When creating a vintage style in your home, there are many exciting options to select from that will help you create that perfect combination of old-world charm and modern convenience. Kitchen tiles, both floor and wall tiles, offer the best way to include a touch of colour, pattern and texture in the room to create a strong sense of character that will instantly add a warm vintage vibe. There are many different options to choose from, with encaustic tiles, porcelain and handmade tiles being especially popular in vintage styled kitchen designs thanks to the unique qualities and characteristics offered by each of these stylish options.
Vintage Encaustic Pattern Tiles
Encaustic tiles (also commonly referred to as concrete tiles) are characterised by their smooth matte finish, dusty colour tones and highly decorative repeating patterns. These tiles have traditionally been used in period style homes with different patterns and colour options reflecting the architectural style of the home’s era. Geometric and structured pattern tiles for example, are often associated with the traditional Art Deco style whereas intricate floral and lace-look designs are more predominant in Victorian era homes.
Caption: Concrete or encaustic tiles are one of the most popular solutions for vintage styled kitchen design schemes thanks to their unique characteristics. Repeating patterns and deep, chalky colours are often seen in these designs, offering a spectacular choice for a truly show-stopping look in the kitchen!
Encaustic tiles are traditionally made using a mixture of cement that includes colourful dyes. The cement is poured into moulds to create the stylish patterns these types of tiles are so well known for. It is important to note that encaustic tiles are porous and as such, will require sealing at installation and then every few years throughout their lifespan in order to ensure they are protected against staining and damage. Liquid and moisture can penetrate into porous tiles which if left unchecked, can cause permanent marking or corrosion in the tiles themselves. When selecting your new tiles, ask your salesperson what their best recommendation would be in looking after encaustic tiles in the kitchen for the best advice that is specific to your tile selection.
Vintage Inspired Porcelain Tiles
Porcelain tiles are especially favoured in the kitchen as both a floor and wall finish as they offer immense durability as well as resistance against staining, temperature fluctuations and scratching. These impressive qualities ensure a hard wearing tile option that is an excellent choice for a busy kitchen’s flooring and splashback area, offering a low maintenance choice for the home.
Caption: The beauty of a quality porcelain tile is that it can be designed to achieve just about any look you are after in the home. These stylish and hard wearing tiles can be specially designed to mimic the look and feel of natural products such as stone or timber for example, allowing you to achieve a low maintenance finish throughout the home and especially in the kitchen. This beautiful vintage inspired flooring recreates the classic look of a parquetry timber floor, complete with colour variations and timber texture.
Porcelain tiles are baked at an extremely high temperature that removes all moisture from the finished product, leading to an immensely strong and non-porous surface finish that will not require sealing in order to be protected against moisture. These qualities make porcelain tile a very popular choice with a world of possibilities available to choose from. Porcelain tiles can be found in traditional colour options and pattern choices and even in different styles that are specifically designed to mimic the look and feel of natural products such as marble, limestone, slate and even timber!
Handmade Tiles
Handmade tiles continue to be manufactured using centuries old tile making techniques that have been passed down from generation to generation. From combining the raw materials to forming shapes and adding colour by painting or glazing, the entire process is completed entirely by hand, resulting in a wonderfully soft and elegantly textured finish. Being a handmade product, each piece is unique with soft, organic edges and rustic undulating surfaces that create a distinct look in the home. As these tiles are usually softer in their structure in comparison to concrete tiles or porcelain options, they are often best suited to wall application only, making them an excellent option as a kitchen splashback.
Caption: Traditional handmade tiles will show unique differences between each piece; there are usually slight colour variations from tile to tile as well as soft, organic edges and wonderfully undulating surfaces. Each piece comes together to create a luxurious patchwork of colour and texture for a truly individual look that introduces an element of warmth and character into a vintage inspired kitchen design.
You will find that most handmade tiles include a glazed finish; this glaze is applied by hand prior to baking the tiles. The kiln baking process will effectively harden this glaze to achieve and almost glass-like finish that offers a water resistant barrier that will protect the tile’s body from water damage and staining, making handmade tiles a perfect choice for a vintage inspired kitchen splashback. These tiles are incredibly simple to maintain, only requiring a wipe down with a damp cloth every now and then to wipe away any surface residue. Thanks to the glazed finish, they will also not require sealing in order to maintain their longevity in the home, once again making handmade tiles a perfect design option as a kitchen splashback.
Creating a vintage inspired design scheme in the kitchen involves paying close attention to your selected colours and materials in order to achieve a warm and comforting design that exudes the romantic and traditional feel of a true vintage interior. Floor and wall tiles offer the perfect solution in introducing colour, texture and pattern into your design scheme, making for that perfect finishing touch in your colour palette! Search your favourite tile shop for luxurious handmade tiles through to durable porcelain options and traditional encaustic tiles, there are many exciting possibilities available to help you achieve that perfect style and balance in your next kitchen renovation project!