What colours should you match with terracotta tiles?

WHAT COLOURS SHOULD BE MATCHED WITH  COTTO TILES? - Cotto, a material as old as human history that never goes out of fashion, has been regarded for decades as an elegant and refined choice for its flooring. It is not only suitable for country and seaside homes, but is also often laid in city dwellings, as it can warm up interiors with its warm red tones.

Terracotta flooring is typically characterised by shades in reddish or orange tones, it is certain that such a warm and saturated colour is not easy to match, it must in fact be strategically combined with a certain colour palette. The colour of terracotta varies depending on the origin of the clay used: it ranges from a dark red to a brick red, to orange and light pink tones. In addition, if the handmade terracotta floor is produced in a wood-fired kiln, it will have the typical lighter shades given by this type of firing. This is the case, for example, with our cotto from the Ecologica series.

After this brief introduction on the terracotta floor, we will now explain which colour to match your terracotta floor.

• WHITE & CO TO PLAY IT SAFE

Obviously, the easiest and most straightforward tones to match with terracotta flooring are white, beige, cream, butter white and all its shades. With this colour you can indulge in the choice of furnishing accessories as you start with a neutral base on the walls and a warm colour on the floor. The furniture can be made of light or dark wood or even lacquered. A few black details, such as a few pieces of wrought iron furniture, would provide the necessary contrast. The ideal choice for those who want to achieve an ambience with a classic and traditional flavour without too much effort.

• GREY FOR A MORE MODERN STYLE

If, on the other hand, you want to freshen up your living room and give a modern air to the rooms, then the colour to combine with your terracotta floor is definitely grey: mostly anthracite grey and dark grey, perhaps picking up the colour of the joints in the floor. Be careful though, make sure you have sufficient artificial and natural light in the space; this colour is not suitable for rooms that are too small and dark. Once you have ascertained this, choose industrial-style furniture with materials such as iron and raw wood, and finally brighten up the room with brightly coloured fabrics.

• GREEN FOR FRESHNESS

The terracotta floor matches perfectly with walls coloured in green, be it a pastel green with soft tones or a forest green or the beloved sage green, even in more saturated tones for those who want to be daring. Crisp and libertine, this colour is the right choice for those who want to break away from the usual creamy white and are looking for something different and less traditional, but not too demanding. This green/terracotta combination comes from the past, from the peasant houses of yesteryear. It therefore pairs beautifully with traditional style furniture in natural wood or rustic walnut, but is also perfect with white pickled shabby chic furniture or with the natural wood and ethnic fabrics of boho chic or country chic.

• RED TONES FOR THOSE WHO DARE

If you want to experiment with tone-on-tone colours, the way is certainly not easy, but it is feasible if well thought out. A powder pink wall can be combined with a terracotta floor, for example, in which case use light grey or light wood accessories. A wall in brick red or burgundy tones undoubtedly intensifies the colours of the rooms, giving the room character, provided the furniture is total white or in light wood. In this case the style should be minimal and well thought out to avoid a heavy and tacky effect.

Take a look at Ecologica's handmade terracotta flooring for further inspiration on colours to match your floor.