These days, careful thought and planning before designing your living spaces is as important as the thought that is put into the building of the overall structure. With so many factors and design disciplines to choose from, every aspect of composition must be laid out and thoroughly studied. One element we can highlight as an example of this is flooring. The options for interior flooring are vast and wide-ranging however, whether you choose to go the more classic route or choose a more modern take, one option can give you both – the terrazzo stone.
Terrazzo stone was first used by 16th century Venetian builders in creating stunning flooring in churches, plazas, pathways and homes some of which can still be seen today. Back then, builders discovered that they can reuse remnants of other stones such as marble and quartz, the occasional discarded colored glass, small pebbles and then mixed them up with cement to create a variation of patterns and colors. Since then, the process of making terrazzo stone has improved with technology and time. These days, the use of terrazzo stone has increased hundredfold because of its resilience, sustainability and close to limitless design possibilities.
Patterns and Colors
Whether you are going for the more opulent, classic look or the stark and minimalist modern feel, the terrazzo stone is one of the very few flooring materials that can be made to fit both aesthetic. The reason for this is that terrazzo stone is highly customizable. Both patterns and colors can be created with the designer or client’s aesthetic in mind simply by choosing the color and size variation of stone chips to be mixed in with the cement. Moreover, terrazzo stone has quite the range of installation methods and finishes which adds to the already abundant design possibilities.
Firstly, terrazzo stone can be poured in-situ or onsite which is the ideal installation method for the larger-scaled areas and can be done to achieve a monolithic look. This can done with either polished or matte finish giving the area a more fluid, seamless aesthetic. Another type of installation for the terrazzo stone is the precast or terrazzo tile. This method of installation is popular amongst clients who live in smaller areas such as condominiums and apartments. Precast terrazzo stone is also more often used when clients want to create a more visible and colorful pattern. The chosen pattern is then mixed, poured and made offsite and then transported to the installation location for assembly.
Transcending the Trends
Design trends come and go. One day, a design element can be the trend that everybody follows, the next day, it is considered gauche and tacky. Which makes terrazzo stone stand out above the rest because it has withstood the test of time and trends and has established itself a design classic. Over the hundreds of years since it was first discovered and used, the terrazzo stone has outlasted many of its contemporaries when it comes to design preference, durability, resilience and style.