Timeless Terracotta in Living Rooms: Cozy Infusion of Color and Texture

We are always on the search for brand new ways in which we can give our home and its interior a fresh look that moves away from the mundane. At times, this comes in the form of new colors and on other occasions it is new décor that does the trick. But today we take an entirely different route and turn to texture and ‘visual warmth’ brought in by a material that has found a whole new lease of life in the last few years. Terracotta tiles have been around forever and were once used extensively in shaping homes all across the world. But modernity and new, man-made materials pushed it into a forgotten corner; that is until the world once again started to fall in love with all things natural!

Modern living room of Barcelona apartment with white brick walls and terracotta tile floor [From: CRÜ studio]

Terracotta literally means ‘baked earth’ and that is just what you get with these gorgeous tiles. Terracotta brings along with it a certain visual warmth that is just undeniable and you feel its earthen charm even when used frugally. Beyond tiles, you can also use terracotta pots in your home for color and contrast. Putting all these ideas to work, we have for you 15 fabulous living rooms that embrace terracotta gleefully.

Beautiful Floors that Feel Organic

There are plenty of practical benefits you get from the terracotta tiles beyond the obvious visual perk of having a floor that is earthen red in hue. These tiles are pretty durable and can take plenty of traffic without showing too many signs of wear and tear. Even the little glitches accumulated over the years feel natural and with the proper sealant, living room floors in terracotta can be cleaned easily and would be free of any mold or mildew. Research also suggests that terracotta tiles are great for passive heating and cooling of homes and these floors help in better natural regulation of indoor temperature than almost any other material.

Terracotta tiles bring color and textural beauty to the white New York living room

Terracotta-tiled flooring is perfect for the light-filled living room in white [From: Orchard Hills Design and Construction]

Traditional living room with comfy sofas, fireplace and terracotta-tiled section [From: Woodtech Cabinet Specialists]

Small and beautiful living room with shabby chic and Mediterranean influences [From: Alejandro C. – Fotografia de Interiores]

A Treat for your Indoor Plants

Time for those concrete and plastic planters to move over as terracotta pots are a smart choice when it comes to picking an indoor planter for succulents and dry plants. Natural porous nature of terracotta allows for passage of moisture and air through it and helps in the growth of your indoor plants. Terracotta pots are great for homes in colder regions and giant terracotta vases are awesome decorative pieces that also have undeniable vintage charm. Many of these planters and pots are inexpensive and they also add a different texture to the contemporary living room filled with plaster and plastic!

Collection of terracotta pots inside the modern eclectic living room

Large terracotta pot used as floor vase in the corner for the living room with modern Mediterranean style

Terracotta pots and decorative pieces become a natural part of the eclectic living room [From: Shabnam Gupta]

Beautiful eclectic living room with green walls and terracotta flooring

Casual use of terracotta pots in the living room as decorative pieces [From: Skälsö Arkitekter]

Finding the Right Style for Terracotta

We already talked about the earthen red color of terracotta that is its most popular version, but you can also get these tiles in other variants of the color. This makes it a unique addition in the living room where the floor gets very little attention unless you have a colorful of pattern-filled rug on top of it. The reddish-tint of the floor makes it perfect for styles like Mediterranean, eclectic, farmhouse, shabby chic and rustic. But even more modern living rooms with terracotta-tiled floors look pleasing. Do keep the walls in these living spaces as neutral as possible as bright walls coupled with terracotta floor can present a cluttered image where you might get an overload of color.