| In the realm of art and architecture, mosaic, geometric | | | | and dots were formed into floral patterns, whereas in |
| and floral patterns are among the most enduring | | | | the New World, subsumed into heritage and colonial |
| creations from the Victorian age. Artists have | | | | architecture along with Old World Spanish designs. |
| innovated the use of these Romantic, gothic revival | | | | From classic English houses, geometric stylings |
| and art nouveau styles across decades, coming up | | | | resurfaced in pre-war homes in the Americas. They |
| with fresh shapes, shades and grains for authentic 19th | | | | merged with traditional hardwood furniture and were |
| century designs. Octagons, hexagons, rectangles, | | | | given rich earth tones in the Roaring Twenties and |
| squares and triangles were ever present in Victorian | | | | later joined sunburst patterns and received metal, |
| floor and wall schemes in the patio, fireplace, bathroom | | | | chrome and other shiny finishings in the Vintage |
| and kitchen. Genuine Victorian period octagonal floor | | | | Hollywood Thirties. Originally from these decades, art |
| tiles spanning 1830 to 1901 were not only handmade | | | | deco is a major contributor to geometric design. |
| but also colored, painted or drawn on, and laid by hand. | | | | After trailing in the Forties and Fifties, octagonal floor |
| Modern-day octagonal floor tiles continue to be desired | | | | tiles emerged once more in the Seventies with its |
| by interior designers and home builders as some of the | | | | avocado and citrus shower and toilet floors, and then |
| most intelligent ways to embellish flooring and walling, | | | | the Eighties with its caramel and chocolate bath and |
| whether in exterior or interior spaces. Probably the | | | | kitchen floors. There is an enormous selection of |
| most sought after is the octagon and dot motif. It is so | | | | building materials at present such as vitrified clay, stone, |
| called because each octagon is made to have little | | | | travertine, terracotta, slate, sandstone, quarry, porcelain, |
| diagonal sides, and when four diagonal sides from four | | | | marble, limestone, granite, glass and ceramic. Available |
| different octagons converge in the middle, they create | | | | surface finishing includes textured, stone, satin, mosaic, |
| a diamond as little as a dot. Due to the advent of | | | | matte, glossy, glass and encaustic, from top tile brands |
| printing, white and blue were the dominant color match. | | | | like Castello, Armstrong, HR Johnson and Roppe. |
| Contemporary homes today might have white | | | | Octagon and dot tiles now grace numerous restored |
| octagons with either black or white dots. | | | | Victorian, heritage, vintage, retro and contemporary |
| Geometric schemes next figured in Edwardian era art | | | | homes. |
| nouveau with its natural shapes and tones. Octagons | | | | |