Tiles In History

May 18, 2022

There are now more varieties available than ever in tile design for your home and kitchen. Italian
porcelain kitchen tiles are proving very popular nowadays, and throughout history there have been some unique and amazing designs across the world.

Handmade tiles go all the way back to ancient Greece and Rome. In those days would be artists made use of clay, readily available then as it is now, to create unique patterned tiles for their homes and as a spiritual offerings to the gods.

The earliest use of tiles for decorative purposes can be dated back to ancient Egypt around 6000 years ago. Many of the oldest surviving ancient buildings feature decorative tiles, such as the Ishtar Gate of Babylon, which dates back to around 575 BC.

It was the Spanish Moors who first introduced tiles to mainland Europe in the middle ages. At this time tiles were an expensive commodity, and therefore only those with wealth could afford them. This is why many churches and royal institutions of the period were notably tiled whereas the dwellings of the regular citizen were not.

Like many other materials tiles were to benefit greatly from the industrial revolution. Mass production of tiles made them more accessible and more affordable to the average consumer. It was during this time that tiled bathrooms and kitchens first became a feature of British homes, a tradition which continues to this day.

Today there is of course a wide range of tile options to choose from. Even today, however, the artistic touch can bring out the most interesting results.

Recently Sarah Weds, a mother of two and carer from Newcastle completed a DIY kitchen renovation for just under £800. This included strategic use of vinyl floor tiles.

“The vinyl floor tiles were £25 for 4 packs from Studio,” Sarah said of her efforts, “the tile stickers for the splashback were £6.50 for 24 stickers from Amazon”.

What new and exciting tile innovations will we see next?