Melly Reid from Yorkshire, who is renovating the Victorian house she bought with her partner last year, has discovered stunning geometric floor tiles hidden beneath the carpet in her hallway. The find, shared on social media, has delighted her hundreds of thousands of followers.
Unexpected find under the carpet
In a video clip, Melly is shown using a butter knife to prise up a corner of the tired, grey carpet in the large hallway. As she peeled it back, she revealed wooden flooring that matched the adjacent room, along with distinctive Victorian geometric floor tiles in a striking deep red, green, and white design.
The tiles, though slightly faded, appeared to be in excellent condition. Melly uncovered more of the tiles as she continued pulling back the carpet, and the flooring now requires a thorough clean to reveal its true beauty.
Viewers react to the discovery
Thousands of viewers commented on the video. One said: "Made my day." Another wrote: "This is the closest thing that I'm going to see to a live buried treasure reveal."
About Victorian floor tiles
Victorian geometric floor tiles surged in popularity from the 1860s through the 1890s. Driven by the Gothic Revival movement and manufacturing innovations, they transitioned from grand public buildings and churches into the hallways and paths of ordinary middle-class terraced homes.
While basic geometric unglazed shapes are widely available as salvage or modern replicas, specific maker stamps (like Minton), rare colourways, such as specific blues or glazed ecclesiastical greens, and intact large panels command high collector value. Individual salvaged geometric pieces often sell via marketplaces like eBay for around £4 to £10 per tile.
