Produced for 150 years, ceramic wall tiles with traditional Victorian designs still impress today with their rich colors and ornaments. Victorian-style tiles are a very interesting topic. Why interesting? Because this style, despite the fact that it comes from a distant era, is still present in many contemporary interiors. Tiles that are direct copies of nineteenth-century British tiles or modern versions of them are incredibly popular. What is it about them that makes them timeless and universal?

Victorian style – or what kind of style?

A few words of introduction. There is a saying about the Victorian era, that at that time the sun never set over the British Empire. This perfectly illustrates the time when the Victorian style was formed. Britain was at the height of its power. Thanks to the Industrial Revolution and colonialism, it was obscenely wealthy. And all under the rule of a single monarch – Queen Victoria, who ruled continuously from 1837 to 1901. Although it was a time of prosperity, it was not a time of extravagance or “debauchery.” Queen Victoria herself was a symbol of morality and proper “conduct”. The rules of the upper classes were very strict and, looking from today’s point of view, downright curmudgeonly. It’s hard to find the right term, because a “self-respecting” gentleman of the time transferred back in time to today’s Krakowskie Przedmieście would at best go mad, and at worst commit suicide. The sight of so many ladies’ hands without gloves and bare knuckles not to mention other exposed body parts would be like a tornado for him.

Victorian-style tiles

The Industrial Revolution also affected tile production. It made it possible to improve technology and introduce more and more patterns and colors. Floor tiles in the Victorian style were characterized by a combination of floral ornaments and geometric patterns. Arranging them in the form of carpets: borders, corners were used to achieve a more representative look. Not insignificantly, laying tiles in this way also affected the perception of the whole interior – the corridor or room seemed larger.

Victorian-style wall tiles

Although wallpaper reigned supreme on the walls or they were simply painted, glazed ceramic tiles appeared in some of the spaces. In popular colors of bottle green, maroon or cobalt blue. Often with ornamentation in the form of reliefs.

Whereas nowadays, glazed ceramic tiles are very popular in Victorian-style bathrooms. Below is a summary of ceramic tiles made by hand using the artisan method. The colors of these tiles are not accidental, they correspond to those colors that were popular during the reign of Queen Victoria.

Victorian style today

Today, we often perceive interiors in this style as heavy and overwhelming. Interestingly, Victorian-style tiles are doing well. They are popular and are eagerly used by designers for modern interiors, glamour style and in interiors where luxury is to be discreetly visible.