OCTAGON FLOOR TILES are great for pre-war homes — 1920s, 1930s, 1940s — and then some colorways came around again in the 1970s. This tile style can work, I think, for either a vintage style bathroom or kitchen floor, and that dot gives you a nice flourish of color to play with.
Nemo Tile has the largest selection that I’ve seen yet of colors for the main tile and the dot. Looks like they have a glossy and satin white, a glossy and satin black, and for that 70s house, shades of beige and shades of gray. What a hoot, I love ’em. For dots: white, black, navy, cobalt, red, burgundy, green and the 70s beige and gray. Nemo Tile octagon ceramic floor tile.
1930s reproduction sink for a bungalow, four-square or romantic revival bathroom 
Ceramic floor tile that looks like slate — including small random mosaics in 8 colors 
Terrazzio terrazzo floor tiles — 14 colors and 20 sizes, a lovely choice for a midcentury home 
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Nice tile, I have the same pattern in black & white in my master bath. My only regret is I should have used black grout. The white is too hard to keep looking good.
There is a great mint green penny round tile available at Home Depot’s website too. At Less than $6.00 a sq/ft it is a steal for this kind of tile. I see most penny rounds going for double that or more.
Hi, J.D., you remind me I keep thinking about doing a post on grout color. I tend to think that the classic, medium gray is the “default” color. It looks good with all the chrome in the bathroom, generally. Black is definitely “a look” … gray is a bit more toned down, yet it still hides the dirt.
All that said, I hear there are some new grout products with the sealer kind of ‘mixed’ in – newer formulations that keep the white from going all gray. I sealed all my grout when it went in. What a pain that was. Meanwhile, other readers — Alice, I think — have found some products that apparently can clean grout — albeit they are noxious and you must take great care when using them.
Hi All,
Whitening tooth paste works wonders to clean white grout and is not harsh to inhale.
Here’s a direct link to the penny round tile if anyone is interested. http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/THDProductCompare?errorURL=ProductAttributeErrorView&langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053&prodComp_0=100541361&prodComp_1=100572934&prodComp_2=100576491&prodComp_3=100605393&keyword=penny+round+tile
So after this post got old, now I’ve got something to add! I’m in the middle of my 1954 ranch (nothing fancy like everyone else. It’s a 900 sq. footer). The toilet has started leaking. It’s new and will come out anyway but I pulled up the 1980-ish linoleum squares I can see the pattern of the original tile floor. It looks like it was all 1/2″ X 1/2″ squares! I have no idea what color the tiles were, but it seems like the grout was light blue? I read somewhere here that “They didnt use colored grout in the ’50s”….I’m not so sure…..
Get this – the walls were finished in a white or cream based and theres a splattered blue over all wall surfaces. It’s all been painted over, over the years, but you can see evidence of this finish when things are removed. I MAY try to reproduce this finish at least for hte bathroom!
Cool, Sixoh. Hey, what do you mean “nothing fancy like everyone else”. None of us have anything fancy! I don’t know about blue grout or not around 1954…hmmmmm….good retro/archeology on your part.
This is one of my favorite floor tiles ever, its core source/manufacturer also is Nemo, I will feature it from there shortly so that everyone can find it better: https://retrorenovation.com/2007/12/19/60s-bathroom-sinks-vintage-crane-roman-theme-blue-bathroom/
Here’s another cool post showing small mosaics – Romany Spartan: https://retrorenovation.com/2008/08/01/1964-romany-spartan-tile-classic-stuff-for-retro-60s-bathrooms-and-kitchens/
And, look at Cindy’s original bathroom countertop: Very small mosaics: https://retrorenovation.com/2009/03/12/cindy-updates-her-50s-bathroom-vanity-tile-floor-and-shower-with-spectacular-results/
Nice! But now I’m worried – would they be all one color, or random, complimenting colors, like the piece you showed me? That would be awesome, but I want to be correct. I’m just exiting my 30s (yikes!), so when I was little, there was alot of ’50s design around, but even more ’60s and I remember the small tiles, usually in tan, brown, orange, blue, etc. Kinda makes you think of M&Ms! LOL BTW sorry for the previous type-os. I’m on a laptop.
Sixoh, there are lots of posts about tile on the blog. Look at the Fast & Easy Bathrooms or Flooring pages…you need to go through all of them to get a feel for what’s available and what you like/want. Also pay attention to “Related Posts” to see what other stories your search refers you to. Good luck.
im looking for solid green like a light green not dark green i didnt see that color but i definetly have that octagon tile in my bathroom floor and i dont want to remove it i just need to replace it
Looking for 4×4 octagon tiles. Dot inserts are 1 1/2 in.
Lorna, You are gonna have to go thru all the tile resources identified on either the Bathroom or Flooring Product Guides — up in the nav bar. Good luck.
I’ve been looking for retro flooring for my kitchen. I want the black/white checker style, but not black and white. Mannington used to make sage and salt color combo and that’s what I’m looking for. However, I cannot find it. My kitchen is 14 x 20 so I can by the 16ft roll and do it myself. Know where I can get it?
Brian, I have not seen checkerboard sheet vinyl in the pattern you describe — but, you could do the colors you want in commercial VCT tile… of have linoleum cut into tiles of any size to suite your needs. Checking my flooring resources up in the navigation bar, we have quite a few vintage styles, along with their makers, identified.
I used VCT tile in a black and white diagonal check pattern in my front entrance hallway. It looks AH-mazing! The only caution I have for others is to use LOTS of coats of the polish to seal the joints. I had done about 3 light coats, and when my dog had an “accident”, it leaked through the joints and warped the subfloor. Now I have quite a job on my hands to fix it. I love it though, because its beautiful, easy to do, looks great and its not expensive.
Im looking for a discontinued tile from “TheTile Works” that produced in Iowa i believe. out of business since about 1999. Its octagon with a ridge around the outside, Sepia , 8×8 A light cream/tan color. “Need some HELP here. Thanks
Tough one. We don’t tend to deal with stuff that *new* here…
Hi, we put in white octagonal flooring over 20 years ago in the kitchen (navy blue square tile) flowing into the bathroom where I switched out the navy square for a gloss white square tile. We want to re do the wall tile around a (new to us) old 1940s claw foot tub and am looking for tile ideas. Our house is a 1940s bungalow. I’ve seen lots of white subway tiles in combination with our floor, but would like to see something else. Any ideas? Something in keeping with the vintage floor tile style, but different and modern without being too modern. I’d appreciate any ideas plus pictures. Thank you in advance. Barbara
I cannot find this anywhere on Nemo Tile’s site.
Why don’t you give them a call. Sounds like it’s discontinued, but perhaps they have some left.
would like a price for the shades or beige rid 160 by square foot
We do not sell anything on this site. You need to click on the links within the stories to the companies profiled. For tile research also see our category Bathroom Help / Tile
looking for measurements and a way to purchase Nemo Tile, octagon ceramic white with blue navy dot (rid 144)
rhudy, contact the company