The deVOL Journal

TERRAZZO – A PLAYFUL TAKE ON NATURAL STONE

8th February 2023

By Ellie Morton

From humble beginnings, Terrazzo flooring dates back to the 15th century Venice and provided an affordable way for mosaic workers to incorporate natural stone into many homes. Traditionally, terrazzo flooring was created by discarded pieces of natural stone being set into cement and installed on terrace spaces, leading to the name Terrazzo which translates to ‘terrace’ in Latin. In the 1920’s designers in the US also appreciated the design potential, leading to it taking over from traditional stone mosaics. Noted for not only its design but also durability, it seems that this is why we have grown to recognise it as a popular option for commercial and public floors, such as underground tube stations. However, over recent years this style of flooring has become an increasingly popular way to make a statement in our homes once again, even for those usually favouring the most subtle of interiors.

Designers have been finding a number of ways to incorporate terrazzo back into our homes through prints, textiles, worktops, decorative accents and not forgetting, our walls and floors. It appears this graphic pattern is proving popular within the design industry due to their playfulness and durability as well as the colour and pattern combinations being almost endless. These custom-look tiles can also add interest and colour to a neutral space without being too dominating.

Authentic terrazzo flooring used to be hand poured or precast into blocks ready to be cut for installation and nowadays this level of craftsmanship makes terrazzo flooring an expensive option. At Floors of Stone we became aware of the growing desire to incorporate a Mediterranean and artisan style into our homes, which led us to introduce a handpicked collection of terrazzo effect porcelain tiles that provide a cost effective alternative, whilst still being able to mimic the beautiful appearance of traditional terrazzo.

Our Terrazzo Ivory Porcelain is peppered with mosaics of colour ranging from blues and greys to reds and browns. These full-bodied, Italian, porcelain tiles are suitable for use on walls and floors making them ideal for bathrooms or even creating a statement floor in a kitchen or hallway.

Our Montreux Grey Porcelain has been designed with a more industrial feel in mind, giving a similar effect to that found with polished concrete. These large-format, terrazzo inspired tiles, contain small flecks of colour which give a slightly subtler appearance overall than traditional terrazzo tiles.

Our Saluzzo Pink Porcelain tiles contain beautiful flecks of various colours, similar to the effect found in a traditional terrazzo tile for those more daring interiors. These stylish tiles are available in a very on-trend hexagon design, a great choice to create a wonderful splashback in a kitchen, or a feature wall and floor in a bathroom or shower enclosure.

If you think that a terrazzo inspired tile could be the right choice for your space, don’t forget you can order samples of these beautiful tiles for free on our website. Alternatively, we have a very knowledgeable sales team on hand to answer any of your queries or questions.