Hallway tile ideas: how to create a grand entrance

First impressions are so important, for property just as much as for people. So it’s vital that your home’s entrance looks suitably stylish. Flooring is an important (and sometimes overlooked) element of any interior design scheme. But your hallway flooring in particular sets the tone for your home. After all, it’s the first area that guests encounter when they visit. That’s an issue that’s especially relevant at Christmas, when the sociable season is in full swing.

Hallway tiles explored

The right floor tiles really can make or break the look – and feel – of your space. Need some inspiration for a hallway flooring makeover? Read on to discover how our customer Callie transformed her home’s entrance using a combination of our Ca’Pietra Osterley Porcelain Black Squarefloor tiles and our Ca’Pietra Osterley Porcelain Texture Square White tiles.

The beauty of black and white: our customer Callie is loving her new hallway floor, which showcases our Ca’Pietra Osterley Porcelain Black Square and Texture Square White tiles. This monochrome floor makes a striking feature which showcases natural stone flooring in all its glory

A period project

Callie, an accomplished photographer,moved into her current family home in September 2021. The Victorian property dates back to 1875, and it needed a lot of TLC. She’s been documenting the renovations over on Instagram (@ourvictorianhome1875), including her new hallway flooring.

 Traditional goals

“This is definitely a project house,” Callie confides. “I don’t think it’s our forever home, but we really wanted to renovate an older property. My dream home has always been a period house with lots of period features. I love the idea of history in a home, and the idea that generations have lived where I do.”

Keep things classic with ourCa’Pietra Cote Bourgogne Limestone Seasoned tiles, sourced from a small, independent quarry in France. The beautifully textured surface can make all the difference to a hallway floor

Planning the hallway flooring

Callie’s original hall looked very different. “It was painted all white,” she confirms. “There was light brown toned laminate flooring, and carpet on the stairs.” This wasn’t an aesthetic that fitted Callie’s preference for timeless styles, and her dream hallway tile ideas were very different from what she’d inherited.

Before her hallway makeover, Callie’s floor was a light brown toned laminate that jarred with the rest of the period property. The white walls didn't work with the look she had in mind either

 Adding warmth

“I wanted something which felt warm and welcoming with an obvious ‘wow factor’,” she relates. “The house originally was very bland, so I wanted to reinstate a bit of character.”

Choosing new floor tiles

Monochrome was always a front-runner for Callie’s hallway tile ideas. “I’ve always wanted black and white tiles in my home, especially in the hallway,” she confirms. “But I also wanted something more ‘aged’ for my hallway flooring, which worked better with the rest of the house.”

Welcome to the wow factor: Enhance your hallways with ourBert and May Crosses Old Iron Porcelain tiles. This striking design can be laid in large crosses, stripes or zig-zag patterns. Porcelain tiles make a great choice for both wide and narrow hallways due to their durability

Callie describes her design objective as a “vintage charm look”. She fell in love with our Ca’Pietra natural stone floor tiles while doing some online research, and was prompted to purchase by our excellent reviews.

Key things to consider

The best hallway tile ideas have to work hard and natural stone or porcelain tiles are ultra durable. Appearance, of course, is paramount. Everyone wants their floor tiles to look fantastic, and create a welcoming, inviting space for family and friends. Don't forget to factor in forgiving floor coverings too when you come to decide. After all, a hall is going to encounter heavy traffic due to friends and family.

Colour and pattern can really elevate a modern entrance hall. The clever tessellations of ourBert and May Blue Alalpardo Porcelain tiles offer endless versatility. These patterned floor tiles look super-stylish in this space and a porcelain tile makes a great choice for a hallway floor

Durability rules 

But your hallway flooring ideas have to be practical too. Entrance halls are a high-traffic area, so the flooring option you choose has to be hardwearing. Can your floor tiles cope with everything family life throws at them? Think wet umbrellas, muddy boots, dirty paw prints and anything a toddler tantrum might involve.

Hallway flooring materials

Thanks to their durability, natural stone and ceramic floor tiles are perennially popular choices for hallways. But they can sometimes feel cold underfoot. If that’s an issue, why not invest in underfloor heating? Luxury vinyl tiles or reclaimed terracotta tiles perhaps are excellent alternatives for your hallway. The latter especially feels physically warm and cosy underfoot – and terracotta tiles are also suitable for underfloor hearing.

OurBert and May Coarse Terrazzo tiles are the perfect choice for a statement hallway floor. They’re incredibly durable and easy to maintain. Due to the patterned tile, it's one of the most forgiving floor coverings too

Colours for hallway flooring ideas

Materials aside, any new hallway tile ideas should also take into consideration colours and patterns. Trends and tastes change, so think hard about your choices. Statement floors and patterned tiles aren’t for everyone. But if you want this particular room to have some wow factor, there’s no shortage of tile options to choose from. Forget cut pile woven carpets if you want a hallway floor which will stand the test of time.

OurWoodpecker Goodrich Salted Oak engineered wood flooring offers all the beauty of parquet, with added practicality – it’s guaranteed for 100 years! This parquet flooring will withstand natural wear and it will provide a welcoming space in an instant

 Being realistic

A colour palette that doesn’t show up dirt, scuffs and stains is understandably more of a priority for busy households with younger children or pets. And size matters, too. Darker floor tiles can make a space seem smaller, while lighter colours have the opposite effect.

Fans of darker colour palettes are sure to appreciate ourWoodpecker Harlech Stormy Oak engineered wood flooring, which combines character with serious longevity

Floor tiles planning and prep

Sometimes, installing new hallway flooring is an easy, straightforward process. But sometimes it’s not – especially where older properties are concerned. Many of our clients lay their floor tiles themselves. Others prefer to call in the professionals. Either way, preparation is key.

 Calling in the experts

“We love doing work ourselves, but a family friend installed our new hall floor tiles,” Callie explained. “The floor was very uneven, so we needed an expert eye to help us with this.”

She continues: “We actually had to level the hall floor out first. We also had to take off the skirting boards, so we needed to be really careful not to damage them.”

Think holistically

The best hallway flooring ideas complement other elements of the space in question. So do consider how our chosen floor tiles fit with your stair options and lighting, for example.

Period features 

Callie’s heritage-style floor tiles work well with her home’s windows and doors, which are all original. “We were due to repaint and fix any little areas next year,” she explains. “But we have just repainted all the doors in the house. And we have installed shutters on all the front windows.”

Ideal for contemporary interiors, ourFloorify Cannelé F058 Vinyl Planks are durable, waterproof and offer a realistic wood-like finish

Light the way

Lighting should be another key consideration for your home’s hallway. It needs to be practical, of course. Nobody wants their festive guests stumbling around in the dark. But it should also create the right ambience.

 Choosing the right lighting

“We wanted a pendant-style light fitting, to create a bold but elegant look,” Callie reveals. “I think the umbrella shape and style of the lights we chose add texture to the space.”

Source of inspiration

If you’re keen to begin your own hallway flooring makeover, take advantage of all the online inspiration that’s available, and where accessories are concerned, Callie is a big fan of budget-friendly resources such as charity shops and Facebook marketplace. “I’m always on the lookout for second-hand vintage buys,” she admits.

Since laying her new floor tiles, Callie has repainted her walls in Farrow & Ball’s Setting Plaster, in readiness for the festive season

 The end result

Ready for Christmas, the hall is now complete with decorations

It’s a successful strategy. “I’m in love with my hallway now,” Callie declares. “The new tiles have added so much character and warmth. I always get so many compliments on the flooring and the Farrow & Ball Setting Plaster wall colour shade.”

Inspired to revamp other rooms in your home? Clickhere to discover bedroom design ideas for pre-teens