Retro Tile Ideas

Classic Checkerboard Floor

• Re-create a 1950s-style kitchen with black and white vinyl tiles in a checkerboard pattern. Tiles are typically a square foot each. Black tiles are installed alternating with the white tiles. A mid-1960s look would include a red and white checkerboard-patterned floor of linoleum tiles.

Retro Bathroom Tiles

• A common design for bathroom floors is the octagon pattern. Octagon tiles have small, triangular tiles on each corner. The triangles are called "dots." Typical color combinations include white octagon tiles with white dots, white octagon tiles with blue dots and black octagon tiles with white dots. Shades of gray and beige are ideal for a 1970s look.

Retro Image Tiles

• Achieve a retro look with new backsplash tiles in your kitchen that feature articles from earlier decades. These tiles include items such as old-fashioned stoves, vintage utensils, spice racks and assorted packages of baking ingredients. Create a mural of wall tiles in your kitchen, or use individual accent tiles with vintage kitchen items sparingly along with solid-color tiles.

Replacement Tiles

• When you already have original tiles in your home, you can obtain replacement tiles instead of renovating an entire surface. Spare the expense of a big renovation job by purchasing replacement tiles for broken or cracked tiles. Replacement tiles are available for an authentic match to tiles from the 1950s through 1990 in a wide variety of colors, including pink and mint green.