Coursing, a classic tile layout technique, is a simple way to add unique appeal to spaces large and small. Think bands of tile running through backsplashes, walls, or showers.
Coursing layouts emphasize strong horizontal or vertical tiles, often using repeating rows to create rhythm, scale, or visual direction. The subway tile layout may be coursing’s most familiar accomplice, but tile coursing goes far beyond subway chic, showing up in angled patterns and eye-catching compositions from entryways to exits.
What Is Tile Coursing?
Coursed tile, also called a tile course, is a continuous row of tiles laid in a straight line, horizontally or vertically. Multiple courses stacked together create a coursing layout. Each row acts as a visual guide that organizes a surface.
Designers play expertly with tile size, orientation, and spacing to whip up different looks and effects.
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Why Tile Coursing Layouts Are Trending
Here’s what makes coursing appealing for commercial, institutional, and residential spaces:
- Clean structure. Coursing layouts establish order and tempo.
- Design versatility. Tile courses adapt well to modern minimalism, vintage styles, and bold contemporary looks.
- Scale play. Thin or wide courses can stretch or shrink how we see walls, floors, and entire spaces.
- Familiar yet flexible. Coursing adds a creative twist to simple tiles and arrangements, such as subway tile layouts.
Common Coursing Layouts and Patterns
Tile coursing takes on many looks, but these are some common approaches:
- Standard tile coursing. Uniform rows create a neat, grid-like effect emphasizing clean lines. It works beautifully with subway tile, large-format planks, and slim stacked tile.
- Soldier course. A soldier course tile layout uses upright (vertical) tiles laid in straight rows. You’ll see it as borders or accents, but designers also apply it on full walls for dynamic looks.
- Mixed or alternating courses. Mixing tile sizes or orientations between courses adds texture and energy. You might see alternating wide-and-narrow rows or flipped horizontal-and-vertical tiles.
- Chevron, herringbone, and zig-zag courses. These layouts use angles for consistent, repeating rows that add motion to each course. Diagonal by nature, chevron and herringbone layouts rely on defined coursing to deliver signature looks.
Straight to zig-zag, tile coursing gives you control over movement, contrast, and cohesion in your space.
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Where and How To Use Tile Coursing
Here’s where you’ll often see it, although it can go anywhere ceramic tile can:
- Kitchens. Tile backsplashes in coursing layouts highlight structure and shine.
- Bathrooms. Vertical courses lengthen walls and draw the eye upward.
- Living areas. Feature walls with coursing layouts create architectural excitement.
- Outdoor spaces. Tile coursing often caps walls, steps, and edging for refined finishes.
Tips for designing with tile coursing:
- Play with grout lines. For example, high-contrast grout accentuates linear layouts.
- Experiment with scale. Thin courses feel sleek and modern, while wide courses offer weight and stability.
- Use as framing. Coursing can frame areas creating defined use zones.
- Direct traffic. Borders and paths also create intuitive wayfinding for directing traffic to certain areas, say to the front desk of a hotel.
That wraps our tile coursing crash course. Now, let’s see it in action.
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Citrus and Sunshine
This color-drenched space takes amber tile and amplifies it with orderly coursing. Intermittent pencil tiles cause slight staggering from one soldier course to the next, setting the wall apart from the ceiling and floor grids. Elegant golden profiles around a slim outcropping add a bit of shine.
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Sand and Sea
Ribbon tile borders an abalone-inspired panel. While the seafoam tones may steal the spotlight, the coursing frames it splendidly. Surrounded by earthy brush-stroked grids, this bar cart beckons you to concoct a citrus spritz.
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Not Your Average Accents
Eggshell terrazzo-look tile is set in a horizontal running bond pattern, with each tile separated from its neighbor by a vertical course of mini mosaic tiles that punctuate and add color to the mix.
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Modern Marvels
Double aqua tile courses flow horizontally across this wet bar backsplash, between rows of geometric patterns. The stacked motifs in alternating colorways repeat in harmony. It’s part retro, part modernist, and all style as you craft a cocktail here.
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Licorice and Linen
Opposites attract in this stately stone-look corner. Large ivory floor tiles bordered by black mosaic bands strike a balance between airy and grounded. Note the baseboard tile in the same white stone-look creating another course, clean and crisp.
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Celestial Slant
Undulated and smooth tile meet for this masterclass in mixed tile coursing. This statement backsplash is a melange of glossy black zellige and smoky glass tile, some with grooved glints of light. Its diagonal orientation leans moody and dramatic.
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Surf’s Up
Tile courses across this bathroom wall in a bold blue band, darting up and down in a neat herringbone. Bright white continues the layout above and below, elongating the room’s height. Behind-mirror lighting adds a distinctly modern touch to this beachy bathroom vanity.
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Return to Roots
This demure kitchen backsplash uses coursing to beautiful effect. Soothing beige tile sits atop a mocha border. The size variation is key to its calm energy.
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To and Fro
This restaurant floor radiates with tile courses in peach, pink, and blue. Its herringbone layout with artistic color placement is invigorating and creates a vibrant “walkway” for diners headed to their tables and back.
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Brick by Brick
This immersive commercial bathroom features oxblood subway tile punctuated by vertical courses in half-moon shapes. The vertical element keeps the walls looking expansive — a feat in such a rich color.
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Go Team, Go!
Tile coursing layouts stand strong amid splashing and foot traffic at this university pool. Textured gray quarry tile, a deep-green border, and a precise white mosaic grid frame the pool and denote specific zones with earthy panache. This aquatic center is primed for high spirits and long-term durability.
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A Fine 9 to 5
Tile coursing design shines at this spectacular office. Gray stone-look floor tile forges a foot path through warm wood-look panels that continue in the raised co-work space. Chevron wood-look tile adorns the right-hand wall while an encaustic-pattern surrounds the far sitting area.
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Midcentury Soldier
Coral soldier courses beautify this dramatic but not ostentatious space. Raised “ribbons” sprinkled into the corner wall panel add texture and visual interest to an otherwise straight grid. Meanwhile, marble-look floor tile graces the space in high-gloss gray. The look is cohesive and dapper, as floor-to-ceiling windows invite light and greenery in.
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Thinking About Trying Tile Coursing? Of Course You Are.
All these bands have our imagination marching! Tile coursing is a fabulous alternative to standard layouts, whether you go demure or daring. Your decor dreams are only a skillful installer and stylish selection away.
Hungry for more inspiration? Browse our tile layout pattern Pinterest board to pinpoint the main characters in your tile coursing plot.
