10 Timeless Terracotta Tile Ideas

Ageless, sustainable and perfect for adding a warm, rustic aesthetic to your home, terracotta tiles are always in style. The oldest terracotta tiles can be traced back to ancient Greece,
Egypt and China 7-10,000 years BCE, before becoming a staple building material in European homes.

Image credit: @jatanainteriors

Recommended Tile: Antique Pammet Terracotta

Terracotta tile ideas

These Terracotta tiles can give your home a welcoming glow and a rustic, Mediterranean feel. We’ve selected a few of our favourite ways to use these beautiful, sustainable tiles in and around your home.

Create a welcoming entrance

Using durable terracotta tiles to line the floor in a porch is both practical and attractive. With their rich colour, terracotta tiles help to create a warm and welcoming feel, perfect for the entrance to your home.
Tiling a small area is a good way to introduce terracotta tiles to your home, although we’re pretty sure you’ll fall in love with these gorgeous tiles and want to use them more widely.

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Tile Suggestion: Natural Terracotta

Mix it up with hexagonal terracotta tiles

Traditional terracotta tiles are square, but as the demand for these natural tiles has grown, so has the range of shapes available. Hexagonal tiles are attractive and timeless and work equally well on walls and floors.

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Add warmth to a bathroom floor

When sealed or glazed, terracotta tiles are an inspired choice for bathroom walls and floors. Use them to bring warmth to a neutral colour scheme, match them with exquisite wallpaper or just let their natural beauty shine through by adding them to an all-white colour scheme

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Tile Suggestion: Antique pammet

Create a beautiful shower area

There are many areas where you can use terracotta tiles and a shower floor is just one of them. Natural terracotta tiles have a slightly textured, rustic feel that works well underfoot, providing a reassuring and practical non-slip surface. Terracotta floor tiles need to be sealed regularly with a special non-slip sealant, especially in areas where they come into contact with water.

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Add a traditional feel to the kitchen floor

Bring a Mediterranean vibe to your kitchen with traditional-style, square terracotta tiles. The burnt orangey-red tones of terracotta work well with all colours of kitchen cabinets, but we particularly love the combination of terracotta with deeper shades of blue, green and slate grey

Image credit: @cotswoldinterior

Recommended Tile: Antique Pammet

Combine different tile materials

Terracotta is a versatile material and its warm hues and understated appearance make it the perfect partner for many other types of tile. Tile combinations are often at their most effective when contrasting tile types are used. Try pairing rustic terracotta tiles with smooth, white porcelain tiles for a refreshing take on the classic black and white checkerboard floor design.

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Recommended Tile: Welsh Porcelain Slate Cardiff White

Try something different

Terracotta tiles aren’t just for the floors and walls of your home. Try cladding the sides of a breakfast bar or kitchen island unit with beautifully shaped terracotta tiles for a deliciously different look. The advantage of using terracotta tiles for vertical surfaces that don’t get wet is that they’ll need sealing less frequently.

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Create a Mediterranean-inspired splashback

Add a touch of the Med to your bathroom by creating a gorgeous terracotta tiled splashback. Even if you don’t have an archway in your bathroom, you can lay your tiles in the shape of an arch and cut them to size. Use moulded border tiles to frame the terracotta tiles.

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Add a practical touch to a hallway floor

Few tiles are as warm and welcoming as terracotta. They create an attractive entryway to your home, they’re durable and will go with all types of decor. The tiles you choose for your hallway need to work hard, they’ll experience heavy footfall, dirt and dampness and face scrapes and scratches from pets, luggage and bikes. Terracotta tiles are durable enough to withstand the knocks of everyday life and will look incredible for years to come.

Image credit: @cotswoldinterior

Recommended Tile: Natural Terracotta

Create a Spanish-style terracotta patio

Get the holiday feel every day by installing traditional terracotta tiles on the patio. Terracotta tiles are perfect for patios and work well in all styles of gardens. Make sure that you choose a frost-proof option for the chilly British winters.

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Why Choose Terracotta Tiles

Made from iron-rich clay which gives the tiles their distinctive reddish, brown colour, the Italian term terra-cotta translates as ‘baked earth’. Terracotta tiles are completely natural, making them the most eco-friendly tiles on the market. The tiles are often made by hand, meaning that the maker’s handprints are sometimes visible on the tiles and each piece is unique.
Terracotta tiles have always been in style, but their warm hues, eco-friendly qualities and sheer versatility have helped them become one of the top design trends this year. Whether you want to pep up your patio, bring warmth to your kitchen or add a unique touch to your bathroom, terracotta tiles might be just what you’re looking for.

Where can I use terracotta tiles?

Natural terracotta tiles are tough and durable and can be used throughout the home, in the garden and in areas like wet rooms and bathrooms.
Terracotta is popular for its rustic, earthy appearance and warm range of colours from pale ochre and brown to deep red. Because terracotta is a natural material, it is porous and must be sealed to protect it from water damage, dirt and staining. Sealing will also make your tiles much easier to clean. You can also purchase ready-glazed terracotta tiles which won’t need to be sealed.

Are terracotta tiles hard to clean?

The only downside to terracotta tiles is their porosity. Unlike porcelain, terracotta will absorb moisture which can lead to staining as well as the growth of mould. Unglazed terracotta tiles are a magnet for dust and dirt, making the tiles difficult to clean and dulling their natural colour. Regularly sealing the surface of the tiles is easy to do and well worth the effort to protect and maintain your terracotta tiles.

Top terracotta tile tips

Wherever you decide to place them, terracotta tiles will make a beautiful addition to your
home or garden. Here are our top tips for getting the most from your terracotta floor tiles:
● Get samples – Natural terracotta tiles can vary considerably in colour so it’s worth having a look at the different ranges and getting some sample tiles.
● Seal the deal – Terracotta tiles are amongst the most attractive of all tile types but they can discolour and stain easily if not protected. Sealing terracotta tiles is quick and easy to do and it’s well worth the effort to keep your tiles looking their brilliant best.
● Combine tile types – Take advantage of terracotta’s versatility and use it with different coloured porcelain tiles to create a stylish floor or splashback.

Atlas Ceramics stocks a range of handmade terracotta tiles for your home. Browse our selection yourself or call one of our friendly experts for advice.