Always on the search for retro flooring options, I ordered some samples from Mannington’s Progression line of 12″x12″ vinyl composition tile. There were several colors that looked like they could work for a vintage-era kitchen, basement, or even living room. Sure enough: I declare winners among:
55228 New Geranium — a wonderful apple red…- 55503 Banana Cream — a nice but not cloying yellow…
- 55170 Duchess Blue — a crisp classic blue…
- and 55101 Classic Black — although I’d compare that with the more streaky, super scrumptious Armstrong Standard Excelon Imperial in Classic Black, which has been around for decades, before making a final decision.
Note: I ordered these samples a while back. They’ve been sitting on my desk waiting their moment in the sun. Now that I go back to look at the site, I see there are some new colors. Check them out — my experience is that the image online and the tile in-hand look pretty different.
Link love:
- Mannington Progression VCT.
- All of our research on flooring options are filed in our Kitchen Help / Flooring subcategory here.
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Those color options are delicious!
Well I didn’t pick a retro color. I just had Progression installed four weeks ago but went with a neutral tone – the Almondine, which I guess many would say it was gray (horrors) but it had a green cast to it and it looks nice next to the dark green carpet in the hall. Although the streaks are subtle the installer asked about laying it and said the direction should alternate, but of course I said, is there any other way? He said people like it all in one direction and the tile does not look as nice. This tile is heavy, the color goes all the way through. It’s not going anywhere, it will last.
My mother, always ahead of her time, put a red and black checkerboard pattern in her kitchen floor. These are a great throwback.
I like that the yellow is not a “sweet” yellow or “nursery” yellow- it is like a pencil yellow and more sophisticated. If that makes sense lol
I’ve been agonizing over a kitchen floor decision for YEARS. I looked at these online last week and kinda waffled on ordering samples. But now that they have the Retro Renovation Stamp of Approval, samples of four different colors are on their way to my house. 🙂
Cut those into some different sized squares and rectangles, and it would be pretty easy to make a VCT version of the slate mosaic floors found in some MCM houses.
These tiles are all great. I especially like the black. Do they need to be sealed with a high gloss finish?
I do not know; manufacturer recommendations need to be checked…
I lived in an old Victorian House for a few years which had the original kitchen floor of the 40’s and it was red and white…I loved it.
If you are into the late 60s/70s then check out Flooringinc.com, click on “vinyl”, then click on “stone peel and stick tile”. they have a coppertone brown, harvest gold and blue in 70s styles. there is also one that has some green, called “decorative flower”. wish there was an avocado!!!!
Thanks!! I will go take a look right away!
Sorry.
I forgot to mention that the florringinc.com stone peel and stick is only 40 cents a square foot. also the coppertone brown on the monitor looks red, but order a sample, its really a coppertone brown color.
Beautiful! Wish I could find a good MCM sheet flooring option. My old floor is coved and would love to be able to keep the style.
Has anyone compared this VCT to the Armstrong VCT? The Armstrong has some beautiful colors that will work well in my house which sits at the intersection of MCM and beachy. Armstrong also has quite a bit of info about installing/using/caring for VCT in a residential setting.
I mention and link to Armstrong in the story….
Also see this macro-story: https://retrorenovation.com/2015/02/10/23-companies-flooring-cork-linoleum-midcentury-house/
VCT is always a good choice. Very durable and the closet thing made today to the linoleum we remember.
Pam,
You mentioned that you wish that the Armstrong pattern that was made from the 30s till the mid 90s (the random brick pattern) was available in off white/beige. Google “montego beige peel and stick tile”.
Hi,
Besides ceramic tile or hardwoods, is their a no maintenance or very little maintenance option for our kitchen and living room/dining room combo? We have a dog so hardwoods are out. We assume cork is a problem as well. Perhaps a slate-look tile? Real slate looks like a real pain over time but the slate-look tiles just don’t look retro enough. Any ideas would be appreciated. THANKS!
I’ll have to think about this.
Slate? https://retrorenovation.com/2010/01/20/multi-color-slate-flooring-an-authentic-mid-century-choice/
Very hard underfoot, but maybe not too much maintenance. I’m not an expert. Worth checking out.
Check out commercial sheet flooring. Perhaps there is something with a hard, no-wax finish…
Does the retro blue and yellow come in linoleum instead of PVC???
Check the linoleum suppliers. See our Kitchen Help / Flooring subcategory for our story on where to look