A 13m2 / 140 sq ft. ceramic floor with double borders c.1920-1935

Handmade in Rebaix, Belgium between 1920 and 1935, this beautiful set of ceramic tiles reflects a period of refinement and evolving design priorities in European craftsmanship. Produced by the Société Anonyme Céramiques Moderne, the tiles emerge from an era when Belgian manufacturers were adapting their output to suit new architectural tastes and spatial requirements—most notably transitioning from the larger 16cm / 6.3 inch format typical just after the First World War, to a more compact 14cm / 5.5 inch square. This shift marked a thoughtful recalibration toward urban residential interiors and more nuanced decorative schemes.

Each tile in this set is 14cm square and approximately 15mm / 0.6 inch thick, and the floor arrives with its original borders, laid in a double back-to-back configuration. The reverse of the tiles bear a squared relief stamp, a hallmark of the Rebaix factory, confirming its provenance. The tiles have been carefully reclaimed and restored, revealing the full depth of their colour and slip, and preserving a tactile sense of early 20th-century quality.

The total surface area is c.13m2 / 140 sq ft. and we include in the gallery photographs of a randomly selected c.1.2 m² / 13 sq ft. section of the floor, which is representative of the whole floor. Also included in the gallery is a scan of the original factory building, now closed, serving as a quiet homage to their place of origin.

Highly fired for durability, the tiles will perform well with underfloor heating systems, offering a seamless integration of heritage material with modern utility. 

Tile quantities:-

FIELD  tiles – 515 - 10.1m2 / 109 sq ft.

LARGE borders – 140 plus 8 corners – 2.9m2 / 31 sq ft. – 10 linear metres / 32.8 linear ft*.

*Based on a double back to back lay of the borders as shown in the photo gallery. Double the linear lengths for a single lay of the borders.

NOTE Antique tiles were most commonly made in single or two tile moulds. Before current computer automation methods their moulds were made my hand and the colour slips mixed by eye. Kiln temperatures could also be variable, as could the firing time. The result is that often tiles display subtle size and thickness variations and there can be tonal variations in colours, owing to the slip mixing and/or firing time. All of this makes these handmade tiles unique and adds to their charm. Some floors display their subtle variations in size and tones, some not, but when photographing we always take a random section of the floor so that it is representative of the whole. A tiler should always dry lay a section of the tiles to familiarise himself with them before starting to fix lay.