Are You On Team Terrazzo?

This post is sponsored by our friends at The Tile Shop.

Using Terrazzo In Your Home

I’ve been noticing terrazzo pop up in my scroll a lot lately, and I’m thrilled with all the ways I’m seeing it incorporated into home design! You?

Years ago, I remember Sarah Sherman Samuel designing a custom terrazzo mantle in Mandy Moore’s home; I locked that memory away, ready to pull it out should we ever have the privilege to restore a mid-century home. That inspiration has stayed with me, and lucky for us, terrazzo is much easier to source than it has been in the past. The Tile Shop offers both authentic terrazzo tile as well as porcelain terrazzo-look, which we’ll be using in our Red House bathroom renovation!

What Is Terrazzo?

Terrazzo combines natural stone chips in a concrete base, often polished to a high gloss for a smooth, durable surface. Modern day terrazzo – meaning ‘terrace’ in Italian – originated in 15th-century Italy and was traditionally used outdoors. It gained popularity in the mid-1900s, which is why you might notice it more in mid-century home design. That said, you have likely been up close and personal with terrazzo flooring in commercial spaces as well, such as building lobbies, airports and restaurants. Whether you’re using it indoors or out, terrazzo offers a distinctive look that’s both fresh and timeless.

We’ve pulled together three imaginary mood boards that incorporate terrazzo tile as a base. Let’s have some fun with it!

Terrazzo In a Bathroom

While we’re going moody in the Red House bathroom, I wanted to see how The Tile Shop’s Pure White terrazzo tile would look on a bathroom floor. We had fun with light-toned wood, brass finishes and black mirrors for contrast. This would make the sweetest teen’s bathroom that could easily transition to any style by swapping out the shower curtain.

pure white terrazzo tile | spring time off-white brick tile | towel bar + ring | shower curtain | lights | mirrors | vanity | faucet | shower system | stool | bottle

Terrazzo In a Kitchenette

In this example, I pulled in the Bianco Micro colorway as a backsplash, which is a part of their terrazzo-look collection. I wanted this look to feel fun and light, but with earthy-colored sage cabinetry and lots of plants. It would be the prettiest twist in a small kitchenette.

bianco micro terrazzo tile | black marble countertop | white dove wall color | pendant light | sconces | range + hood | shelf | dishes | faux plant | cabinet | sink | faucet | stool

Terrazzo In an Entryway

This look might be my favorite, as we combined both of The Tile Shop’s Payande and Pure White terrazzo tiles for a checkered entryway. Payande brings in hues of blue, grey and beige, swaying it slightly cool. I love how it looks when paired with the creamier neutral of Pure White.

payande terrazzo tile | pure white terrazzo tile | wallpaper | light | mirror | table | vase | faux stems | bench | hooks | pillow | boucle pillow

Would You Use Terrazzo?

Or have you already brought terrazzo into your home? Perhaps yours is original! We’d love to know what you think about terrazzo in home design by sharing below or tagging us on Instagram so we can take a peek at how you’ve used it. And if you enjoy these mock mood-boards, please let us know – and share the one you’d copy-and-paste into your home. (It’s the entryway for me!)

See our Red House bathroom mood board here, how we narrow down our tile choice in a design, 5 things to consider before you tile, and a fun tile video interview.