Victorian Floor Coverings

For owners of Victorian homes (1837 – 1901), who wish to select an historically appropriate type of floor covering for one or more rooms, Winkler and Moss in their book, Victorian Interior Decoration (1986) suggest that the homeowner consider: 1.) what products were available when the house was built? 2.) could the original owners afford them? 3.) what products and styles did nineteenth century writers recommend for various rooms in the house? And finally, which products at what cost are available today? Their book provides an excellent description of 19th century flooring coverings and modern analogs that may be available to reproduce a particular Victorian look in floor coverings.

It may surprise you (or not) that most floors in Victorian homes were covered. This was considered a necessity as, up until the turn of the 20th century, they were constructed of soft woods, usually pine or fir. Regardless of a homeowner’s wealth or social status, there was no dearth of floor coverings types to protect and cover their floors to add charm and elegance to a room. This article provides a brief glance of the types of floor coverings commonly available to homeowners throughout the span of the Victorian era.

Floor Covering Types

Paint. Softwood floors during the Victorian era were commonly painted to protect them and make them easier to clean. Even when hardwood floors came into fashion towards the end of the century, upstairs rooms were still floored in softwoods and required protection. Common paint colors were gray, dark green pumpkin yellow or brick red to protect them. My bedroom in the house in which I grew up, built circa the early 1900s, had pine floors and had layers of gray, yellowish brown and green paint.

Those clever Victorians also painted their floors to resemble marble, stone, or tile. A popular method of painting floors was called splatterdash. It’s exactly what you think it is. With just a flick of a wrist just splatter on dark splashes of paint on floorboards painted in a light color or bright splashes on a dark background. Painting kitchen floors was out of style by the end of the nineteenth century and although they were still made of wood, varnish replaced paint.

Floorcloths. Initially floorcloths were handmade; however, factory production of them began in the 1840s. Cotton, linen or hemp cloths were stretched on a vertical frame, or if handmade, nailed to a broad surface (for example, the side of a barn). The cloth was then sized, followed by smoothing and the application of four coats of stiff oil paint were applied to the first side, allowing each coat to dry before applying the next. The cloth was reversed and three coats of oil paint were applied to that side, following the same procedures. Solid color floor clothes were made, but most were painted in patterns, or, as with painted floors, faux stone or brick. Initially expensive, factory-made versions brought the cost down; however, homeowners had the option of making their own and painting them to suit. They were waterproof and easily cleaned and primarily used in vestibules, halls, kitchens, pantries and other areas that got a lot of wear. They were that century’s version of today’s linoleum or vinyl flooring. Even after their popularity waned in the latter part of the nineteenth century, many middle-class homeowners still preferred floorcloths to other coverings coming into vogue.

Tile. Plain or patterned (encaustic) tiles were in use by the mid-Victorian era and were used in entries and halls. vestibules, first floor hallways. By the end of the 19th century, tile was considered by some to be more economical than floorcloths, especially in upper classes households. Tile was durable and easy to clean. Popular in vestibules and by the end of the century it became a favorite in bathrooms. Used in kitchens; however, the middle and lower classes stuck and with wooden floors, painted or varnished.

Matting. According to Winkler and Moss, matting was “one of the most universally used floor coverings of the nineteenth century, recommended for almost every room in the house. There were different types of matting depending on use. Mats, made of coconut fiber (coir), straw or corn husks, were placed at doors and in entry halls to allow removal of dirt from shoes before entering the house or at the foot of the stairs to reduce wear. Carpet matting was essentially wall-to-wall carpeting. They were typically made from dyed sheepskin and cut into rectangles or thick woolen one with fringes or embroidery. Also, woven grass matting from India or China was popular was considered the best. Usually matting was laid under better carpets as a pad, or could be laid over a softwood floor, leaving only an edge of the underlying floor showing. Grass and hemp carpet matting was popular in the 1870s and 1880s in middle-class homes for use in lesser used rooms such as parlor and bedrooms. It was inexpensive and considered a more hygienic type of floor covering. In the house I grew up in, I remember that the perimeter of flooring in my parent’s bedroom had a darker stained border and the interior was lighter in color – an indication that the previous owner had carpet or matting over most of floor, leaving the outer edge exposed.

Drugget. Made from coarse wool cloth or wool and flax. During the first half of the 19th century druggets could be used alone to cover floors, cover the “good” carpets, and sometimes placed under the non-wall-to-wall carpets (area rugs) and extended to perimeter of the room. In the latter part of the century, they were used as carpet padding or as “crumb cloths” under dining room tables and chairs to protect the good carpet from crumbs and grease. They were passé by the end of the century; however, in less well-to-do- homes drugget still may be the only floor covering used.

Carpeting. Carpet could be “fitted” (wall-to-wall) or “non-fitted” (area rugs) and were in common use throughout the nineteenth century. By mid-century wall-to-wall carpeting was considered a necessity rather than a luxury. Patterned woven carpets included Venetian and ingrain and were not tufted as today’s pile carpeting. These carpets were reversible and thus provided greater longevity. Wall-to-wall pile carpeting, such as Brussels and Wiltons was more expensive and was found in wealthier homes. Small carpets (mats) were used in front halls over Parquet floors, parlors and sitting rooms, small, “non-fitted” varieties were used in dining rooms and bedrooms, although wall-to-wall was used in bedrooms of many wealthy households. Towards the end of the 19th century, wall-to-wall carpeting was falling out of use, partly because it was fastened down, was considered less hygienic and harder to keep clean than area rugs, matting or druggets, which could be taken up for better cleaning.[4] Imported Oriental carpets were in vogue in wealthier household during the latter part of the century, although machine-produced “Orientals” made them more available almost universally to those homeowners who wanted to include the latest in floor fashion to their décor.

Parquet flooring. Hardwood floor or hardwood parquet flooring was sometimes used in new homes built in the last quarter of the nineteenth century. This type of flooring consisted of small pieces of wood of differing species arranged in patterns. Parquet flooring was expensive for most homeowners; however, as older homes still had softwood floors, those crafty Victorian manufacturers came up with “wood carpets” which were factory-made using much thinner pieces of hardwood affixed to a heavy backing. This “carpeting” was more economical and could be laid over existing softwood floors to update an older home. It could also be used around the perimeter of a room into which an area carpet could be laid.

Final Thoughts

There so many creative ways you can accent the floors in your Victorian house – restore original hardwood floors to their original condition, or by painting softwood floors or selecting variety of floor coverings to accent each room. Woven carpets and area rugs in Victorian patterns can be obtained from specialty companies as are pile carpet types and patterns. 

Painting softwood floors is still an acceptable method or restoring Victorian floors. Rehabilitate them by painting with colors used at the time or by “splatter painting” them – get the whole family involved!

Because all the floor coverings discussed above were used throughout the Victorian era, conduct some research to determine which types you like and which will do well in a particular room. There were so many colors and patterns to choose from and some are being made today by specialty companies.

Although we do not have experience with the vendors listed below, these are a sampling of ones you can look into when deciding how you want to faithfully reproduce a Victorian look to cover or partially cover your floors. By the time you read this, there may be more vendors to investigate for historical floor coverings.

Floorcloths: For historically accurate floorcloths, Design Village Floorcloths Historic Reproduction Floorcloths: Design Village Floorcloths has a number of selections to choose from. There are floorcloths in vinyl available from other manufacturers listed online and these would be acceptable, too.

Druggets: Drugget: Scroll 1 Craftsman Style Rug | Craftsman Style Rugs ~; Carpet and Lino Print  Conservation Flooring - Rutters UK - Carpet and Lino Printing

Matting: Victorian-style matting is not as readily available as other types of Victorian floor covering, although, coir mats and runners are still available for entryways. Given that there are other products available, matting probably can be eliminated for modern living, as you can buy a variety of pads for beneath area, wall-to-wall and smaller rugs.

Tiles. Alternative tiles Victorian and period tiles - Alternative Tiles ; The Victorian Emporium Encaustic Tiles or Inset Tiles - Floor Tiles; The Victorian Floor Company The Victorian Floor Company.

Carpeting: There are a multitude of manufacturers for both woven and pile area and wall-to-wall carpeting. Look for vendors who carry Victorian patterns.

Wood Flooring: Be careful when selecting vinyl imitation floors for your rooms. Yes, they may be durable and easy to clean, however, sometimes they just don’t look right and they can’t approach the warmth and grain of real hardwood. You would be better to refinish your old wood floors and add patterned woven area rugs, or wall-to-wall carpeting.

Also, there are many online references and blogs to keep you up all-night looking at Victorian-style floor covering ideas and providing additional historical context for you to select the most appropriate style for your personal taste.

-- Joan Hawk, Researcher and Co-Owner Bedford Fine Art Gallery, January 10. 2025.

Use only with the permission of Bedford Fine Art Gallery.

References:

• Guild, Robin, 1992, The Victorian House Book, Rizzoli International Publications, New York.
• Miller, Judith and Miller, Martin, 1993, Victorian Style, Mitchell Beazley, London.
• Plante, Ellen, M., 1995, The Victorian Home: The Grandeur and Comforts of the Victorian Era, Running Press, Philadelphia, London.
• Rusk, Katherine, Knight, 1982, Renovating the Victorian House, 101 Productions, San Francisco, CA.
• Wedd, Kit, 2007, The Victorian Society Book of The Victorian House, Aurum Press LTD., London.
• Winkler, Gail, Caskey and Moss, Roger, W., 1986, Victorian Interior Decoration, Henry Holt and Company, New York.