In the realm of art and architecture, mosaic, geometric and floral patterns are among the most enduring creations from the Victorian age. Artists have innovated the use of these Romantic, gothic revival and art nouveau styles across decades, coming up with fresh shapes, shades and grains for authentic 19th century designs. Octagons, hexagons, rectangles, squares and triangles were ever present in Victorian floor and wall schemes in the patio, fireplace, bathroom and kitchen. GenuineVictorian Floor Tiles period octagonal floor tiles spanning 1830 to 1901 were not only handmade but also colored, painted or drawn on, and laid by hand.
Modern-day Victorian Floor Tiles continue to be desired by interior designers and home builders as some of the most intelligent ways to embellish flooring and walling, whether in exterior or interior spaces. Probably the most sought after is the octagon and dot motif. It is so called because each octagon is made to have little diagonal sides, and when four diagonal sides from four different octagons converge in the middle, they create a diamond as little as a dot. Due to the advent of printing, white and blue were the dominant color match. Contemporary homes today might have white octagons with either black or white dots.
Geometric schemes next figured in Edwardian era art nouveau with its natural shapes and tones. Octagons and dots were formed into floral patterns, whereas in the New World, subsumed into heritage and colonial architecture along with Old World Spanish designs. From classic English houses, geometric stylings resurfaced in pre-war homes in the Americas. They merged with traditional hardwood furniture and were given rich earth tones in the Roaring Twenties and later joined sunburst patterns and received metal, chrome and other shiny finishings in the Vintage Hollywood Thirties. Originally from these decades, art deco is a major contributor to geometric design.
After trailing in the Forties and Fifties, octagonal floor tiles emerged once more in the Seventies with its avocado and citrus shower and toilet floors, and then the Eighties with its caramel and chocolate bath and kitchen floors. There is an enormous selection of building materials at present such as vitrified clay, stone, travertine, terracotta, slate, sandstone, quarry, porcelain, marble, limestone, granite, glass and ceramic. Available surface finishing includes textured, stone, satin, mosaic, matte, glossy, glass and encaustic, from top tile brands like Castello, Armstrong, HR Johnson and Roppe. Octagon and dot tiles now grace numerous restored Victorian, heritage, vintage, retro and contemporary homes.
Article Source:Victorian Floor Tiles