I’m ready to roll my sleeves up and work on a whole new house. If only moving wasn’t such a hassle. Today I’m planning out the floors for my new house (which exists only in my dreams right now). When it comes to floors, wood or tile are the main go-to’s. It’s always fun to push the envelope and experiment with something new…or in this case, old. I’m talking about Terrazo floors which have been around forever but aren’t usually the first thing that comes to people’s minds when they are considering flooring.
Terrazzo is a process that consists of mixing small pieces of marble of other aggregates in to concrete or epoxy. It became really popular in the 1960’s and 70’s. I can remember as a kid the Salt Lake City airport used to be all speckled Terrazo floors and I loved it. But then they remodeled. I have not idea what’s there now but obviously nothing that made an impression for me to remember.
Terrazzo was really popular in mid century design but it is really making a resurgence because of its low maintenance, durability and clean sleek look.
As for me, I love it!
Are you a fan?
Hey there! I’m Michelle; I’m an Passionate DIY’er and in constant pursuit of how to bring beauty to my house full of men (3 boys + 1 hubby). Stick around and see what I’ve got up my hard-working sleaves!
The architectural firm I work for uses terrazzo in a lot of our school projects. They are great because like the first image you can make unique patterns. It is really interesting to watch it being installed too.
Maybe it’s me, but I grew up with churches, libraries, and my high school with this flooring. I am not intrigued by them, I feel like they scream childhood memories of retro furnishings, nothing I would ever want in my home. But to each their own.
Terrazzo doesn’t feel like a private residence flooring to me. I might use it in a laundry room or bathroom, but that’s probably it. I feel like other areas of my home needed a warmer look.
You’re definitely right…it’s a specific style. It’s not really a traditional style flooring. I think it would look great in a more modern home or space. 🙂
Just to clarify: while terrazzo become more popular in the 1960s and 1970s, it most definitely wasn’t created at that time. Terrazzo flooring has existed for hundreds of years. http://www.arcadianflooring.com/history.html
Thanks for that info…I’ll update that.
Looooove terrazzo floors! I would love to put them in when I build my dream house! I’ve heard that they are expensive to install but they’re sooo pretty.
Ooo! I’d love to see it if you do it!
not a fan of that with all of the other beautiful flooring options out there..why go back in time?
I hear ya. But, hey, “what’s old is new again” too. 🙂 Thanks Marilyn!
I adore terrazo floors and wish I could have some. They are a problem, though, in places where foundations shift or where there are earthquakes. Once they crack, they are hard to fix (not impossible, but expensive in many cases). If one lives where foundations don’t typically settle unevenly over time, they are great in residences.
My second favorite is Marmoleum. It’s probably better for residences because it has more soundproofing qualities (they make a version that is specifically meant to deaden sound). It is perhaps not as durable, but it is a green product, a bit warmer underfoot, and a bit softer underfoot. So, my next reno probably will involve Marmoleum (we went with tile last time for the sake of the budget).
Marmoleum? Never heard of it. Intrigued though. Off to Google it. Thanks for the tip! 🙂
Terrazzo floors were very popular when our development was built in SWFL in the late 60s. In our house we have white with peach and gray speckle, sadly the previous owners installed a laminate wood like floor or carpet over them and destroyed them! We did remove the carpet in our son’s nursery so it’s visible in his room, but there are tack strip damage all around the walls. Although I wish it wasn’t the peachy color. Our neighbors have a really pretty white, gray and gray-blue floor though that is stunning in person.
What a huge bummer! In my search of Terrazzo floors I did find a lot of patch and repair kits. Is it too far damaged to be repaired?
Oh nice. I do like those!! Very glam.
love terrazzo! I think it’s actually making a come back, which I am so happy about. i love the subtle pattern and that there aren’t any lines, like between tile and wood planks.
I love that too! After having to clean tile grout lines and then have my wood floors warp I love that Terrazzo almost indestructible!
I have terrazzo in my house (a 1960 ranch) and it is truly easy to keep clean. Plus, it looks so stylish. I don’t think I ever would have put it in my house but I do love that it’s there!