Recreating the terrazzo: an interplay of colours

Inspired by the Venetian terrazzo, a new range of full body porcelain stoneware tiles incorporates crushed marble fragments to express the beauty of the material that inspired the collection. We spoke to Tile Warehouse about the latest trend in Venetian-inspired flooring.

Traditional terrazzo dates back to ancient Egyptian mosaics, although terrazzo is most well known due to its later Italian heritage - and most predominantly Venetian terrazzo. In its contemporary format, terrazzo tile is used commonly - perhaps most infamously on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The modern terrazzo tile is a reinterpretation of the early Italian format, incorporating marble fragments to create a unique, glistening finish designed to capture the light at different angles. 

One of the latest collections to hit our shores is the Venice Villa range by Tile Warehouse. “Venice Villa reinterprets the famous Venetian terrazzo in a contemporary key, combining the appearance of crushed marble fragments with the excellent properties of full body porcelain stoneware,” Tile Warehouse’s Jacqui Robinson says. 

“The result is a real interplay of colours that capture and reflect light, enhancing homes and commercial space. Inclusions of fragments express the beauty of the material that inspired the collection, faithfully reproducing it in a ceramic surface that is extremely easy to lay, maintain and clean.”

It’s a collection that stands out for its variety of colours and fragments: the marble effect fragments appear like gems and result in elegant, personalised combinations, Jacqui says. 

The reinvigorated trend for terrazzo tiles began in Europe and is now seeing popularity across Australasia with the style of tile being specified in a large range of settings from homes to commercial settings.  “In terms of colour, pink is on trend at the moment and is a hue we expect to remain incredibly popular into 2020,” Jacqui says. 

The Venice Villa collection is available for pre-order in New Zealand ahead of its release in December 2019, and it has already been specified into an airport, various retailers and a transport hub pre release. 

“The drawcard is the innovation and creativity behind the development of this range. Real terrazzo chips are added to full-bodied porcelain giving a ‘gem-like’ quality to each tile. No two faces are the same, the design is original and the terrazzo flows through the whole tile. A significant factor is that, unlike traditional terrazzo, full-bodied porcelain does not wear out and holds its colour so the flooring does not wear in colour nor form over time.”

Tile Warehouse will stock five colours - white, zinc, ivory, silver and graphite with the full range including pinks through to neutrals, as well as alternative sizes and finishes, available to order. 

The Venice Villa range has an R10 (P3) finish, which means it is a non-slip product suitable for all applications, including high-traffic commercial spaces. It can also be used in all areas of the home from living spaces to bathrooms and bedrooms. 

Visit Tile Warehouse on ArchiPro here to find out more about this exclusive range.