Original cement tiles: keeping them in a contemporary kitchen
Original cement tiles are often what gives an old house its charm. Our advice on restoring them and pairing them with a contemporary kitchen, based on a renovation in Compiègne.
In many old houses in the Oise and around Paris, the floor of the entrance or kitchen hides a treasure: original cement tiles, with patterns and colours that are hard to reproduce exactly. During a renovation, it is tempting to replace everything. We often advise the opposite.
Why keep an old floor
An original floor tells the story of the house and instantly gives a room character. Keeping it is also a responsible choice: a durable material is preserved and the works are reduced. Paired with contemporary lines, it creates an elegant contrast between old and new.
Assess the floor before deciding
First, we check the condition of the floor: cracked or missing tiles, worn joints, tiles that are no longer level, signs of damp. A tiler who specialises in old floors can then relay damaged pieces, fill gaps with reclaimed tiles, deep clean the surface and protect it with a suitable treatment. When partitions are moved, the junction between the old floor and the new areas also needs to be planned.
Design around the pattern
A cement tile is a decorative feature in itself. To make the most of it, we recommend simple kitchen fronts, calm colours picked from the pattern and one or two noble materials, such as brass or wood, for warmth. The worktop and splashback stay plain so that the eye goes to the floor first.
An example: a kitchen in Compiègne
For the renovation of the ground floor of a house in Compiègne, completed in March 2026, we completely rethought the space to create a more functional kitchen, more storage and smoother circulation, while keeping what gave the house its charm. The original cement tiles, carefully restored, sit alongside the contemporary lines of the kitchen. The generous ceiling height accommodates a run of floor-to-ceiling units, and a large bespoke mirror, designed by our studio and framed in brushed brass, extends the perspective. Discover this project.
What if the floor cannot be kept everywhere?
When the floor is not in good enough condition to keep throughout the room, the tiles that are still sound can be salvaged to create a tile rug in front of a worktop, clad a splashback or mark an entrance. A lovely way to keep the memory of the place. Renovating an old house? Let's talk about your project.
