This drives my family and friends crazy.

Everywhere we go, I’m looking at the floors.  I could tell you about the tile flooring in every restaurant and store I go to.  My brain is noting and cataloging every surface, for better or worse.  Of course this goes for hardwoods, carpeting, and vinyl, but I’m really, really looking at the tile.  I’ve learned to keep my  observations to myself, because no one else really appreciates the commentary.  Or so I thought,

And then from out of nowhere I found…

Person wearing black pointed shoes stands on hexagonal tile floor with a black and gray pattern.

This is too good to be true. As best as I can tell it originated from an Instagram hashtag, “#floorcore“, or this account “Ihavethisthingwithfloors” and them lovingly mimicked by many, to me it doesn’t really matter which came first, because it wasn’t me, and it should have been.

Even the high-end manufacturers, and distributors of tile have recognized and copied this trend in their marketing.  I know I’ve said it before, but the fashion industry and the tile industry are closely aligned. In a world where so much of what we see is beige (or now grey) porcelain 12×12’s, it is a real treat to see what’s really out there in the world.  Not to mention that these photos always include shoes, another not so secret weakness of mine.

Woman in blue pointed heels and cuffed jeans standing on a patterned marble floor.

This is a unique one, try to take your eyes off those shoes for a second.  I could see how someone could get the wrong idea about this, at first glance it looks haphazard and random, like they just gathered up remnants of marble and installed them wherever.  You might even think that this project could be done inexpensively or quickly.  On a closer look, you can appreciate the pattern (though I wish we could see more of it).  I see artfully crafted “oreos” created from different marble tiles and repeated.  The balance of the brown marble, and the white, accented with the onyx is so deliberate, only an artist could have planned and installed this floor.  And then the shoes… cherry on top.

That’s what I think about every time I see one of these photos, I just love knowing that they exist somewhere. Don’t worry, I’m not going to break down every photo like that.  I’m going to keep my thoughts to myself, and just let you enjoy the buffet.

Brown shoes on a tiled floor with leafy green plants above.

Classic basketweave marble tile, greek key, sensible brown loafers


Brown shoes on colorful, patterned floor tiles in blue, green, orange, and white designs.

Multi-patterned tiles, deftly arranged, men’s well-worn shoe


Just a few more…


A collage of shoes on various patterned tile floors, each with unique geometric designs.

This is one Instagram trend that I just can’t get enough of.  It makes me want to travel the world, walking around, looking down.

Written by Deb O’Connor