I agree patterned tiles in hallways look fab. There are loads on the market now so choose colours that will go. Original Victorian style can be fiddly to lay as they are in small pieces that fit together, but porcelain have the pattern embossed on them so a little easier. You could also try sheet vinyl or LVT as there are many with the tiled pattern on them.

The first pic is sheet vinyl and the 2nd is porcelain tiles.

Thanks for taking the time to respond Sonia! Those are gorgeous examples I’ll Need to get some samples ordered. Tough to know what looks good when show rooms aren’t open at the moment

Think they are opening 12 April so not long now.

Jazzy victorian-style tiles look fab in halls!

You can get free samples from some suppliers too!

I like Sonia’s suggestions and would consider patterned tiles - they look fab.

You can get smaller individual tiles to give a more genuine Victorian look and they look amazing - however I would only consider this if it’s your forever home and if you have a big budget. I’ve had our small (1 square metre) porch area retiled with the small Victorian reproduction tiles (they’re made by a company called Original Style) and it looks fantastic, but it’s the most expensive square metre in the house!!!! The tiles weren’t too costly, but once you factor in the prep work for the base and the specialist required to lay them, it added up to a thousand pounds - and for 1m, that’s heck of a lot!! If you do decide to go with the smaller Victorian tiles, I can recommend Alternative Tiles in Derby - they specialise in this type of thing and will do computerised plans and colour schemes for you. They work nationally too.

At the other end of the spectrum, my neighbour has recently had some larger patterned tiles laid in another room. They got theirs off the shelf from a DIY place and they look amazing!

.... Yes Victorian tiles look great and in fact there are wonderful laminate flooring options too! But definitely get a more interesting colour on the walls!!

If you go for colorful tiles (like this example), keep the walls pale but add 1) Really good lighting, 2) A big mirror (to bounce that lighting around), and 3) Some slim artwork.

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I'd be tempted to go for a herringbone or chevron parquet, but tiles are very easy to clean and you can get big tiles that look like several smaller ones, which might cut down on installation costs

I had Victorian replica tiles in mine ( modern townhouse ) . They look stunning .

Been doing some research and quite attracted to hexagonal or something dark...will this be a big mistake? we will be in this house another 2 years max so I don’t want to invest too heavily but also something that will eventually attract buyers.

I agree with everyone else, either Victorian style tiles or vinyl, will totally transform the space & will be the first thing you see as you enter the house so would look stunning. Add some very good lighting to make the space feel brighter. This is an example of vinyl you can get that looks a little on the Victorian side (excuse it being in an en-suite)

Hi Claire,
Okay,so firstly I can see that you have a dark grey carpet on the stairs with neutral painted walls. When it comes to selling your home you need to appeal to a wide range of people, so therefore any personal touch’s must be kept to a minimum and easily changed. I know that you like the idea of a dark hexagonal pattern, but to appeal to others, my suggestion would be to perhaps choose LVT flooring- Amtico is a great brand, with a wide choice. I thought the Blackened Spa Wood finish laid in a Herringbone pattern - which is always so stylish, would look great against the existing carpet, with its black cocoa hues and blue undertones.

Let me know what you think and I’d be happy to provide more advice if you would like.

Best wishes... Julia@yourspace.id

If you are planning to sell up in two years then you are right not to invest too heavily. For that reason I think that definitely rules out Victorian tiles. I agree there are a lot of nice patterned tiles out there but they can dominate a space and dictate the style of a room which is fine if you have chosen them and intend to live with them for a good number of years. However a hall floor will be the first and last thing a prospective buyer sees so I would be inclined to play it safe and choose something pared down. You can easily top it with a rug to inject colour.

I like the hexagonal tiles. They look timeless and will go with just about anything. They might be a little on the dark side but they have a nice sheen on them and the grout is exactly right so perhaps not. They certainly look better than the dark wood. I think they might work.

In reference to your comments Keiblem, a ‘parred down’ look will be more suited to the space with minimum investment due to the property going to market in a few years. However, my concern with tiles are that they can present a safety hazard, and particularly in a hall where you come in straight from outside when it has been raining, there is a potential to slip on the tiles and inevitably fall over. I would never suggest a rug either, as once again, can present a precarious situation! The dark wood I have suggested was based on a preference for a darker shade of flooring, and equally the herringbone pattern is still so on trend and is timeless; also it’s easy to clean and slip-proof. As there is also some warmth in this flooring, it presents a more welcoming space,as if it were just all grey,could look rather washed out and without character. Buyers buy with their emotions...

If the floor levels allow then an inset door mat finishing flush with the finished floor level is worth considering.

I agree that if at all possible an inset doormat would provide somewhere to wipe feet, whilst also ‘breaking-up’ the length of the space providing additional interest. Coir matting is good for this purpose.