flooring – tile, vinyl, wood & more

Here are some basic recommendations for retro-style flooring products. Important: We all care very much about managing environmental and safety issues properly, so when undertaking your restoration project, be sure to familiarize yourself with and use recommended best practices. For example, the EPA hosts a website on lead in the home and a website on asbestos in the home. Consult professionals regarding these materials, and also about the proper disposal of debris, etc.

Vinyl tile flooring

• Azrock Cortina Autumn Haze – I used this in my kitchen
• Armstrong – classic black same as it ever was – and Linotesta
• Fritztile and Amtico flooring: Faux laminate and solids with sparkles
• Amtico with weld rods – a great look for mid-century modern
• Slubby/streaky Congoleum
• Armstrong ‘colonial brick’ sheet – I like it!
• Earthscapes Rivulet – looks like a small mosaic
• In general, readers: Look at the “commercial” tile section of manufacturers’ websites

True linoleum, rubber and cork

• Armstrong Marmorette
• For linoleum, also look at Forbo Marmoleum
• Rubber tile from Burke Mercer

Ceramic tile flooring – mostly for bathrooms but some for kitchens, too

• Daltile mosaics – really nice – click here
• More Daltile – click here
• Nemo Appiana mosaics in 60 color combos — also fabulous — click here
• Nemo octagon and dots in 13 color combos — click here
• Many varieties of porcelain mosaic floor tile from American Universal — click here
• Porcelain mosaic floor tile in 33 colors from mosaictile.com — click here
• Penny rounds from Modwalls – click here
• Porcelain ceramic in many retro colors and styles from American Universal – click here
• American Olean Chloe is a nice choice – click here
• I love the 60s and 70s style tiles from S.J. Masters – click here

Terrazzo and stone

• Terrazzo tiles from Daltile – click here
• Random, multi-color slate flooring.

Wood floors

• What color stain to use on mid-century oak flooring – click here

Design tips

• 88 ways to arrange floor tile from Dal-tile – click here

Yummy historical examples

• 50s Kentile
• 1963 Armstrong marketing materials
• Romany Spartan mosaics from the 60s
• Historical tile design for your retro bathroom #1
• More ways to combine floor tiles for a retro bathroom design #2
• More ways to combine #3
• The design of Anna’s floor
• Mixing solids and mosaics for effect