Though trends update and decorating techniques evolve, the world’s love affair with a vintage home design never dies. Whether it’s an insatiable appetite for period dramas or a fascination with traditional architecture and design, there are plenty of reasons to feel inspired by historic decorative styles.
Many of us aspire to pay homage to iconic interior design themes of times gone by through the way we style our homes, opting for vintage furniture and decor from celebrated eras past.
Reclaimed materials and original pieces may be hard to come by (not to mention costly), but at Tiles Direct, we give our customers the chance to step back in time and buy tiles that recreate the lost beauty of bygone eras at an affordable price.
Say hello to our collection of decadent, original-style Victorian floor tiles.
With a fantastic selection of patterned and coloured tiles inspired by original designs, this range is the perfect way to embrace the beauty of the Victorian aesthetic in modern home design.
If you love the look of vintage interiors and truly want to encapsulate their charm and character, it can pay to brush up on your tile history. Luckily, we’re here to help with a quick look back at how Victorian floor tiles came to be a much-loved flooring solution from back in the 1800s through to today.
Interestingly, the use of tiles has been documented as far back as 4700 BC, but it wasn’t until the industrial revolution in the 19th century that they really came into their own. As new technology and manufacturing processes were introduced, they became easier, cheaper and quicker to produce on a grand scale.
The pioneer of this was Herbert Minton, who was a potter by trade but an entrepreneur and innovator at heart. Combining his knowledge of pottery with the latest industrial techniques that layered different colours of clay, Minton brought the encaustic tile to the fore in mass-produced form. As a result, the demand for these hard-wearing and beautiful tiles grew, seeing them put to use in churches, palaces, houses, shops and more.
Having said that, the intricate designs of patterned tiles were still an expensive outlay for the average household. But, ever resourceful, many Victorians used different single-coloured tiles to create colourful and decorative patterns that were equally as striking, but more cost-effective. Think black and white checkerboard floors that are ubiquitous in many period properties throughout the UK.
In the modern world, there are still some stunning examples of genuine Minton tiled floors and fireplaces with original Victorian tiles that will never go out of style. If you don’t have these in your home, we have just what you need to recreate the look in no time at all.
In the Victorian era, intricate patterns were a staple of interior design. As more and more of today’s homeowners embrace this sense of opulence while decorating their homes, everything from kitchen floors to living room feature walls can be found covered in Victorian tiles.
This versatility also means this original style can be adapted to modern living, giving both period properties and new builds the chance to embrace the Victorian look. When coupled with the right furniture, fabrics and interior accessories, these retro tiles can help you to channel the timeless Victorian aesthetic to best effect, whatever year your property was built.
While they may not be originals, our Victorian-style floor tiles still evoke the same sense of grandeur. This gives you an opportunity to bathe your living space in lavish patterns of the era without having to break the bank on genuine vintage treasures.
Available in either ceramic or porcelain, these encaustic-effect tiles are as close as you’ll get to the real thing in terms of shapes and styles without the premium price tag that comes with them. However, the modern manufacturing techniques used mean you’ll still have all the practical benefits of a modern tile in terms of durability, low maintenance and strength.
Most of our Victorian-style tiles are made for floors, allowing you to trade boring flooring solutions for something stylish, sumptuous and impossible to ignore.
Geometric designs are quintessentially Victorian - and whether you’re looking for a classic checkerboard effect or something a little more intricate and decorative, you’ll find no shortage of options in our collection of Victorian floor tiles.
Featuring a variety of colour and design options, from the plain and neutral to a range of vibrant, multicoloured, patterned floor tiles, our Victorian tiles can provide a muted blank canvas for a stripped-back design scheme, an unlikely statement feature to cover your floors, and everything in between. With some of our Victorian floor tile designs, you can even create a vintage rug effect, using patterned tiles surrounded by a complementary border design.
The extensive choice of patterns and colours in our Victorian floor tiles range will let your creativity come to the fore. Go freestyle and create your own unique design with Victorian-style floor tiles in various colours, or take inspiration from a pretty pattern you’ve spied elsewhere. Either way, with our quality Victorian floor tiles, you’ll have a wonderful piece of tile art to enjoy for many years to come.
With our Vives Victorian tile collection, you’re guaranteed to fall in love with vintage interior design. Boasting a diverse and vibrant range of colours and patterns, this range is primed for pushing the boundaries of interior design in your home.
Practical and stylish, our Victorian floor tiles are right at home in traditional settings like vintage-look kitchens and period-style bathrooms. But that’s not all. Victorian hallway tiles are perfect for beautifying the entrance to your home. You can even extend the look outside with Victorian path tiles out front.
Our Victorian floor tiles are made from porcelain and ceramic, both of which are hardwearing materials able to resist wear and tear and hold their beauty for years to come - ideal for flooring throughout the home. We also stock a mixture of tiles with matt and gloss finishes, meaning you can keep things rustic or bring some welcome shine to your floors without sacrificing safety.
Of course, if you’re looking to transform a tired kitchen or bathroom into patterned perfection, we also offer Victorian wall tiles. From cool geometric shapes and pretty patterns to decorative designs for borders, whatever your style, our Victorian-style wall tiles have you covered.
Victorian-style wall tiles are positively perfect for a vintage-inspired kitchen splashback, sumptuous shower surround or eye-catching feature wall. So, while Victorian tiles are typically considered a flooring solution, there’s no doubt they have plenty to offer practically and stylistically for walls throughout the home.
Here at Tiles Direct, we’ve handpicked our selection of vintage Victorian wall and floor tiles to give you the best possible variety of colours. This will ensure you find just the right shade to pull off a cohesive and authentic-looking aesthetic.
Take your pick from:
Victorians were masters of patterns, using tiles to create a huge variety of ornate and intricate designs.
To help you pull off an authentic Victorian update, feast your eyes on some of our popular designs:
Colour and pattern aren’t the only considerations when you’re buying Victorian tiles. You also need to factor in the tile material and finish to deliver the best performance and aesthetic.
Our Victorian-style tile options come in the following specs:
Victorian tiles are surprisingly versatile, offering up a host of styling opportunities in almost any room of the house, including outside. If you’re not sure how and where to use Victorian-style tiles in your home, let us fuel your imagination with a few ideas to get you started.
Kitchens:
Traditionally, Victorians used these decorative tiles only in areas visible to the public or guests, which is why you’ll often see them in porchways and hallways. These days, though, the kitchen is the heart of the home and a social hub, so it stands to reason that these beautiful tiles work wonders in creating a true style statement for everyone to enjoy.
In the kitchen, our Terrades Grafito Victorian tiles can be perfectly paired with all-white fixtures and fittings and a black and white splashback, resulting in a striking minimalist colour scheme that creates maximum impact.
Bathrooms:
Alternatively, you can take your guests back to the early 1900s with Victorian bathroom tiles in iconic colour schemes of the era. Paired with an authentically styled claw-foot bath and pedestal basin, emulating this iconic, original-style interior design style is a breeze.
For an understated style, use pretty floral designs like our Eleganza Torino Gris on floors. Its soft colouring and delicate pattern can be beautifully accentuated by simple white fixtures and fittings to maintain a clutter-free feel.
Hallways:
If you’re looking to create a dramatic entranceway, why not let colourful patterned tiles in vintage designs take centre stage? A patterned Victorian hall tile will hide a multitude of muddy footprints on those damp days and is also guaranteed to make an impact when welcoming guests into your home.
Another simpler alternative that’s still just as attention-grabbing is a checkerboard pattern, which will never go out of style. You don’t have to stick with traditional black and white here. Let your imagination run wild and mix it up with different colour combinations to personalise the design to your heart’s content.
Pathways:
Don’t forget that these tiles aren’t just limited to the inside of your home, either. Many period properties greet you with Victorian path tiles in entranceways, giving even the drabbest of facades a touch of grandeur. Whether you go for classic black and white or something with a little more panache, the results of incorporating Victorian outdoor path tiles into your space are sure to be stunning.
When it comes to choosing the right Victorian tiles for your home renovation, it pays to do your research before you buy. Unlike typical tiles, which tend to be larger and have one specific colour or pattern, many of our Victorian wall and floor tiles feature intricate designs that need to be married together to create a continual pattern. So, laying them straight and in line with one another is essential.
For this reason, we’d recommend employing a professional tiler to do the job - ideally one who has experience with laying decorative Victorian tiles. While the initial outlay may eat into your budget, the money will be well-spent when you’re left with a professional-looking finish rather than a pattern that’s slightly off-centre.
Another top tip for buying and installing Victorian tiles is to draw up a thorough plan of your desired pattern or design, making sure you have the exact measurements and the pattern is drawn to scale. This will ensure you or your tiler knows exactly where each tile needs to be laid and what the finished result should look like. Better yet, it will also allow you to calculate your tiling and grouting quantities - always buy at least 10-20% extra for cuts, breakages or other unforeseen problems.
Keeping these key considerations in mind when buying and installing your vintage Victorian-style tiles should mean you end up with a beautiful floor or wall that will catch the eye of every guest you welcome into your home.
From Victorian path tiles to patterned features in kitchens, bathrooms, living rooms and beyond, the timeless beauty of this vintage Victorian tile flooring collection is matched only by its incredible versatility.
At Tiles Direct, we’re here to make your buying process a breeze with a simple online checkout and reliable delivery throughout the UK (which is free on all orders over £499).
Struggling to choose between your favourite Victorian tile designs? No problem. Order some samples for just 99p each and imagine how different your home could look styled to channel the unrivalled elegance of the Victorian age. It’s a pocket-friendly way to experiment with different designs before you buy to make sure you get everything just right.
If you’re itching to get started on a new vintage makeover for your home, shop our complete range of Victorian wall and floor tiles online now. If you have any questions about our Victorian-style tiles, we’re always happy to help. Call us on 0113 2530005 or email us at info@tiles-direct.com.
