Terrazzo: From Pure Function to Aesthetic

In the last few years there has been a meteoric reemergence of terrazzo. This is the biggest “surface” trend since marble replaced granite as the go to stone for the home. The major distinction between terrazzo and marble is that the latter is a natural stone. Terrazzo on the other hand is a man made mosaic material which consists of embedding chips into a matrix and polishing it. The chips that are embedded in terrazzo are often comprised of materials such as marble, granite and other stones. Today, there are many other materials that are used as chips in terrazzo such as glass, onyx or even metal. For this post I will be looking at the two major waves that terrazzo has had as a trendy material, one being in the late twentieth century and the other being in current time (2018-now). It is important to note that terrazzo is a material that has been used for centuries and that this post is specifically looking at two time periods in which it has appealed to the mass consumer market.

Shiro Kuramata, Nara Table.

The first time period in which terrazzo had great mass appeal/popularity would be during the postmodern era (1980s-1990s). Specifically I will be talking about terrazzo’s prevelance in the Memphis design aesthetic/movement. This style originated from the Memphis Group, which was an Italian design and architecture group that was active from 1981-1987. The aesthetic of this style was characterized by bright colors and asymmetrical shapes. This was quite a divisive style as many criticized it for being childish and tacky. The Memphis Group had major influence during this time and it viewed as the defining style of postmodernism. The image above is of the Nara Table, created by Shiro Kuramata. This table is a prime example of how terrazzo slipped its way into the consumer market. It is important to remember that in centuries prior, terrazzo was being used as a material primarily for flooring because of its durability. Once it started being used on objects such as coffee tables, it took on a new life that started to veer away from functionality and head towards an aesthetic based material. Terrazzo was very appealing during the height of the Memphis style because of its versatility with colors. Furniture designers such as Kuramata could choose specific colors for their furniture pieces that were popular at the time in order to appeal to the masses. I believe that terrazzo had gained such popularity during the late twentieth century because of the fact that its aesthetic matched so closely with the design movement that was prevailing at that time. In addition, I believe that the color ways and designs that terrazzo was being made in during this time have defined the way that we view terrazzo today.

In the mid-late nineties terrazzo fell out of fashion as well as its parent aesthetics, Memphis and post modernism. Post modern design fell out of favor the late nineties saw the rise of farmhouse style. This new trend was characterized by a return to classic elements inspired by Europe, such as the reemergence of chinoiserie. It would not be until the late 2010’s that terrazzo gained its popularity back.

Image Credit: Dzek

Terrazzo has experienced a magnificent gain of popularity within the last few years, that I believe is due to the publics renewed interest in modern aesthetics. For most of the 2010’s, white marble dominated interior design. It was/is used in practically every part of the home from the kitchen to the bathrooms to the fireplace mantle to flooring etc. While I believe that marble is a timeless material, I do believe that in some ways it had oversaturated the market. The image above is of a kitchen that features dark, dramatic terrazzo counters and backsplash. In many ways, terrazzo is the antithesis of what white marble represented for so many years. White marble represented timelessness and versatility where as terrazzo goes against both of those sentiments; it is not traditionally timeless and it is not versatile. To choose terrazzo for your home, you must be committed to the colors that are used in its mosaic. If one chooses white marble for their kitchen counters, they can always repaint and redecorate, and the counters will adapt. Terrazzo is not a material that is easily adaptable, as its color ways are very specific.

There are many positives to having terrazzo in your home. One of the most appealing reasons to choose this material is that it is very durable. It takes a lot of ware for terrazzo to need refinishing. While terrazzo is more durable than most other materials used in homes, I believe that the majority of people that choose to include terrazzo in their homes are purely wanting it for aesthetic purposes. The image above is a perfect example of how terrazzo has gone from being a purely functional material to being one of aesthetics. In reality, most kitchens in high end homes do not need counters as resilient to damage as terrazzo. Choosing terrazzo is an aesthetic choice above durability. The one exception to this would be using terrazzo as flooring, in which case I would argue that in those cases, the terrazzo is chosen because of its durability.

Terrazzo Outdoor Throw Pillow, Target

Over the past two years terrazzo has moved from being a building material to a mass produced commodity. This is a trend that happens whenever a new stone or texture becomes popular. The best example of this would be the endless products that are produced in the white marble finish. The image above is of a mass produced pillow that can be purchased from Target. This is a great example of how obtainable terrazzo is at the moment. For those that cannot afford to install a terrazzo floor in their home, they can obtain objects such as pillows or rugs to achieve a similar look. If you are looking to experiment with terrazzo in your home I would recommend starting off with accessories such as lamps or pillows.

There is no telling how long terrazzo will remain in style, but I believe that if you truly love something you can have it forever! The key to finding forever pieces for your home is to buy things that speak to you and to buy things that you love. And who knows, maybe terrazzo will the next thing you fall in love with.

Incorporating Fine Art in Interior Design

The use of art in the home is a tradition that has been practiced for centuries. Some of the earliest forms of art that were found in homes can be found in ancient Rome; private homes would feature intricate artisan mosaics that would adorn the walls and floors of Roman homes. Since the beginning of time there has been this desire to add beauty into the home, and it is no different today. In fact, there are many more options for people to incorporate art in the home today because of factors such as the internet, which allows people to purchase art and have it sent directly to their homes. For this blog post I will be focusing on how contemporary interiors incorporate fine art as a way of enhancing the interior design of the space as well as the fulfilling the collectors ambitions that are associated with owning fine art.

Living Room, Miami Residence. Architect: Peter Marino, Photography: Manolo Yllera. Architectural Digest, 2019

The photograph above is of the living room in a Miami residence that was designed by the architect, Peter Marino. This space features impressive architectural features, including soaring ceilings and towering windows. The floors in this space appear to be a natural stone, perhaps limestone and the walls also appear to be clad in stone. The light colors of the floors and walls are heavily contrasted with the bright, eye catching art and furniture that inhabit the space. Marino is successful in using the space above the seating area to its full capacity, height wise. Three different paintings (all by the artist Richard Prince) inhabit the vertical space. The paintings are hung in the gallery style, which is a traditional style of hanging art which focuses on filling up a wall with many works of art. This arrangement is visually appealing because the largest painting grounds the space directly above the sofa. By hanging the largest painting of the group at the lowest elevation, the two smaller paintings can lead the eye up the wall, highlighting the generous height of the space. This space also incorporates a metal sculpture by Yonel Lebovici as well as an ancient Asian sculpture on the right hand side. It is evident that the owners of this home have quite the varied collection that is cohesive enough to inhabit a room together.

Living Room in Patrick and Laurence Seguin’s Paris Apartment. Photography: Simon Watson. Featured in Architectural Digest

In the photograph above, we get a shot of a Paris living room with a minimal but strong art collection. I personally do not enjoy the furniture arrangement/choices in this room, but I do admire the art that is on display. This room features a plethora of famous furniture including Perriand stools. The style that this room is conveying is one of eclectic minimalism. The bold, red suede sofa grabs the viewers eyes and contrasts heavily from the beige rug and the brown sofa and chair located opposite of the red sofa. Above the fireplace, there is a silk-screen portrait by Andy Warhol. This piece predominantly features the color blue which contrasts with all of the other elements in the room. I enjoy the way that this piece is truly different from anything else in the room, but the interior designer in me wishes there was more cohesion between the art and the furniture in the room. A recommendation that I would make to the owners of this home would be to reupholster the red sofa in a more neutral color fabric; I personally would upholster this piece in white shearling to tie in the white walls and to let the Warhol screen print be the main focal point of the room.

Entry Foyer in the Residence of Kris Jenner, Hidden Hills, CA. Photography by William Abranowicz for Architectural Digest, 2019.

The overwhelming trend in incorporating art in interior spaces over the past few years has been to feature contemporary art as opposed to classical art. It is important to note that this is just a trend and that ultimately the choice of what art goes into a home is made by its owner. The beauty of having a personal taste in art is that it can influence the ultimate vibe and feeling of your home. The image above is of the entry way in Kris Jenner’s home as featured in Architectural Digest. The first noticeable feature of the interiors/collections of Ms.Jenner is that there was a color story/theme in mind when assembling the space. The colors used in this home are in a muted palette which starts with the warm toned wood flooring and continues through the furnishings and art. The focal point of the space is the large painting by Sergej Jensen that hangs above the natural wood console table. This painting was an ideal choice for the space as it fills up the wall that it inhabits and contrasts the white walls that it hangs on. This painting has a primitive aspect to it, which can be seen through the bleached black style of background that is behind the figures. This primitive aspect is continued to the figures that appear just barely rendered. This painting continues the primitive theme in the space which can be also seen in the furniture that has been picked; the most noticeable being the table, vases and chair. This space is rather successful in combining fine art and interior design.

The three interiors that I have examined all exemplify how modern day art collectors display their works of art in their homes. All three of these interiors show how a collector can combine their art collections with the interiors that they live with. This is a concept that is becoming more important as time goes on because of the focus on interiors being livable and personalized. Gone are the days of collecting art purely because of its value or because of its popularity. With the amount of information that people have access to, the concept of having a collection of unique objects that represent individuality has become increasingly important. Your home should feel like your very own private museum consisting of all artworks that you admire.