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In most of the old houses around here if you let your gaze drop to the ground, you’ll find that you are standing on an old 19th century decorative tiled floor. These tiles are tough enough to resist to most conditions, and even when walls need re-plastering or the actual floor level has moved, the tiles can be retrieved and relaid straight.
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Typically the decorative tiles were laid as a ‘rug’ to echo the shape of the room. A border around the edge. Today it is possible to find complete ‘rugs’ of tiles for sale in the most beautiful colours.
It is not unusual in the old houses like ours, to find a decorative pattern used in the entrance hall and the kitchen with wooden parquet, or brick red tomettes laid in the adjacent living and dining areas.
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I love the subtle colours of the floors, they seem to bring warmth and whimsy to today’s neutral tones. In the bathroom below 19th century tiles have been reworked as a the wall on a walk in shower. Gorgeous yellow with the grey woodwork
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Of course some tile patterns are more intricate than others, some designed to impress others to comfort (those things never change!), but to me it’s a bonus to find an old house that still has this decorative floor pattern intact.
29 comments
Great! I love the chair…
Markus
Good Morning Sharon
Those floors radiate a warmth and comfort that can only be achieved by good craftmanship and time.
I would be delighted to find such a floor too.
Helenxx
I love them to Sharon. Looks like we will be moving house in a couple of months and the 'new' (old) house has some of those too 🙂 Looking forward to catching up soon. xxx
There were times when all wanted new and modern tiles only.Some collected the old concrete tiles -like me- hoping better times to come.I would like to tile the shower niche like on your picture.
rgds Dorka from the Great Hungarian Plain http://www.dorottyaudvar.co.hu
Totally beautiful and charming. Love all the colors and warmth.
beautiful, i have a dinning-room full of them 🙂
david
I had no idea! How extraordinary!
I absolutely love those tile floors and find it odd that people will pull them up and replace them by porcelain/ceramic tiles (which are so much difficult to keep clean, bright and unmarked by footprints).
I have decided to paint a harlequin pattern on my ugly (hideously) engineered, orange wood floors. I have been hesitant to present this to my husband but I just showed him these floors and he was inspired!
Andie
…And just when I am about to rip all mine out!!! I loved viewing all the pattern, which is so beautifully installed, takes craftmanship which only comes with years of experience, time…creator of my kind of beauty. N.xo
Oh dahhling I gasped at the sight of the first image! How perfectly beautiful… loved this post! The closest I have seen here are the FAB tiles my dear friend La Condesa used on her garden fountain.
oh dear, I appear to be the only reader who doesn't like them, they remind me too much of linoleum although I know they're not
chacun a son goût…
So beautiful and a joy to the eye, just imagine that people used to dig these up and throw them out!!! Thank you for another great blog piece, Maureen.
Love the last floor shot; with tile like that who needs a rug!
Beautiful floors that are not common here.
just did a lovely makeover/home office, but sadly it didn't feaure any french floor tiles… sigh
These are wonderful! I love the look of these old tiles.
Just beautiful – I love all the colors and patterns… I think if these were my floors… I would always be looking down! 🙂
Thank you for sharing.
Our flat is 100 years old and the hall floor still had the original tiles, much like these when we moved here. But due to the bad state they were in, we had to get rid of them.
Luckily the rest of the apartment had old oak floors that are so beautiful.
There is nothing like a cool tile floor in summer though 🙂
I love your blog, your pictures are always so beautiful and artistic. I am learning to paint and so many of them have inspiration in them. Reading your blog is part of my morning ritual to begin my day, a delight always.
Dolores in Missouri, country living in a little town
I love the tiles. I did my final research study for City and Guilds on tiles and my final quilt was based on tiles from the AlHambra.
Terri
Ha- I recognize that first photo!
Please give Aude a big hug from us, OK?
Floors in old houses might be minimal in design, but the artists of that time certainly practiced a spirit of craftsmanship by making these durable and enduring. As a matter of fact, the stone floors that were used in early castles and the hardwood floors that naturally beautify most castle rooms are still seated on the ground until now.
Kathy Carbone
Craftsmanship is a great word for it, Kathy. The tiles provide a visually appealing sight, while at the same time giving a room a strong, solid feel thanks to the material of the tiles. Two qualities that help make a room great, don't you think?
Sharon, the tiles are exquisite. The patterns are very intricate. You need to put some extra care into taking care of your tiles, though, because these are kind of rare nowadays. Warm water is enough to clean these tiles. Detergent cleaners may harm your tiles so avoid using it!
Alana Geikie
The patterns on your tiles are very interesting. They do lend a sense of sophistication and creativity to the rooms. And what makes these tiles even more special is that you won’t see these kinds very often today. I, for one, wouldn’t mind walking barefoot around your house because it would feel like walking on a work of art.
These tile flooring designs look like they're excellent works of art. I'd love to have one of these at my home after planning my renovation project.
Great thoughts you got there, believe I may possibly try just some of it throughout my daily life.
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