Best Bathroom Tiles for Period Homes
Renovating the interior of a period style home often includes either a completely era-influenced design or at least a subtle nod to the home’s heritage, respecting the historical aspect of the overall property design. Sourcing the right bathroom tiles for your period style renovation is the best place to start when it comes to selecting the space’s new fittings and finishes as your tiles will dictate the overall look and feel of the space.
Some of the most popular period style homes in Australia include: Edwardian (also known as Federation style), Art Deco, Victorian and the California Bungalow style.
Edwardian (Federation Style) Tiles
A style popular in the early 1900s in Australia, an Edwardian home (also known as Federation style) is most often built using red bricks with corrugated iron features. Commonly referred to as a ‘pre-war’ style, an Edwardian home also often includes stained glass feature windows, fretwork, pressed-metal ceilings and either slate or terracotta tiled roofs. This era encompasses many different specific styles including Federation Filigree, Free Classical, Queen Anne and the popular, Federation Bungalow style of architecture.
You will find many options available when it comes to selecting bathroom tiles for your Edwardian/Federation styled home thanks to the versatility of this design style as well as the myriad of tile choices that have been refreshed and reinterpreted to suit the modern home
For a more modern take on the traditional Edwardian or Federation style, our Colori collection of Italian made porcelain floor tiles feature bold, energetic patterns that are inspired by traditional intricate geometric designs using an energetic and modern colour palette. The collection also includes a selection of solid coloured tiles in terracotta, blue and green as well as a variety of neutral tones, once again providing a more contemporary twist of the traditional colour palettes most often seen in these period style homes.
Art Deco Tiles
Most popular in the 1920s – 1930s, the Art Deco style of architecture drew inspiration from high fashion trends that were popular in that time. Bold, structured geometric patterns are a prominent feature commonly seen in Art Deco styled interiors, creating a dynamic vibe in the overall design.
An Art Deco styled bathroom creates a glamorous and timeless touch in the home with delightful mirror and glass features complementing the metallic touches of your selected bathroom fittings, with pattern and colours being introduced using a selection of suitable bathroom tiles that use designs and colours inspired by this glamorous era.
Designed by Australian Interior stylist Steve Cordony, our Labyrinth wall tiles are made up of a combination of Carrara, Thassos and Nero Marquina marbles to create a stunning monochromatic pattern.
This style often features a colour palette of navy blue, deep black, crisp white, and various shades of green contrasted with metallic touches. Marble finishes are also a prominent feature of Art Deco inspired home designs creating an air of refined luxury.
A pattern often seen in Art Deco styled interiors. The fan design featured on our Tranquil wall and floor tiles creates a bold and dynamic look when used as a feature element in your new Art Deco inspired bathroom design.
Victorian Era Tiles
Victorian architecture in Australia covers a range of style variations most often seen in the 19th century. Most often made of either exposed or rendered brickwork, a Victorian era home normally features cast iron lace work and other decorative features such as stained glass windows, moulded skirtings and architraves paired with decorative lace or floral inspired patterns and designs in it’s decorating scheme.
The Beach Club collection of smooth concrete tiles has been created by Australian Interior and Fashion Stylist, Sarah Ellison. The collection features a range of modern patterns using a traditionally Victorian style colour palette of warm terracotta to create modern spin on classic tiles that make this choice an excellent fit for those looking to update a period style home while offering a nod to the home’s traditional stylings.
Polished timber flooring will often run throughout the home with wet areas such as external verandahs and bathrooms for example, being tiled using ornately patterned and colourful tiles. Repetitive patterns most commonly seen in Victorian era wallpapers are also reflected in the tile choices for this style of home with colour options ranging from soft pastels, bold and dramatic blues and greens or crisp whites paired with more discreet neutral tones for a harmonious finish.
The Tronos porcelain tile collection creates an air of sophisticated luxury in the bathroom being heavily inspired by the ornate and decorative patterns and colour palettes most common in Australian Victorian era homes.
California Bungalow
Popular in the 1920s and 30s, Australian California Bungalow style homes feature an impactful, low pitched roof with exposed rafters and simple yet striking features. Clinker bricks are a common feature of the style, as well as timber and weatherboards with the floorplans of these homes often being a rectangular shape, keeping the layout simple and straight forward. Interior finishes most prominent in California bungalow style homes include bold, black and white tessellated tiles, polished timber flooring and heavy solid timber features that create a warm and charming atmosphere.
Offering a timeless modern interpretation of the traditional colour palette and patterns most often seen in the California Bungalow style, our Greg Natale Cubo cement tiles feature a serene smoky palette in bold structured patterns that are perfect for use as a bathroom feature floor or wall tile.
There are many different options when it comes to selecting tiles for a California Bungalow style home; simple, square terracotta or slate grey tiles make for the perfect outdoor finish for pathways and patios whereas areas such as the bathroom allow for more creativity, with more decorative tessellated styles being a traditional favourite. Black and white checkerboard style patterns or warm creamy tones paired with the vibrancy of terracotta once again are used in intricate designs in the bathroom, often with a tiled border that defines the flooring or can be used as a wall feature at dado height (normally 1200mm above the floor).
Each of these home styles offer a vast range of options to choose from, including authentically designed era specific tiles to more modern interpretations that allow for a contemporary look in your new bathroom while still respecting the home’s heritage. Our team at Perini Tiles can assist you in the creation of your perfect colour scheme in your bathroom renovation, guiding you through the process of finding the perfect bathroom tiles, coordinating benchtops and cabinetry finishes. Book an online design consultation to get started on creating the perfect palette!
