IN DEFENSE OF TERRAZZO

I’ve lived in the same house since I was born. By that house being over 30 years old in Lagos, I have a flooring material I think gets a lot of hate.

Terrazzo.

Terrazzo is a mosaic flooring consisting of small pieces of marble or granite set in mortar and given a high polish.

–Mariam Webster Dictionary

Terrazzo was invented in Venice, Italy in the 15th century. However there have been earlier iterations found in Egypt. Workers were left with odd cuts of marble after installation for the upper classes. They set small marble rocks in clay and ground them down to enable comfortable walking.

Terrazzo in the minds of a lot of Nigerians signifies an old building or space and not in a charming way. In a reminds you of your grandparents way. A lot people would prefer tiled flooring, that being more synonymous with a contemporary space. This is true, as the allure of Tropical modernism in Nigeria began to fade at the turn of the century. So did the allure of terrazzo. It was time to go with porcelain tiles. (The state of tile selection/ manufacturing in Nigeria is another long story).

But I disagree that terrazzo is a relic of the past, to be covered up with an in offensive carpet or worse those beige tiles. I think it gives character and is a great way to introduce texture in your space. Even if you’re not all the way convinced with terrazzo flooring, there are so many other applications since the development of pre-cast terrazzo. There are so many options, you could have it on the walls, by the bath, in the kitchen or even in your pool. There are terrazzo tiles as well. The options are endless.

To convince you, I’ve listed some of my favourite terrazzo uses I’ve come across in the past year.

TASCHEN BOOKSTORE

This bookstore in Milan what dreams are made of. The flooring is absolutely art and the main character.

ALEX BORDREAU’S HOME

Alex Bordreau’s family home is a dream. I love the large granite chips in the terrazzo walls and I really enjoy how the unfinished look. And the stairs rails are such a great fun and modern touch.

THE SUN SEEKER HOTEL

I love these floors cause they remind me of a similar of effect created on the facade of of a lot of older houses. The black and white go amazingly well with the colourful interiors. I really cannot wait to visit a proper design hotel.

CONCRETE COLLABORATIVE VENICE CUSTOM TILE

This isn’t an application but Concrete Collaborative does amazing flooring/ surface design and I’ve had this tile on my mind since I saw it.

DIESPEKER CUSTUM KITCHEN WORKTOP

In love with all the colors and how well they work together. Look how the designers kept the top of the kitchen white; brilliant.

SIREN HOTEL

The Siren hotel went all the way. The terrazzo check flooring and the terrazzo sink work so well together.

JO MORGAN’S FURNITURE

Spectacular. I appreciate the play on form, especially with the chairs.

GEOMETRIC FLOORING

I don’t know where this flooring is from. but I like the colours and the geometric design. I will keep researching till I find the location because I’m sure it’s an old building and it will probably have even better flooring elsewhere.

POOL EDGE DETAIL

Project I cannot find the details of but this pool is so dreamy.

KITCHEN DETAILS

It’s clean. It’s modern. The design firm is Jan George interiors and they’re based in New York but I’m getting Australian modern vibes.

If you’re not looking at investing in new flooring or a kitchen counter, there are other ways to bring terrazzo into your space. You can try terrazzo or terrazzo inspired products like smaller prices of furniture, wallpaper and decorative objects.

Apart from being amazing to look at, Terrazzo I believe is a great way to use a lot of building waste. Old glass, granite, tile, stone and marble even metal chips can all be set in different kinds of aggregate to create a beautiful material. This can be used on all kinds of surfaces and contributes to the circular economy that reduces waste and is ultimately great for the environment.

Inter style ceramics is a Nigerian brand that still retails terrazzo tiles. I tried to find other terrazzo manufacturers/retailers to add to this post, but apart from suggestions on a naira land post, I couldn’t find a website. I’m sure there are still people in the business, they are probably not online.

Remember this is not an exclusive list, you can find all of the spaces and materials I’m inspired by on my Pinterest boards. My exams are coming up in less than 3 weeks so I probably won’t be posting till the end of September. I can’t wait till then cause I get a break from school and I am able to focus on everything design.

I’d love to hear from you. What do you think of terrazzo? Would you use it in your space?

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