As a wannabe but slacker preservationist, I am very interested in finding out what my home would have looked like when it was first built at the turn of the last century. In preparation for our bathroom renovation I did a little research on the history of American bathroom design…
I must say I was a bit alarmed to learn that colors like peach, coral and mint were surprisingly common in bathrooms of the early 1900s. But, luckily, my research also confirmed that black and white geometric tiles are just as historically accurate. This bold combination has consistently been a popular choice since way back when the outhouse first moved in house. The shapes and patterns vary from hexagonal to checkerboard; octagonal to pinwheels; penny rounds to basket weave. But whatever style you choose, rest assured that black and white tiles will look terrific and timeless in any bathroom decor.
FIRST ROW
• 1 Jeremy Renners.
• 2 Hammers and High Heels.
• 3 Modern and dramatic penny tile in black with light grout. Jeremy Renners.
• 4 Design Manifest.
• 5 She Knows.
SECOND ROW
• 6 Bathroom Tour From Bungalow Tile.
• 7 Inspired Remodeling
• 8 Borodener.
• 9 Mint Design Blog.
• 10 Alix's Granny Chic.
Images: as linked above
Dirty Little Secrets of Tidy Families
Hillary & Michael's Refined Roost
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Nomade Express Slee...
My Staple Summer Cocktail Recipe: Campari & IPA Spritzer
Easy Pickle Recipe: Cucumber Kimchi Bites
I love all of these!
We considered a black and white floor for our guest bath. I think we're going with white, but I think we're going to use it in the hall bath.
Interestingly enough, I have the build slip for my 1952-built home and the black and white geometric tiles in my bathroom are indeed the original.
They sell an exact reproduction of my tiles at Lowe's.
Why must you tempt me with pictures of my dream bathroom? *sigh*
All 4 bathrooms in my former house had these floors and I didn't appreciate them properly until I moved into my current house. Built the same year (1938) but with crummy linoleum floors from the 1970s.
I definitely like the black and white look in bathrooms with a lot of light. They look a little dead in a bathroom with no windows, though.
Dulcibella, chances are good that the original floors are still under there. Because of the way original tiles are laid, they are a pain in the rear to get out, so most people left them and simply put new flooring over them (that's what they did in our 1929 house and we have talked to lots of people who found the same thing). So you may get lucky if you check.
Just a warning - do not click on the Jeremy Renners link at work. There are ads for strippers all over it & some interesting videos to go with them!
But I do love that bathroom. : )