How To Style Terracotta


Updated on

By Nimrita Sabharwal

In the last couple of years, this rich earthy color has steadily been making its way into a wide array of interior decor products as well as wall paints and textiles. Our modern lifestyle leaves us craving for items that would incorporate elements of nature into our lives. Terracotta artworks bring an instant element of earthiness and rawness into our space. Over 10,000 years old, Terracotta is truly an integral part of Indian culture and heritage. Where other traditional artforms have been lost over time, terracotta is still largely flourishing throughout the nation. 


What is the color of terracotta?

 

When we think of terracotta, we picture it as a deep burnt orange with tints of browns. But this warm earthy color actually ranges from shades of peach and pink, to browns and reds, along with undertones of gray and tan.

 Colour and Shades: How To Style Terracotta

Literally coming from the words “baked earth”, terra-cotta is truly timeless and its distinctive red tones are a result of iron content and minerals reacting to oxygen. Visually present through decor, pottery, textiles, wall paint and flooring, the effect of terracotta is always eye-catching. The warm tones evoke emotions of happiness, optimism and warmth, colors leaning towards orange are perceived as cheerful and help reduce aggravation. Red and Orange tones drive appetite and hence fit perfectly in dining rooms and kitchens. 

Adding terracotta artworks in your dining or living rooms by building small corners with these earthy items, truly gives your home a modern boho aesthetic and immediately brings warmth to your space. Terracotta is an incredibly versatile color that blends wonderfully with both cool and warm shades. A favorite among decorators for its flexibility, as it beautifully fits with minimalist and eclectic styles. 

 

Outdoor Roof Tiles: How To Style Terracotta

The most iconic terracotta item across India is the traditional terracotta pot for house plants and small trees. Apart from that, there are plenty of other forms of terracotta that you can use to incorporate this popular earthy aesthetic in your homes. Adding dry flowers to terracotta vases will give them a chic edge. They could be placed as decoration in formal areas of your home. Terracotta goes best with subtle walls and flooring. A sober room with terracotta will bring out the alluvial decor  and brighten the room. The juxtaposition of these traditional items in modern settings is what makes them stand out. 

Make your own Terracotta centerpieces to bring that earthiness to your celebrations. Small terracotta vases with flowers decorated intricately make for brilliant centerpieces. You can even add terracotta candle stands to complete this earthy look, creating a vivid ambiance for your dining experience.

 Vases: How To Style Terracotta

 

If you want to take this a notch further while truly embracing the sustainable lifestyle, you can add Terracotta crockery to your dinnerwware. Apart from its well-known health benefits, terracotta plates bring an aura of warmth to the table, appealing family members to sit together at meal times.

There is a wide range of dinnerware including terracotta serving dishes, bowls, jugs, glasses, cups and teapots that can be used to bring this boho setup to life.  Apart from the dining area, you can also find terracotta ornaments, wall plates and sculptures that you can use to incorporate this versatile artform in your home. Indoor terracotta hanging pots are a creative use of terracotta in your home decor, the earthiness against the green of the plants reminds you of your connection to the vast natural landscape that lies outside your home. 

 

Planters: How To Style Terracotta

 

The combination of Terracotta and plants are the absolute best, especially indoors. Be it big or small planters or even small terracotta sculptures around plants, the terracotta color really stands out around our modern home setups.

One of my favorite spots for terracotta is in the garden, the artworks bring to life the entire space with its warmth and its position in nature just feels right. You can add terracotta planters, statues, sculptures and lamps to bring together your terra-corner! Hang up beautiful Terracotta Mural tiles and wall plates, which tend to be more expensive as they are intricately molded and more difficult to make. You can collect extremely unique terracotta artworks that are rare to come by and create a one-of-a-kind aesthetic for yourself.

If you want to start small, terracotta lamps and tea lights are comparatively smaller trinkets that can be added to any corner of your room. Their natural appearance combined with the bright flame brings warmth to the entire space it is placed in. As the festive period set in, these tealights and diyas are the perfect pieces of terracotta to bring home and gift!

We at MeMeraki have an extensive selection of terracotta pieces in our collection. We have sculptures, tea lights, mural tiles, pots, cups and wall plates all handmade by our master terracotta artists Dinesh Molea and Dolon Kundu. You can check out our collection here!