Shop Vintage Bathroom Tile by Style

The pattern you choose does more to set a vintage tone than any other decision. Use the guides below to find the right look for your space.

Encaustic Look Tile

Encaustic look tile recreates the patterned cement tile common in bathrooms from the early 1900s through the 1950s, without the maintenance real cement tile requires. Porcelain versions hold their color and pattern permanently and resist staining, making them a practical way to get an authentic vintage look.

Hexagon Mosaic

Hexagon tile is one of the most recognizable vintage bathroom shapes, especially in small format on original 1920s and 1930s bathroom floors. A small white hexagon with a black or colored dot insert is one of the most historically accurate looks you can install today.

Penny Round

Penny round tile shares the same vintage lineage as hexagon mosaic and was common on early to mid century bathroom floors. Its small, round shape creates dense grout lines that also happen to improve traction underfoot.

Basketweave

Basketweave tile is a classic pairing of small rectangular pieces set in an interlocking pattern, often seen on bathroom floors alongside a contrasting pencil border. It is one of the most common patterns found in original early twentieth century bathrooms.

Fish Scale and Scallop

Fish scale tile brings a softer, more decorative edge to a vintage bathroom and works well on accent walls or as a shower backsplash detail. It reads as vintage without being tied to one specific decade, which makes it flexible for eclectic or transitional spaces.

Vintage Bathroom Tile by Color

Black and White Vintage Tile

Black tile paired with white is the most universally recognized vintage combination, especially in checkerboard or hexagon-with-dot patterns. It reads as authentically vintage in nearly every home style.

Cream and Pastel Vintage Tile

Cream and beige tile works well for a softer, mid century palette. Pastel tones in mint, blush, and butter yellow are strongly associated with 1950s bathroom design.

How to Choose Vintage Style Bathroom Tile

Matching tile to the right era makes the difference between a space that looks intentionally vintage and one that looks mismatched.

Match the tile to your home's age. Victorian and early 1900s homes typically used small hexagon or basketweave patterns in white with black accents. Mid century homes leaned toward pastel colors in square or rectangular formats.

Choose a period appropriate color palette. Black and white checkerboard and hexagon patterns are the most universally vintage. Soft pastels read as mid century, while deeper jewel tones and encaustic patterns suit early 1900s and Victorian style homes.

Get the grout color right. Dark grout on a white hexagon or penny round floor is one of the most historically accurate combinations and also hides everyday wear better than white grout.

Decide between floor and wall application. Many classic vintage patterns, like hexagon and penny round, were originally floor tiles. Confirm the tile you choose is rated for floor use if that is where you plan to install it.

Vintage Bathroom Tile Installation Tips

Porcelain encaustic look tile installs like standard tile. Unlike real cement tile, porcelain versions with an encaustic look use standard thinset and grout and need no special sealing.

Small format tile needs more attention to layout. Hexagon, penny round, and basketweave patterns show layout mistakes more visibly because of the repeating pattern. Dry lay a section first to confirm the pattern centers correctly in the room.

Seal grout after installation. Bathroom floors see regular moisture, and sealing grout after installation helps it resist staining and keeps the vintage look looking clean over time.

View our full tile installation guides before you begin.

Explore More Tile by Room and Application

Bathroom Tile, wall and floor tile for showers, tub surrounds, and bathroom floors

Kitchen Backsplash Tile, glass, subway, mosaic and more for kitchen walls

Hexagon Tile, a vintage favorite shape for floors and walls

Black Tile, for classic black and white vintage combinations