Hallway Tile Ideas – 18 ways to make an impact with feature floor tiles
If you want to transform your hallway into a grand entrance, installing new floor tiles is one of the best ways to make an impressive impact.
Whether you opt for an elegant Victorian-inspired tile design, or a sleeker, more modern tile, changing the flooring in your hallway is well worth the investment.
Product Used: Blenheim 3 Colour
What are the best tiles for a hallway?
All hallways will receive heavy footfall, from wet shoes and muddy paws to bikes and scooters, our hall floors take a constant bashing and need to be tough.
Tiles are arguably the most practical choice for a hallway. Waterproof, scratch-resistant, easy to clean and long-lasting, there is a vast choice of sizes, colours and textures to choose from, helping you to create the perfect floor for your home.
Hard-wearing porcelain tiles are extremely durable and available in almost every imaginable size and colour. From realistic-looking wood and stone effect tiles to sleek, polished tiles, there is a porcelain tile for every hallway.
Natural stone tiles are among the most beautiful tiles you can choose. With their natural colours and texture, you can create a unique floor that lasts a lifetime. Although stone floor tiles require a little more maintenance than porcelain tiles, the natural beauty of real stone makes it well worth it.
Natural terracotta tiles are worth considering for a hallway. Designed to withstand wear and tear, these tiles are incredibly hardwearing and perfect for heavy traffic areas.
Victorian hall tiles are another popular choice for hallways. These unglazed ceramic tiles are available in a selection of shapes and colours that can be combined to make beautiful, traditional patterns. Although these tiles will need to be sealed after fitting, they’ll make an extremely hardwearing hallway floor and can even be used outdoors to create elegant pathways.
Which colour tiles are best for a hall?
The colour you choose for your hallway tiles will depend on personal preference, as well as taking into consideration how much light the hall space receives. A large, bright open hallway can pull off any tile size, style and colour but you might want to consider a lighter tile shade in a dark or narrow hallway.
Picking neutral shades for your tiles means you’ll be less likely to go off them and they will go with any colour scheme, it’s also a good idea to pick plain coloured tiles if you’re planning to continue them through the rest of the house.
If you’re keen on colour, mosaic floor tiles will work in any hall space and there are dozens of colours to choose from. You can vary the tile pattern to help create the illusion of more space, get creative with borders and pick unusual or more traditional colours to suit your style.
Hallway tile ideas
Because the hallway is the first thing you see when you enter a house, it’s worth taking time to plan the flooring carefully. Grab a few tile samples to help you make your decision and, if you’re not competent with fitting tiles yourself, get some recommendations for skilled tilers.
Whether you’re planning an eye-popping, patterned floor or prefer a chic, sleek style, we’ve put together a selection of the most beautiful hall floor tiles to help you create a stylish hallway to welcome you home every day.
Light and bright
Timeless and practical, simple light-coloured ceramic tiles are always a good choice for a hallway. They will go with everything, are easy to keep clean and are one of the least expensive options for a hallway. Using black or dark-coloured grout is a great idea in a hallway as it won’t discolour, it’s especially practical if you have children and pets!
Classic checkerboard
A timeless pattern, that’s still as popular today as it was in Roman times, black and white floor tiles will add elegance to any hallway. Although they’re usually seen in Victorian and Edwardian-style homes, checkerboard tiles will look equally impressive in modern houses.
From small, narrow hallways to the biggest entryways, the flexibility of this traditional design makes it suitable for any space. Laying the tiles diagonally will help the floor appear wider, making it a clever choice for a long, narrow hallway. You can add a border for extra elegance.
Chic grey
The grey interior trend is here to stay. A refreshing change from neutrals like beige and cream, grey adds a modern touch to the home. Large format, light grey floor tiles are a good choice for a hallway, helping the space to feel bright and airy. Large floor tiles work especially well when continued through to the kitchen and downstairs cloakroom. Match the grout to the tiles for a seamless finish.
Natural stone
If you prefer warm neutrals, a natural stone floor may be for you. One of the more expensive flooring options, stone floor tiles will outlast wood and ceramic floors and are undeniably beautiful.
Many natural stone tiles have a rustic, worn appearance but don’t be put off if you have a modern home, stone can look equally at home in a new build property or an old cottage and it’s one of the best ways to add character to your home.
Stone floors require a little more maintenance than ceramic or porcelain tiles, they’ll need to be sealed periodically and you’ll need to use a suitable floor cleaner. Otherwise, a regular hoover or sweep is enough to keep a stone floor looking resplendent.
Patterned floor tiles
The hallway is a great place to have some fun and make a statement. Because hallways can be shut off from the other rooms in the house, you can choose a completely different floor design for this area. Hallways are usually on the smaller side too which means they can carry off a bold, busy design to perfection.
Elegant marble tiles
Chic marble tiles are one of the most stylish options for a hallway. Although beautiful, natural marble can chip if heavy objects are dropped on it so you may prefer to opt for a realistic-looking marble-effect porcelain tile instead.
Marble floors look exquisite and will suit large, bright hallways and help to open up small, darker halls.
Vintage Victorian-style tiles
If you’ve ever been lucky enough to lift up a hall carpet and find Victorian floor tiles underneath you’ve probably restored them to their former glory. These highly desirable floor tiles are made from vitrified ceramic and include several different shapes that can be skillfully laid to create beautiful, intricate patterns. Unlike ceramic tiles, the colour runs through the whole tile, making them especially durable.
Suitable for use indoors and out, Victorian tiles are usually seen in period homes but are increasingly being laid in modern homes due to their beauty and huge range of dazzling design options.
Coloured Victorian tiles
If you want to create a grand entrance, consider fitting coloured Victorian floor tiles. With colours ranging from traditional red and blue to more modern pink and yellow, you can create a truly unique floor. Opt for traditional flooring patterns like Falkirk or Dorchester, or come up with your own unique design.
Natural slate tiles
Add rustic charm to your hallway with a stylish, slate floor. Extremely hardwearing, slate brings an understated elegance to a home. Slate can be cold underfoot which is perfect during hot summers, but not so good during the long cold winter. You may want to consider installing underfloor heating if you’re using slate over a large area.
Wood-effect tiles
A wooden floor always adds warmth to a home, plus it goes with every colour and style and you’re unlikely to go off it anytime soon. Wood effect floor tiles have all the aesthetic benefits of wood without the maintenance. You can lay them in any pattern and simply whizz over them with a mop every now and again to keep them clean.
A beautiful, practical option for a hall floor, continue wood look tiles through into the kitchen for a seamless look. Tiles that flow throughout the house will also help your home feel bigger.
Black floor tiles
Black tiles are a bold choice for a hallway floor, but if your hall is light enough to carry it off, they can make a stunning addition to your home.
You can opt for large format glossy or matt tiles or do something completely different with chevron subway tiles.
Monochrome Moroccan tiles
If you’re giving your hallway a makeover, consider adding ever-popular Moroccan floor tiles into the mix. Inexpensive, hardwearing, practical and gorgeous, what’s not to love about these eye-catching tiles?
Feature entryway tiles
If you’d like to give your hallway a makeover but can’t stretch to retiling the whole floor, consider adding a feature tiled area where the doormat would usually go. You can extend it back as far as you’re able. It’ll create a super-practical area and you can have fun with statement floor tiles.
Mixed checkerboard tiles
There’s no doubt that black and white checkerboard floors look incredible, but introducing another colour to the floor can be even more breathtaking.
We love this stylish hallway floor which exudes more warmth than a monochrome floor.
Traditional terracotta tiles
If you’re after something a little different, consider adding terracotta tiles to your hallway. Extremely hardwearing, terracotta works beautifully well in minimalist homes, going perfectly with white walls and wooden accessories.
The natural colour variation of terracotta tiles will add warmth and character to your home that can be harder to achieve with plain tiles. Natural terracotta floors will need to be sealed and it’s recommended to use a cement grout between the tiles.
Adopt octagon and dot tiles
Another traditional pattern, octagon and dot is a beautiful, classic design that will add an elegant touch to a hallway. As stylish as black and white is, you don’t have to go monochrome, you can choose tiles in warmer hues depending on your preference. Adding a patterned or plain border makes the design more formal.
Mini Mosaic tiles
Mosaic tiles may not be the first idea that springs to mind when thinking about tiling a hallway, but these miniature tiles know how to make an entrance. The great thing about mosaics is that you can personalise the design and add pops of colour wherever you like.
Polished porcelain tiles
Ultra sophisticated, pristine, polished porcelain tiles are extremely hardwearing and a great choice for hallways. Don’t let the glossy finish put you off, these tiles are very easy to keep clean with just a quick wipe-over. This is another tile design that looks incredible when continued through into other rooms in the house. Keep grout lines small and match the grout to the tiles for the best effect.
Hallway tile tips
- Depending on your budget, continuing hallway tiles through to the other rooms in your home can make a real impact. This works especially well with large format, plainer tiles and is a clever way to make an area look bigger.
- If you’re worried that tiles will be too cold underfoot, consider installing underfloor heating before laying the tiles. A couple of well-placed rugs are a good idea too, although you may not want to cover up your beautiful tiles.
- Hall floors can get pretty dirty so keep yours in tip-top condition by using an absorbent doormat and giving the tiles a regular sweep or mop.
- Try to visit a tile showroom if you can, especially if you’re choosing large-format stone-effect tiles as these can have quite a bit of variation and it’s well worth seeing how they look over a large area.
If you’re thinking about revamping your hall floor, Atlas Ceramics has an extensive selection of hallway tiles to choose from. Browse our selection yourself or call one of our experts for advice.