You Won't Believe What Was Hiding Under These Old floors—10 Stunning Vintage Tile Reveals

Few materials bring a touch of character and historic charm to a home's interior design quite like vintage tiling. This is one reason why vintage tiles are the cozy design choice, making a quiet comeback. However, it's no secret that retiling your home with authentically vintage materials can get expensive, especially if the tiles are rare or in pristine condition. But recent waves of viral videos shared on social media apps like TikTok demonstrate how homeowners can sometimes luck out when they discover striking vintage tiling hidden right under their own feet. 

The practice of covering up vintage tiles with different flooring materials like carpeting or linoleum was not uncommon in decades past. As interior trends shifted, it was a common occurrence for homeowners to install newer, more stylish flooring directly on top of vintage floors. In some instances, the precious antique flooring underneath is in stellar condition, thanks to the layers of flooring on top protecting the original material from years of wear and tear. This can make it easier to restore beautiful Victorian tile in your home.

As houses are bought and sold and new families move in and out, it is easy for vintage tiling to go unnoticed for years, until it comes time to renovate and a new homeowner removes the more modern flooring, only to reveal a hidden gem underneath. In modern interior design, this type of surprise is generally welcomed, especially since retro design trends are making a comeback. Here are ten stunning vintage tile reveals DIY enthusiasts shared on social media, and what audiences had to say about the surprise that was underfoot the whole time. 

TikTok user lucy.ann.x shared a viral video in which she peeled back the carpeting in her home's entryway to reveal a colorful and pleasant surprise. According to the video's caption, underneath the dated carpeting was vintage tiling that's over a hundred years old and in near-perfect condition. The green, white, black, and brown tiling features geometric patterns and eye-catching floral designs. Impressed commenters congratulated the homeowner on her discovery, expressing both envy for her lucky find and also gratitude toward the previous owners who preserved the flooring under the thick carpets. 

TikTok user lndsypldr was another DIYer to discover vintage tiling underneath lackluster modern ones in her bathroom. In a video posted to her account, you can see her look shocked and excited as she chips away at boring modern tiles, revealing the classic vintage tiling in various hues of sunny yellow and cream. Later in the video, as more of the modern pieces are removed, it's revealed that closer to the edge, the pattern changes and becomes larger, retro 70s brown squares, serving as a striking border for the yellow tiles.

A similar video from TikTok user chapter.111_ also garnered the attention of vintage enthusiasts online. In this video, a woman can be seen peeling back vibrant green Art Deco-style carpeting to reveal more geometric Victorian tiles underneath. These vintage tiles are also in spectacular condition and boast intricate star patterns and a vibrant red, white, and tan color scheme. In the video's caption, the homeowner shared they had been anticipating this tile reveal since they bought the property and reported it was "worth the wait."

In another TikTok, the DIY enthusiast florevival used a large crowbar, a mallet, and a scraper to pry off sections of modern geometric tiling to reveal Great Depression-era tiles that had long been forgotten. According to the video, the original design is vintage pinwheel tiles from 1929. Overall, the historic tiling looks to be in pretty good condition as the DIYer continues to break off large sections, revealing a charming bathroom floor with a pop of baby blue color and plenty of character.

Another TikTok from the user the_olive_finch depicts giddy homeowners celebrating after discovering brilliant, emerald-green-glazed tiling dating back to the 1800s underneath dingy, baby-pink carpeting. The homeowner described the process of uncovering the vintage tiles as feeling like "a treasure hunt" in the video's caption. Other than some accumulated dust and debris, the green subway tiles look to be in almost pristine condition, and the original glaze still appears shiny, even prior to cleaning up. The emerald hue is still rich and vibrant despite the tiles' age. 

Painting over old tiling was another practice that was common in decades past, but one TikTok user demonstrates how a little time, patience, and elbow grease can restore painted tiles back to their original glory. In a video posted by sunsethousereno, a homeowner uses paint and varnish stripper alongside a brush and scraper to remove dated yellow paint and reveal emerald green and tan patterned tiles over a century old. After a final cleaning and shining, the tiles positioned in front of an old fireplace look good as new.

This homeowner described her recent tile discovery as a "renovator's treasure."  TikTok user ourhomeinthestow shared a video recounting the time they pried up the dated paved pathway just outside the home's door, only to find Victorian-era tiles dating back to 1898. In the caption, she describes the experience as "literal heaven" and is incredibly enthused by the condition of the black and white checkerboard tiling that was beneath their feet in the entryway the entire time. The smaller checkered tiles were framed with larger subway-style tiling for a contrasting border. 

TikTok user restoringcoftonco was stunned when a recent cottage renovation revealed intricate and breathtaking vintage tiles dating back to the 1800s. According to the renovator, the tiles were discovered while pulling up old floorboards in one of the spare rooms of the house. Research revealed that they are Minton tiles, which are inspired by Japanese artwork and, in the modern age, are rare and expensive. The muted green- and cream-colored tiles feature detailed illustrations of birds, fish, botanicals, and other ornate and swirling floral patterns in the background.

A video posted to TikTok by user mmdevelopments reveals that unique vintage tiling was buried for decades beneath three separate layers of flooring. In the video, the renovator removes carpeting first, followed by two layers of linoleum, to reveal colorful geometric tiling dating back to the Victorian era. The condition of the tiles is unclear from the video, since a significant amount of wear and cracks are apparent. However, the original blue, orange, and red hues, though faded, can still be seen along with the geometric patterns. 

One renovation video posted by TikTok user kelsey.rushing had viewers conflicted over whether or not it was a good idea to remove the more modern floors in the first place. In the video, the DIYer can be seen chipping away at large pieces of "ugly" polished green marble tiles, revealing pink and yellow vintage square tiles from 1931 underneath. Viewers in the comment section, however, debated whether or not the more updated green marble tiles were a better option aesthetically and noted that marble tiling can be very expensive.