I’ve Seen Hundreds of Kitchens, and This Is My All-Time Favorite Tile DIY
Tariffs are coming for your imported designer tiles — which can already be a splurge to begin with. As Apartment Therapy contributor Dana McMahan reported in May, only about a quarter of tiles used for home renos come from the United States, and tiles imported from Italy, Spain, China, and India may see anywhere from a 10 to 44% bump in price with new tariffs in place.
It’s a bummer if you’re renovating kitchens, bathrooms, and other tiled spaces on a budget, but I’ve been really inspired by some workarounds for expensive tiles I’ve seen lately — starting with the ones in Michelle Samuels and her spouse, EJ Baker’s, kitchen.
These Delft-inspired tiles look expensive but only cost $100.
EJ painted blue-green designs on plain white square tiles, and the result is the beautiful Delft-looking backsplash you see behind the stove.
The best part? The designs are more personal than even something imported from a trip abroad: EJ included the year they and Michelle bought the house (established 2023), their pets, all of the zodiac signs, nearby landmarks, and a re-creation of a tile with a rooster on it from Michelle’s childhood home. Another great part? The plain white square tile DIY was tariff-proof at just $100.
Other folks have done similar DIY projects to work around the steep price of imported tiles. Switzerland-based DIYer Michèle Krüsi (@thefashionfraction) painted and stenciled over top of old red tiles to create a Dutch look, for example.
And designer and DIYer Erin Zubot (@erinzubotdesign) baked her own tiles with the help of her ceramics instructor sister and her daughter, who painted the designs. Baking your own tiles out of clay means you can get a little creative with the silhouette, and I especially love the scalloped tops. When in doubt (and in the face of duties and tariffs), DIY!
And to see more of Michelle and EJ’s gorgeous kitchen, check out the full Before & After.