Indian Heritage Flooring Designs
Before vitrified tiles, Indian homes had red oxide floors that stayed cool and grew glossier with age, hand-made Athangudi tiles from Chettinad, polished IPS cement, terracotta and marble-chip mosaic. These floors are having a revival in homes that want warmth, craft and a cooler feel underfoot. They suit verandas, living rooms, bedrooms and traditional homes. Oxide and IPS floors need skilled masons and regular waxing or sealing; terracotta must be sealed against stains. Browse the designs below and see any of them on a photo of your own room.
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Red oxideThe hand-polished seamless red floor of old South Indian homes. Cool, and it ages beautifully.Living · Bedroom · Dining · Pooja
Athangudi tileHandmade Chettinad cement tiles in mustard, brick red and indigo. Colour, pattern, character.Living · Dining · Pooja · Balcony
Athangudi floralThe Chettinad tile in a green, cream and maroon flower repeat, with a plain border.Living · Dining · Pooja · Bedroom
Black oxideThe same hand-polished oxide floor in deep charcoal. Striking with white walls and teak.Living · Bedroom · Dining · Study
IPS cement floorSmooth grey cement cast in panels with thin glass-strip joints. Honest, cool and cheap.Living · Kitchen · Balcony · Study
Terracotta tileHandmade square clay tiles in burnt orange. Earthy and cool: courtyards and farmhouses.Living · Kitchen · Balcony · Dining
Marble-chip mosaicThe old Bombay floor: white and grey marble chips ground smooth, with a green border.Living · Bedroom · Dining · Kitchen
Heritage patterned cement tileOld-bungalow cement tiles in a soft floral-geometric repeat: olive, cream and oxblood.Living · Dining · Balcony · Kitchen
How it works
- 1Take one photo of your room — any phone, any light.
- 2Pick a style, a colour or a look. Change only what you ask for.
- 3See the finished room in about 30 seconds, then try another.
Questions people ask
Is red oxide flooring good for homes today?
Yes. Done well by an experienced mason, it is seamless, cool underfoot and develops a beautiful shine with age. It needs periodic waxing and can show hairline cracks if the base is not cured properly.
What are Athangudi tiles?
Hand-made cement tiles from Athangudi village in Chettinad, Tamil Nadu, made on glass with natural pigments and sun-cured. They have bright floral and geometric patterns and get smoother with use.
Is terracotta flooring easy to maintain?
It needs sealing after laying and every year or two, and mopping with plain water or a mild cleaner. Sealed terracotta resists stains well and suits verandas, living rooms and rustic homes.
Try it on your own room
See it on a photo of your own room before you spend anything.