Everything you need to know about using Terrazzo Tiles in your New Bathroom Renovation

Terrazzo tiles offer a wonderfully timeless aesthetic in the home, especially in the bathroom. Their unique pattern and characteristic speckled finish makes it incredibly simple to create a cohesive and stylish colour scheme in your next bathroom renovation project making them the perfect choice for your bathroom flooring or as a feature wall tall. 

When it comes to selecting your new bathroom tiles you will want to consider the differences between an authentic terrazzo tile and a porcelain option, the variety of colours you want to include in the space as well as care requirements to ensure your new tiles stand the test of time. 

What are Terrazzo Tiles?

You will often find terrazzo tiles to include chips of natural stones such as marble and granite as well as specks of coloured glass that are embedded in concrete resulting in an incredibly hard and durable surface finish with a distinct speckled pattern. The first terrazzo tiles were conceived as a solution to use up bits and pieces of leftover natural stone from the building industry, recycling these chips to create a new design that could be used as a durable floor or wall surface finish. Terrazzo tile manufacturers continue to use this method of design, making this unique and stylish product a wonderfully sustainable solution as the process minimises waste and creates a new life for these exquisite resources.

Suitable for floor and wall use the stunning Ditto Terrazzo Kit Kat tiles present an authentic terrazzo material in a stylish and trending mosaic tile format.

How to Match Terrazzo Tiles in your Bathroom Design

Thanks to the various chips of colour embedded in the tiles themselves, terrazzo tiles provide the perfect starting point for your next bathroom renovation’s colour scheme. Matching your bathroom’s finishes and colours with terrazzo tiles is simple when you focus on the individual colours present in your selected tiles. For example, certain types of terrazzo tiles feature deep, emerald green specks in their pattern making this same colour the perfect choice for your bathroom cabinetry, effortlessly unifying your bathroom tiles and vanity to create a cohesive and balanced look. 

 The Galleria Terrazzo Look Tiles feature a bold pattern that includes fragments of white, grey, black and warm beige. The timber cabinetry featured in this space perfectly matches the beige tones present in the tiles, creating a strong sense of balance in the colour scheme.

The same technique can be employed for any style of terrazzo tile, from the smoky greys to the more colourful retro inspired looks that feature a range of bold colours such as green, orange and brown. Monochrome terrazzo tiles can be paired with a range of classic charcoals, greys, black and white for a bold and elegant look while the more colourful varieties can be paired with a selection of more playful and colourful finishes to create a unique and personal style in your next bathroom design project. 

Mixing & Matching Bathroom Tiles

Whether you are using terrazzo tiles in the bathroom as your floor or wall finish, combining different bathroom tiles is simple when using the same colour matching technique as mentioned above. Select a colour that is featured in your new terrazzo tiles and use this as the foundation of your overall tiling scheme. Select from a range of solid coloured tiles that will perfectly complement as well as balance out your bathroom tiles to create a perfectly unified look in your design. For example, a terrazzo tile that includes specks of white can be effortlessly matched with pure white wall tiles to create a sense of balance and harmony in the space. 

Terracotta toned terrazzo wall tiles are perfectly matched with the luxurious basin in this bathroom design. The milky white specks shown in the tiles are reflected not only in the benchtop but also in the connecting wall’s tiles to create a wonderfully balanced colour scheme.

What are Terrazzo-Look Tiles?

Terrazzo-look tiles are porcelain tiles that are specifically designed to simulate the look and feel of a traditional terrazzo product. Porcelain tiles are famous for their incredible strength and durability: these tiles are resistant to moisture, staining, scratching and temperature changes, making them an excellent option for a low maintenance bathroom design. Another exciting benefit of porcelain tiles is that they can be created to emulate the characteristics of a variety of products such as timber, marble, concrete and even terrazzo. Unlike authentic terrazzo tiles, porcelain tiles do not require sealing, making them an ideal choice in spaces that will see plenty of wear. 

The stylish Italian made Lazio Terrazzo Look Tiles are available in three stylish colour options. Made of tough and durable porcelain, terrazzo look tiles will never require sealing, making them an excellent choice for the busy home.

Do Terrazzo Tiles need sealing?

Traditional terrazzo tiles will require sealing at installation as well as every few years thereafter. As the body of the tile is made of concrete (a porous material) and the tiles themselves will also often feature a range of natural stones within them, sealing provides a protective barrier on their surface that will help in preventing discoloration or staining over time. If you would prefer an option that does not require sealing, porcelain terrazzo-look tiles are the next best solution!

Terrazzo tiles offer a timeless and elegant look in the bathroom, drawing inspiration from retro interiors while still offering a modern style as well as a hard wearing and durable surface finish. Our team at Perini Tiles can recommend the best terrazzo or terrazzo look porcelain tiles to suit your design style and budget while also assisting in the creation of a complete bathroom colour palette consisting of cabinetry and benchtop finishes as well as wall paints. Visit our tile showroom or book a free online design consultation to get started on your next bathroom renovation!