Colour of the month Many shades of Terracotta - February 2018

“Terracotta is mother earth’s gift to us, in its many shades of splendour”

Colour of the month for February: Terracotta.

Terracotta and its many shades vary from red to reddish brown, pinkish red and yellowy orange. Terracotta in Italian means "baked earth," from the Latin “terra” for earth and “cocta” for baked or cooked. When I think about terracotta it reminds me of many countries I have travelled across over the years that use this fantastic material in their daily lives. From Mexico, where it was used in creating Mayan statues and vessels, to India, where it was used in a similar way, or even to London’s Natural History Museum, which is entirely faced in terracotta tiles inside and out..no matter where you go in the world you will always find some form of this exquisite material used. Beautiful terracotta can be embraced in a contemporary modern way in your home, adding an earthy warmth to your environment. Used as wall paint or wallpaper in your living room it creates an inviting glow, and terracotta cushion covers and cashmere throws will add to the cosy feeling. Give inviting warmth to your kitchen by using terracotta tiled stone floors in geometric shapes, decorative wall tiles carved and glazed in a vintage William Morris style, or for a more simplistic modern feel use large clean unglazed slabs. If you are feeling less adventurous you can opt for accents of terracotta indoor crockery, cups, bowls and plates, or bed linens and plush velvet upholstery.