
Terrazzo is the new terrific
Originating in Venice 700 years ago as a sustainable way to utilize discarded fragments of glass, granite, stone, and marble, terrazzo has re-emerged as a popular and versatile material in modern home décor. This composite material, traditionally polished to a fine sheen and set in cement, is now seeing a significant resurgence, noted by its inclusion in Pinterest's Top 100 trends for 2018, with a 316 percent increase in saves for the term. While historically used for its durability in high-traffic areas like schools, terrazzo is now being creatively applied in various residential settings, including ceilings, living room walls, and kitchen countertops.
Designer Glen Peloso highlights terrazzo's appeal, noting its ability to offer a "bespoke experience" due to its endless design possibilities. He observes its widespread application in showers and bathrooms, kitchen countertops and backsplashes, feature walls, water features, tabletops, outdoor furniture, and decorative items. Peloso appreciates the vibrant colors and shapes terrazzo introduces to a room, though he expresses a preference away from the overly textured "nougat" look.
Gabriella Luchetta from Marble Trend, a company specializing in natural and engineered stone products, confirms terrazzo as their most inquired-about product. She attributes its popularity to offering a refreshing alternative to the previously dominant neutral palettes of marble-style designs. Terrazzo allows for countless color combinations, empowering clients to customize their designs with specific colors and stone chips. This flexibility has allowed homeowners to move beyond whites, greys, and blacks, embracing more vibrant and personal aesthetics.
Technological advancements have also contributed to terrazzo's modern revival, leading to innovative adaptations that align with contemporary marketplace trends, including eco-friendliness. Examples of these adaptations include Vetrazzo, a recycled glass surface made from 100% recycled fragments like bottles and traffic lights; DNA Urbano by Stone Italiana, which incorporates gravel and street sweeping debris; and Retrostone by Neolith, a scratch-proof, stain-proof, heat-resistant, and eco-friendly "sintered stone" created through a high-heat manufacturing process with advanced digital printing to mimic natural stone. These new formulations maintain terrazzo's aesthetic appeal while addressing environmental concerns.
Beyond traditional applications, the aesthetic of terrazzo has permeated various home accessories, such as planters, candles, duvets, rugs, coasters, throw pillows, and cooking boards, as seen across platforms like Pinterest and Instagram. Cynthia Soda, an interior designer, suggests terrazzo's renewed popularity is linked to a broader interest in diverse floor tile designs and an emphasis on underfoot design elements. She observes that design finishes are evolving from necessities to desired features. Soda further notes that terrazzo, being a "unique, natural and organic option," complements the ongoing trend of incorporating concrete into home design. Its sustainability, stemming from the reuse of scrapped rock and other materials, and its inherent durability, further enhance its appeal to environmentally conscious homeowners. Soda recommends using terrazzo for seamless bathroom floors with linear drains, forgiving kitchen floors, and open-concept basement flooring with white walls. She also envisions its use in backsplashes and fireplace surrounds, emphasizing the importance of judicious application to avoid overdoing the look.
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