Lovers of vintage tile — get ready to count the ways that this Friederichsen Floor & Wall Tile Catalog from 1929 illustrates the many patterns you can make with its decorative tile shapes and colors. Mosaics, pinwheels, basket weaves, plaids, geometric borders and much more eye candy fill this vintage catalog. Perhaps there’s a design here that you can replicate today, 85 years later?
The above “wicker weave” tile patterns are called “basket weave” in today’s tile-speak — and sadly, they aren’t readily available in nearly as many colors — and today, they can be very very expensive. Just look at how the different color combinations of the same tile shapes can create so many patterns. Amazing. And those borders — just gorgeous. A 1929 catalog? This must have been issued during the Boom. That came just before the Bust. We’re thinking that tile sales from this catalog were not … robust. Beware booms. If you don’t like busts.
The tile colors in this book are what really bring the designs to life. In the 1920s, color schemes for bathrooms were pretty much “anything goes”, according to Jane Powell in her essential-reading bungalow renovation book Bungalow Bathrooms (affiliate link). It was an exuberant time in terms of color and design… until the bust.
How many ways can we do checkerboard tile? Looks like a whole bunch to me. It is fascinating that the same pattern can be loud and graphic or calming depending on the color contrast and the contrast of light to dark tiles — as shown above in the last row. The black, white and green tile sample on the left is quite loud — the yellow green and black on the right is much more subdued. Same pattern — totally different feel.
Above — the staggered checkerboard in grey, black and white is one of the more neutral/classic color schemes in the book — but it still wows with an eye catching pattern. If I had a 1930s bathroom — this would be my tile pattern of choice — with a dash of color mixed in to replace the grey. Pink maybe?
When I look at the tile patterns and colors in this book — I try to imagine what the rest of the room might have looked like. Stunning is my guess.
Another favorite — the border on the tile sample above — which reminds me of rick rack sewn on the edges of fabric. So cute. *Some therapy* to get this mosaic placed, wethinks.
Above on the left — this pinwheel tile sample was made to look much more random with a uniform border — which reminds me of a blended color rug. The sample on the right also looks very rug like — almost as if someone took a photo of a rug and converted it to pixels — then used that as a pattern for the tile. Could this be an early example of 8-bit?
The floor pattern above — double random — is near and dear to me — since this tile pattern was also popular in the 1960s and is my tile of choice to use in my master bathroom remodel. Yes, you can still get very affordable tile in this retro design — and from Home Depot, in six colors. We’re guessing, though, that this 1929 was porcelain, not ceramic like the the Merola tile I will be using.
More tips on mosaic tile … but then keep going to the slide show of the entire catalog:
- Daltile’s mosaic tile designer (hard to find the link except on my blog!)
- Nicole used Daltiles mosaic tile designer to create her floor
- 34 places to find tiles in vintage colors — many of these places also make them small, for mosaics
- If you are researching bathroom floor tile, be sure to see all our stories about Bathroom/Tile here.
Friederichsen had quite a nice range of tile colors available — including three light pinks. It appears that back in 1929, the options for tile walls and floors in an array of colors abundant — something we wish were still true today.
Do any of you have an original tile floor similar to the patterns and colors shown in this catalog? If so, we’d love to see them.
To view the catalog in larger format, and in its entirety, see our slide show below.
Thanks to the MBJ collection and archive.org for making this catalog available via Creative Commons license.
Tips to view slide show: Click on first image… it will enlarge and you can also read my captions… move forward or back via arrows below the photo… you can start or stop at any image:
Tina says
Purchased a 1922 Craftsman Bungalow badly in need of replacing bad renovation tile on front porch to something era appropriate. Any suggestions? Windows/doors original and working perfectly!
Alyssa says
We just bought a late-1920s house that has tile floors throughout the main floor and in the 2nd floor bath. Kitchen and bath are black & white patterns (bathroom is a basket weave; kitchen is much simpler). Living, dining room, and hallway all look the “four in one checkerboards” but entirely in earth tones.
They’re in really great shape, and while I thought they were unusual I’m starting to wonder *how* unusual it is to have all the original rooms still intact. (Thankfully, the house also has hot water heating running under the floors, otherwise it might get a bit chilly in winter!)
pam kueber says
I think it’s pretty darn unusual for elements from a late-1920s house to still be intact. Sounds like you are really lucky — and the longevity of the tile is a testament to its quality!
Elephant Insight says
Yes, Pam, you are right. Thank you. Its a 1/16″ grout line. American Olean does have the 1″ solid body porcelain mosaics in matte, in a variety of colors . They have a pattern tool, and I think, maybe they will make up your sheets custom, but our local suppliers don’t carry samples or know about the design tool. The AO website does not always work, but you can call them, they call their web support and he calls back! Its been so unwieldy I asked my client to reconsider marble mosaics, which he wanted and I dissuaded him against as not really normal for a small, modest house.
Elephant Insight says
Where Oh, where can we still buy these? I have a 1910 Servants Quarters in Charleston, SC that we have to reinstall history – removing the cheap 12 x 12′ that a former contractor placed. My structural engineer says the house was “mauled”. Its what I’d like to do to that contractor and the permit office!
pam kueber says
Alas, you just missed World of Tile. They had some stuff that might have worked.
We focus on postwar here, so I don’t have the research you need. You need really good porcelain mosaic flooring with minimal grout lines, I think….
MJ says
Look at American restoration tile in Arkansas . And subway mosaics. They both do these kinds of mosaics and patterns.
Good luck.