’ve noticed so many others doing similar looks! It’s so fun to see a beautiful and classic look catch on. And I am now inspired to look to older tile patterns and colors for my future tiling projects. I wish you all the best in your checkered floor journey! And if you like this mudroom, make sure to check out how the tile looks in the sweet little adjoining half bath.