Back to Earth: Get All Fired Up Over the Terracotta Trend
The rustic baked-earth colours and textures of terracotta are having their time in the sun
Janet Dunn
24 September 2016
Houzz Australia Contributor. Former NZ House&Garden writer and stylist, and avid interior design enthusiast. Ex-restaurateur and caterer, with a Professional Certificate in Gastronomy, University of Adelaide.
Houzz Australia Contributor. Former NZ House&Garden writer and stylist, and avid... More
The demands of the digital age on our lifestyles are responsible for much modern-day stress. Maybe the antidote is to be found in a calm and comforting home environment, which could be why we are embracing an earthier aesthetic there. By using more unrefined and natural materials, we hope to build links that help us connect physically rather than just digitally to our world. What could be closer to nature than terracotta, literally ‘baked earth’? A rich, warm and ancient material, it’s enjoying a resurgence as we get back to basics. See how to add its glow to your home.
Hang onto that floor
Do you have a terracotta tile floor still lingering from the ’80s? Stop before you call in the jackhammers. It’s often true that if you hang onto something long enough it comes back into fashion, and you may have a treasure. It could also be your decor, not the floor, that dates the room. New finishes for terracotta are tending towards a more matt look rather than a high shine, so investigate a resurface before you demolish. Getting rid of a border of feature tiles (often depicting farm animals) might also help to update the room, unless you’re after a very retro look.
Do you have a terracotta tile floor still lingering from the ’80s? Stop before you call in the jackhammers. It’s often true that if you hang onto something long enough it comes back into fashion, and you may have a treasure. It could also be your decor, not the floor, that dates the room. New finishes for terracotta are tending towards a more matt look rather than a high shine, so investigate a resurface before you demolish. Getting rid of a border of feature tiles (often depicting farm animals) might also help to update the room, unless you’re after a very retro look.
Designer Bronwyn Poole from Touch Interiors decided to keep the original terracotta tiles in a family room when she renovated her dated Sydney home. With the addition of crisp white furniture and walls, increased natural light and fresh eclectic fabrics, the warm, tactile tiles ground the room and give it a bright, clean and modern feel.
Dig it in the garden
There’s never been a better material for outdoor container plants than hardy terracotta. Centuries-old gardens all over the world flaunt the timeless beauty of old terracotta pots, moss-encrusted and streaked with age and still standing strong. For a modern look, steer clear of traditional footed urns and group smaller pots in a variety of funky shapes. The creator of this potted garden teamed eclectic plantings with recycled slate paving and a rust-effect painted wall.
There’s never been a better material for outdoor container plants than hardy terracotta. Centuries-old gardens all over the world flaunt the timeless beauty of old terracotta pots, moss-encrusted and streaked with age and still standing strong. For a modern look, steer clear of traditional footed urns and group smaller pots in a variety of funky shapes. The creator of this potted garden teamed eclectic plantings with recycled slate paving and a rust-effect painted wall.
Left unsealed, terracotta develops a weathered patina and quite amazing colours as water leaches organisms from the soil, bringing them out to the exterior surface. Contrast the mellow earthiness of old pots with distinctively-shaped large-leafed plants such as spiky succulents. See how terracotta has been used to transform this tiny courtyard garden.
Build a terracotta wall
New building products are tapping into a renewed interest in energy-saving, durable, low-maintenance materials with recyclable components and an organic appearance. Cladding systems such as Terracade, a clay facade system made from natural and recycled materials, are an example of what’s finding its way to residential exteriors. Combined with elements like timber, stone and brick, and contrasted with hard textures like concrete and steel, these terracotta facades show how contemporary an old material can be.
New building products are tapping into a renewed interest in energy-saving, durable, low-maintenance materials with recyclable components and an organic appearance. Cladding systems such as Terracade, a clay facade system made from natural and recycled materials, are an example of what’s finding its way to residential exteriors. Combined with elements like timber, stone and brick, and contrasted with hard textures like concrete and steel, these terracotta facades show how contemporary an old material can be.
Warm up the bathroom
Terracotta tiles in the bathroom? Terracotta is highly absorbent in its untreated state and generally not a first choice for wet areas. A good quality sealant solves the porosity problem – the process may have to be repeated every year of two, but it’s a small price to pay for lasting beauty.
Among the hard, functional materials generally found in bathrooms, terracotta tiles in new slim shapes, laid in vertical and horizontal stack formations rather than traditional brick bond, give an inviting warmth and modern edge to wet rooms.
Terracotta tiles in the bathroom? Terracotta is highly absorbent in its untreated state and generally not a first choice for wet areas. A good quality sealant solves the porosity problem – the process may have to be repeated every year of two, but it’s a small price to pay for lasting beauty.
Among the hard, functional materials generally found in bathrooms, terracotta tiles in new slim shapes, laid in vertical and horizontal stack formations rather than traditional brick bond, give an inviting warmth and modern edge to wet rooms.
Pick colours to complement
The clay from which terracotta comes determines its colours, and the wide tonal range makes it very versatile. There’s almost no limit to the colour palette that terracotta enables. Dulux’s 2017 predictions prescribe “a colour cure” for digital exhaustion, a remedy for our overloaded senses. The ‘Sentience’ palette takes its cues from the effects created by earthy materials like clay, minerals, stone and wood, a natural fit for terracotta, with reds, burgundies and browns thrown in with the zest of bright blues and yellows.
The clay from which terracotta comes determines its colours, and the wide tonal range makes it very versatile. There’s almost no limit to the colour palette that terracotta enables. Dulux’s 2017 predictions prescribe “a colour cure” for digital exhaustion, a remedy for our overloaded senses. The ‘Sentience’ palette takes its cues from the effects created by earthy materials like clay, minerals, stone and wood, a natural fit for terracotta, with reds, burgundies and browns thrown in with the zest of bright blues and yellows.
Boost your digital detox with a soothing neutral palette in textures that invite physical contact. Smooth terracotta tiles with a waxy finish harmonise with natural timber, chocolate and driftwood grey, freshened with white and touches of greenery. Some wear and tear adds charm, so don’t get too fussy – terracotta is a material that will grow with you. See how texture adds attitude to a neutral colour scheme.
Change shape
A popular shape for terracotta tiles in the ’80s was a 15 to 20 centimetre square, with tumbled edges. Take a more up-to-date approach with poly-sided shapes – small-format hexagonal or octagonal tiles add the interest and texture our homes are looking for. The kaleidoscope of tones means a damaged tile can be replaced without having to match it exactly. Tinted grout is another fashion-first option to give a unique contemporary look to terracotta.
A popular shape for terracotta tiles in the ’80s was a 15 to 20 centimetre square, with tumbled edges. Take a more up-to-date approach with poly-sided shapes – small-format hexagonal or octagonal tiles add the interest and texture our homes are looking for. The kaleidoscope of tones means a damaged tile can be replaced without having to match it exactly. Tinted grout is another fashion-first option to give a unique contemporary look to terracotta.
Put terracotta on top
From the Victorian period through Federation, Edwardian, California Bungalow and beyond, Australia has lauded the terracotta roof. There’s no reason to stop now – modern terracotta roof tiles are strong, frost- and salt-resistant, have high colour retention and provide insulation. Rainwater run-off from terracotta tiles is also suitable for domestic re-use. You can choose from modern profiles for contemporary homes, or traditional curved Mediterranean styles for down-to-earth rustic homes.
From the Victorian period through Federation, Edwardian, California Bungalow and beyond, Australia has lauded the terracotta roof. There’s no reason to stop now – modern terracotta roof tiles are strong, frost- and salt-resistant, have high colour retention and provide insulation. Rainwater run-off from terracotta tiles is also suitable for domestic re-use. You can choose from modern profiles for contemporary homes, or traditional curved Mediterranean styles for down-to-earth rustic homes.
Sing a song of bush and beach
Respecting a building’s context has become something of a modern architectural mantra. Homes that sit unobtrusively in their setting, reaching a friendly hand to their surroundings through materials, structure and colour, are often singled out for design accolades. In our wide brown land, 70 per cent of which is desert or semi-arid, it’s unsurprising we have a rapport with the burnt ochres, toasted browns and sandy greys and creams of ‘the bush’.
See how architect Luigi Rosselli interpreted the outback context of this workers’ accommodation on a remote cattle station with the use of rammed earth and clay – the spirit of terracotta at its most rugged.
Respecting a building’s context has become something of a modern architectural mantra. Homes that sit unobtrusively in their setting, reaching a friendly hand to their surroundings through materials, structure and colour, are often singled out for design accolades. In our wide brown land, 70 per cent of which is desert or semi-arid, it’s unsurprising we have a rapport with the burnt ochres, toasted browns and sandy greys and creams of ‘the bush’.
See how architect Luigi Rosselli interpreted the outback context of this workers’ accommodation on a remote cattle station with the use of rammed earth and clay – the spirit of terracotta at its most rugged.
To connect a casual beachy home to its surroundings, terracotta floors are a practical choice for holiday living and have a lovely underfoot feel. Temper the warm tones of a terracotta floor with cool whites, tropical greenery, sandy rattan and sisal, and touches of blue to create an affinity with the colours and textures of the outside environment. Pale sage greens, the subtle faded olive of Australian gum leaves, are a beautiful natural-toned companion to a baked-earth floor.
Browse homes with coastal style
Browse homes with coastal style
Embrace terracotta tones
Terracotta is not only a material, but the term is frequently used to describe a colour. Our mental image of ‘terracotta’ depends on how we’ve experienced it in the past. Travels in Spain, Italy or Morocco may evoke a sun-faded pinkish cinnamon-brown. Pink-spectrum terracotta shades are right on trend today as we explore the palettes of pinks, peaches and rosy pastels. Where many people find those pinks a little quiet and low-key, terracotta pinks, with earthy brown undertones, have weight, energy and a tactile warmth.
Terracotta is not only a material, but the term is frequently used to describe a colour. Our mental image of ‘terracotta’ depends on how we’ve experienced it in the past. Travels in Spain, Italy or Morocco may evoke a sun-faded pinkish cinnamon-brown. Pink-spectrum terracotta shades are right on trend today as we explore the palettes of pinks, peaches and rosy pastels. Where many people find those pinks a little quiet and low-key, terracotta pinks, with earthy brown undertones, have weight, energy and a tactile warmth.
For others, terracotta is the intense toasted paprika orange of sunset in Australia’s Red Centre. Introduce it in chunky hand-woven rugs with natural vegetable dyes and tribal graphics, textural woven wallpapers, and textiles in organic fabrics like heavy coarse linens and homespun wool.
Browse more living room photos
Browse more living room photos
Give handmade a big hand
How nice, in a world of mass-produced goods, to find something that bears a human fingerprint. Many terracotta articles are still artisan-made, like these stunning fired-earth clay bead chandeliers. They epitomise our growing desire to make our homes places where we connect with real materials and real people. Made by women of the African KwaZulu-Natal community, beads from local clay are hand-rolled, sundried, kiln-fired and dyed to make unique light shades with a human story.
TELL US
How would terracotta fit into your home? Do you have a favourite terracotta object that brings you joy? Share with us in the Comments section.
MORE
Browse a collection of modern Mediterranean-style homes
How nice, in a world of mass-produced goods, to find something that bears a human fingerprint. Many terracotta articles are still artisan-made, like these stunning fired-earth clay bead chandeliers. They epitomise our growing desire to make our homes places where we connect with real materials and real people. Made by women of the African KwaZulu-Natal community, beads from local clay are hand-rolled, sundried, kiln-fired and dyed to make unique light shades with a human story.
TELL US
How would terracotta fit into your home? Do you have a favourite terracotta object that brings you joy? Share with us in the Comments section.
MORE
Browse a collection of modern Mediterranean-style homes
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The wall was painted with Porters' Paints Liquid Iron and Instant Rust paint.
I love the way these clay pots celebrate the textures of earth in this backyard. As a potter, I am an avid fan of clay as an accent that warms a room. Even something as simple and elegant as black can root itself in any contemporary setting.
See More Organic Hand Made Vessels