Checkerboard tiling brings a timeless gesture to these seven projects, where each one shows how designers are reimagining the classic motif through scale, materiality and unexpected colour combinations.
From grand foyers to playful bathrooms, checkerboard tiling can bring a high contrast element to an interior. In these seven standout spaces—from Paris to Byron Bay—designers use checkerboard not as a flourish, but as a foundational layer, anchoring each room with confidence.
Checkmate by YSG Studio
Arakwal Country / Byron Bay, Australia
True to its name, Checkmate by YSG Studio explores checkerboard in all its forms. Large-scale beige floor tiles transition to tightly patterned mosaics wrapping a built-in tub. Elsewhere, natural stone squares line the walls of the bathroom. Each surface plays with contrast, texture and tone to create a layered yet laid-back vibe, perfectly suited to this 70s-inspired, coastal retreat.
From large and exaggerated to tiny and impactful, checkerboard tiling is a dominant feature throughout this Byron Bay home by YSG Studio, which is aptly called Checkmate. Photography by Prue Ruscoe
Photography by Prue Ruscoe
Photography by Prue Ruscoe
The Workshop by Alexander &CO.
Gadigal Country / Sydney, Australia
In their own experimental workspace, Alexander &CO. reimagines the typology of a heritage house, using it as a testbed for design exploration. Free from client constraints, the project plays with materials and ideas, including a green and white checkerboard mosaic floor at the threshold between inside and out using Bisanna tiles. The pattern is punctuated with the occasional blue tile to give it a rippling texture.
A little bit vintage, but with lots of charm, the checkerboard floor at The Workshop by Alexander &CO. gives gravitas to this transition zone. Photography by Anson Smart
Photography by Anson Smart
The Deco Apartment by De Rosee Sa
London, United Kingdom
Art Deco references run throughout this elegant pied-à-terre in Hampstead by De Rosee Sa, including arched thresholds and chevron-laid timber floors. But it’s the striking dark and light marble checkerboard tiles that steal the scene—extending along corridors, it grounds the interior in timeless symmetry, reinforcing the home’s refined era.
Drawing on the Art Deco heritage of this London home, a bold black-and-white checked floor instantly set the tone. Photography by Michael Sinclair
Photography by Michael Sinclair
Photography by Michael Sinclair
Unique and whimsical, Tamsin Johnson brings a touch of something different to this bathroom in Paddington, which is awash with soft pastel blues. Photography by Anson Smart
Paddington Terrace by Tamsin Johnson
Gadigal Country / Sydney, Australia
There is a playful elegance to this Paddington bathroom by Tamsin Johnson, achieved through a pastel blue and white checkerboard tile that wraps the floor and bath plinth. Perched atop, a glossy blue freestanding tub becomes the room’s sculptural centrepiece, softened further by sky-toned limewash walls and vintage-inspired accents. It’s a delightful combination of nostalgic yet contemporary aesthetics, all with a checkerboard twist.
Photography by Anson Smart
Photography by Anson Smart
Apartment in Neuilly by Studio Asaï
Paris, France
French classicism finds confident expression in this refined Parisian apartment by Studio Asaï. A dramatic black and white tiled floor sets the tone in the kitchen, exuding graphic precision. Layered with tartan textiles, rich colour accents and elegant detailing, the home strikes a balance between timeless grandeur and modern family living.
French classicism gets ‘revved’ up by Studio Asai at this apartment, where the kitchen and hallways are given the high contrast checkerboard treatment. Photography by Alice Mesguish
Photography by Alice Mesguish
Country grandeur is lifted with warmth in the kitchen and hallway at this Mosman Residence project by Tom Mark Henry—a less subtle incarnation, it proves high impact can still be achieved with less severe colour mix. Photography by Damian Bennett
Mosman Residence by Tom Mark Henry
Gadigal Country / Sydney, Australia
At Mosman Residence, Tom Mark Henry conjures the charm of grand country homes through checkerboard stone tiling throughout the hallway and kitchen. Laid in warm red and beige tones, the effect feels earthy and gentle with a layered and lived-in finish—it’s perfectly suited for busy family life.
Photography by Damian Bennett
Light House by Smac Studio
Gadigal Country / Sydney, Australia
A modern homage to Italian elegance, Light House by Smac Studio sets the tone from the moment you step inside. The double-height entryway features a striking checkerboard floor in Verde Alpi and Carrara marble that frames the arrival experience with symmetry, texture and soft light. It’s a space designed to pause, impress, and invite.
Elegant and timeless—the Smac Studio treatment of the flooring in this entryway showcases the Verde and Carrara marble, a match made in heaven for a checkerboard style floor. Photography by Dave Wheeler
Photography by Dave Wheeler
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