Luxury terrazzo floors, which decorated Italian mansions even in ancient times, have become a classic in interior design. Marble particles embedded in cement form a smooth surface with a dynamic, irregular pattern. A contemporary glance at this classic material was presented by Anna Janik-Cieśla, the TU_collective designer, as part of the Macchia Collection.
Macchia - inspired by the tastes and textures of Italy
Macchia - inspired by the tastes and textures of Italy
The unique charm of dynamic patterns formed by shards of natural marble... The choice of terrazzo instead of a sheet of smooth stone by the inhabitants of Rome or Venice seems quite unexpected. However, the fascination with adding variety to the homogeneous entirety with small pieces is close to southern culture and... cuisine. The famous stracciatella ice cream is just an example. Hard pieces of chocolate hidden in a velvety vanilla mass perfectly express the Italian temper: explosive, unpredictable, full of admiration for the world.
Such an aesthetic division in the style of stracciare, common to Italian ice cream and the floors of the palaces of Venice, although classic, leaves a profound impression. In the case of terrazzo, it produces the effect of a fanciful, extremely striking yet elegant interior. "I was wondering how to bring a modern touch to this classic material, so I investigated terrazzo closely," says Anna Janik-Cieśla, the designer of the Macchia Collection.
Italy mirrored in fabulous shades of marble
The original Italian terrazzo was made up of very small pieces of marble. They resulted in the multi-coloured, dynamic pattern of densely packed particles.
"To refresh the classic version of the floor, I decided to change the ratio of some elements. Some larger pieces of fine marble were chosen to make the surface even more dynamic and expressive," says Anna Janik-Cieśla.
Jeweller-like work on the marble helped discover its subtle, varied shades such as light and dark grey, beige and blue. These Mediterranean colours - brought into the bathroom - will be clearly recognisable to true lovers of Italian architecture.
"The Macchia Collection is not a great change in terrazzo - instead, it is a respectful adaptation of a classic form to the requirements of modern interiors. The basis of the collection is a matt tile framed by polished steel strips in a copper or silver shade," explains the designer.
Irregularity defined by boundaries
An intriguing pattern of the tiles was achieved by a thoughtful combination of a matt base and expressive shingles. The smoothly polished surface of the glaze emphasises the play of light between the darker background and the luminous marble pieces.
As part of the Macchia collection I focused on fulfilling various design requirements. Both lovers of strong contrasts and those who prefer more subtle decorations will find something for themselves. Tile variants allow for a stronger or softer distinction between the marble shards and the background. Blue and Graphite tiles represent the stronger side of terrazzo. Beige and Grey, however, make up a more subdued version, in which the pebble patterns stand out very subtly against the light tile background," says Anna Janik -Cieśla.
Such natural colouring, which is a feature of the entire Macchia Collection, has enabled the dynamic terrazzo pattern to be used without any sense of exaggeration or chaos - quite the opposite, in fact. Subduing the colours is one way of restraining the stone's spontaneity and giving a satisfactory end result, that is a unique elegance to the interior.
The collection is complemented by a light grey base tile and two types of decorative metal strips - in cold (steel) and warm (copper) tones; it allows for a perfect match with the tiles, regardless of the selected variant. The wall tiles are available in 33 × 90 cm format, and the floor tiles in 60 × 60 cm square formats.
Freedom of pattern and texture combinations
The Macchia Collection allows even the most unusual combinations of materials with a truly Mediterranean freedom. The classic terrazzo motif will go well with smooth sober tiles in a traditional interior to emphasize the sophisticated elegance of such space. The modern depiction of this motif, on the other hand, makes it a perfect match for industrial forms, such as polished concrete (Grey and Beige variants).
The wealth of patterns and shades of the Macchia Collection will be an excellent tool for the interior designer. It will provide them with maximum freedom and expressive power - all in line with current trends. You can opt for this modern classic if you are looking for a distinctive, custom collection that derives from the tradition of Italian design.