If your home is feeling a little flat, installing patterned flooring is a sure way to inject the warmth, character and style it’s missing – as well as being a great starting point to design backwards from.
You might think that fun tiling is reserved strictly for the bathroom, but there are plenty of ways to make it work in every room of the house – whether it’s a statement hallway flooring idea that creates an unforgettable entrance, or indoor-outdoor tiles that seamlessly connect your living room to the garden.
Below, we’ve rounded up 10 of the best patterned flooring ideas out there, along with practical advice from interior design and flooring experts on how to make them work.
1. Use patterned flooring to make a small bathroom feel bigger
Many people get stuck when it comes to designing a small bathroom, but it presents the perfect opportunity to have some fun – and what better way to do so than by installing some interesting patterned tiles? In the example above, the geometric tiling takes centre stage against a neutral backdrop of white, grey and wood features.
"For a small bathroom, the scale of the pattern is the whole game. Go small to mid-scale and keep the colours close together. High contrast chops the floor up and makes the room feel busier and smaller. Soft tonal pattern gives you depth without the noise," recommends Alysia Panther, interior designer at House Designer.
"Laying it diagonally helps, too," she adds. "The eye follows the longest line across the room so the space feels stretched. Keep the walls and sanitaryware plain. One moment of interest done well makes a small bathroom feel designed rather than crowded."
Patterned tiles on our wishlist
Suitable for both walls and floors and made from durable porcelain, these eye-catching tiles will look great in any bathroom.
These gentle blue tiles will add a sense of calm and serenity to your bathroom, and look timeless against their cream counterparts.
These beautiful terracotta tiles are handcrafted from porcelain and feature a charming fan design.
Alysia leads the interior design studio at House Designer, bringing ten years of experience across residential and commercial projects. With a degree in Interior Architecture and Design and six years at House Designer, she specialises in spatial planning and creating interiors that are as practical as they are beautiful.
2. Carry your patterned flooring into skirting
Carrying your flooring up as skirting is another fantastic way to trick the eye into thinking a room is bigger than it really is. In the example above, a smaller-format tile has been installed above the chequerboard floor.
"Taking the pattern up the wall works because the junction between floor and wall is what tells your eye where the room stops," says Alysia Panther. "Blur that line and the floor seems to carry on, so the room feels bigger."
This design trick doesn’t just offer aesthetic appeal. It can also be a practical choice, she explains, protecting the walls from splashes and spills better than a wooden one would.
3. Use indoor-outdoor tiles for a seamless patio transition
Indoor-outdoor tiles are a must-have for those who love to host, creating an effortless flow between the living area and outdoor space – perfect for garden parties when the chill sets in, or dinner parties where people need a bit of fresh air.
"Running the same floor from inside to out is one of the most effective tricks there is. Take the same tile through a glass door onto a patio and the eye reads it all as one floor, so both spaces feel bigger," says Alysia Panther.
"The inside room borrows the garden. A few things have to be right though. The outdoor tile needs to be frost proof and slip rated. Keep the grout colour the same inside and out or the illusion breaks. It works best when the floor is flush across the threshold – a step kills the flow."
4. Emphasise height with a stripy stair runner
Stripy staircases aren't going anywhere, and it's easy to see why, thanks to their height-enhancing effect and overall style appeal.
"Placing stripes on the stairs gives an interesting focus and framing effect, making the hallway feel grander," explains Kirsty Barton, marketing manager at Alternative Flooring. "As more homeowners look to create spaces with personality and longevity in mind, striped stair runners and bespoke stair carpets continue to prove that practical design can still feel expressive and forever appealing."
If you decide to give this idea a go, our in-house DIY expert has written a complete guide on how to fit a stair runner, which has all the steps, prep and FAQs you need to know before you start.
Stripy stair runners we're loving
Handcrafted from low-pile New Zealand wool, this rug features ivory and beige stripes with a striking red border.
For a more subtle approach to patterned flooring, try this stripy red-brown runner, handmade to a custom size.
Add some wow-factor to your staircase ideas with this Scandi-style striped rug in shades of red, mustard, white and blue.
5. Create a waterfall effect with wall to floor tiles
If patterned flooring isn't enough of a statement for your bathroom, you could try a waterfall effect, where a vertical strip of tiles carries down seamlessly into the floor, giving it the effect of a waterfall.
In the example above, the homeowners chose a striking black and white zigzag pattern that runs from the wall to the bathtub and onto the flooring, with the rest of the space kept clean and neutral to let it have its full effect.
To save you calling in the professionals, we've written a complete guide to tiling a bathroom and tiling a bathroom floor which is packed with expert advice to help you get it right.
6. Carry the pattern up to your sanitaryware
If the idea above is a step too far, why not dip your toe in the concept with a tiled basin stand instead? In the example above, the walls behind the sink are stripped back and painted in a soft warm brown to help the tiles pop and do the main talking.
If this idea appeals to you, Lesley Taylor, interior designer and founder of Baked Tiles shares some advice. “I would look at the shape of the sanitaryware as much as the colour. If the floor has a very crisp geometric pattern, a bath or basin with a softer curved profile can be a lovely counterpoint, whereas more decorative flooring can sit well with something simpler and more architectural," she recommends.
“Placement is important as well. A freestanding bath can interrupt a strong floor pattern beautifully, while a wall-hung basin or WC allows more of the design to remain visible and can make the floor feel like a much bigger part of the room. I would decide early which parts of the pattern you actually want to see," she says, "particularly in a small bathroom where sanitaryware can cover a surprising amount of the floor.”
Lesley Taylor is an interior designer with more than 25 years' experience across residential and commercial projects. A registered member of the British Institute of Interior Design (BIID), she has authored ten books on interior design.
7. Take a maximalist approach with matching floors and wallpaper
If you're not one to design by halves, try matching your wallpaper to the flooring to create a pattern drenching effect, as shown in the example above, where a staircase ties in perfectly with a feature wall in a similar shade.
“I would think about the carpet and wallpaper as part of the same envelope rather than two separate decorating decisions," says Lesley Taylor. "They do not need to share an exact colour; sometimes it is enough that they sit within the same tonal family, with one feeling softer or more faded than the other. That creates a connection without making the room feel too coordinated," she notes.
“I also think texture has a big part to play here," she continues. "A patterned wool carpet has a very different presence from a printed wall covering, even when the colours are close, so you can use that change in surface to stop the scheme becoming flat."
8. Don't be afraid to clash bathroom tiles
Can't decide between two patterned tiles? You could mix and match the styles, saving one for your walls and the other for the floor, as shown in the green bathroom above, where the styles connect through their shared tones.
“I often look at where the pattern starts and stops before I worry about whether the designs technically ‘go’ together," states Lesley Taylor. "A patterned floor may run through the whole room, while wallpaper is confined to one wall or sits above wall panelling, and that change in coverage can make quite adventurous combinations feel surprisingly easy to live with," she says.
“The direction of a pattern matters too. Stripes, checks and other linear designs naturally pull your eye across a space, so I would avoid having several surfaces sending you in different directions at once," Lesley recommends. "If the floor has a strong directional quality, the wall pattern can afford to feel freer."
This kit has everything you need to tile, including gloves, tile cutters, grout finisher, and more.
9. Use large format shapes to make a narrow hallway feel wider
Contrary to popular belief, you don't have to use small tiles in a small space, according to Grazzie Wilson, head of creative at Ca’ Pietra. In fact, the use of larger ones can surprisingly help your space feel bigger.
“Lots of little tiles can mean lots of flooring grout lines, and all those interruptions make you far more aware of the dimensions of the floor," Grazzie explains. “A larger patterned tile gives the motif more room to unfold before you see the repeat, which can make the floor feel as though it extends further than it actually does, particularly when parts of the pattern disappear beneath a vanity, or continue through a doorway."
"I would keep the grout fairly close to the background colour of the tile too," she suggests, "so the pattern is what catches your attention, rather than a grid of joints.”
Grazzie Wilson is head of creative at tile company Ca'Pietra and is known for her creative and stylish approach. Offering consistently stylish and innovative solutions to tile and bathroom design has made her one of the most well-known and admired names in the industry.
10. Use patterned tiles on a staircase
Turn your steps into a statement by adorning them with pretty patterned flooring, as shown in the example above by Ca' Pietra, where green Edwardian-inspired tiles tie in beautifully with the earthy sage walls.
For busy communal areas like hallways, where wet shoes may be trodden through, make sure you choose tiles with high slip resistance to avoid any accidents.
Grout colour should also be carefully considered – light shades like white are a nightmare to clean and will show up dirt and mud stains brought in from outside more easily. I made this common grout mistake in my guest bathroom.
As these ideas prove, there are plenty of ways to experiment with patterned flooring throughout your home, no matter your style or preferences.
If you're sold on patterned flooring, take some time to learn about the different types of flooring to find out which material is best for your home. Or, if it's not for you, we've found some of the best wooden flooring ideas for a natural, stripped-back look.
