Why Terrazzo is a Great Material for Countertops and Backsplashes!
Over the course of the last couple of months I have shared most of the elements of our new kitchen as we lead up to the final reveal which will come early in January. So far, I have shared all about our Cabinets to Go cabinetry, sustainable wood flooring, lighting choices, brass sink, and even our new cookware and knife set we are loving! We have some finishing details to tackle over the holidays, but as you saw last week in my holiday housewalk tour, we are SOOOOO close to being finished. Today I wanted to share a little more about our kitchen progress: terrazzo countertops & backsplash. To be perfectly honest with you, I didn’t have terrazzo on my radar as a potential choice until we were just about ready for demolition. When I first planned this kitchen, I really wanted quartz countertops and backsplash, but the look I wanted was going to cost us around $18K. At that price, that choice was eliminated and I was on the search for something else that would be beautiful, could also be used as a backsplash (I knew I wanted slabs rather than tiles). I don’t remember how or when I came across the idea of terrazzo, but as soon as I started working it into my design plan, I fell in love! Today I am going to share some peeks at our terrazzo countertops from Terrazzco, as well as insight into why this is such a great material for kitchens. (FYI, I received a very generous discount from Terrazzco, but even without my discount, the cost would have been just over half of the cost of the quartz I had liked.)
Terrazzo is Beautiful
Just to recall, let’s take a look at my original design plan.
With the mix of black, white, wood, and gold that our kitchen was going to have, terrazzo was the perfect complement! Terrazzo aggregates bring a unique and earthy vibe to a space, but truly can be done in almost any color. Terrazzco offers so many different color and style aggregates, and I was able to create my own custom mix. Some people opt to do all white terrazzo, or all one color chip, and there are different sized aggregates that can be used as well. I preferred the larger aggregate so that it would look less speckled and more organic. Choosing the colors proved to be a hard task because there are SOOOO many directions one could go in. I absolutely loved the design of this kitchen which featured a bit of pink but I worried about tiring of the color or moving one day and resale. In the end, I selected a mix of black, gray, white, and earth, which is a deep tan. If you prefer not to choose your own custom mix, Terrazzco also offers designs of their own.
Basically, you can really create a custom look that suits your vibe. My goal was something earthy and a bit modern, but I’ve seen beautiful beachy terrazzo with recycled glass, and I’ve seen really soft and neutral which could suit any space.
Terrazzo is Durable
Have you ever looked down when you’re walking in an airport or perhaps an older school and noticed what the flooring is made out of? Ever since we ordered our countertops, I would be out and about in a well trafficked public place, look down, and think, “Oh hey! That flooring is terrazzo!” I saw it when I was in airports traveling to Texas in October, and in my son’s high school. And it makes perfect sense because it is so durable. Once it’s been sealed, it is impervious to water, and it won’t chip like many other materials. If it can withstand heavy foot traffic, then it can withstand the years of use we will put on our kitchen!
Terrazzo is Eco-Friendly
This one was huge for me! I didn’t want to have countertops created that would be wasteful or toxic in their creation. When you order slabs of marble or granite, there will be sections cut off that are waste, and sometimes are never used. However, my contact at Terrazzco specifically told me that they aim to be as close to zero waste as possible and they use every part of their materials. Additionally, Terrazzco uses recycled materials, and their epoxy mix is low VOC. From their website, “Because terrazzo is innovative, consists of recycled materials, and can be sourced locally, it can play a huge role in shaping the world of architecture.”
The company that I worked with, Terrazzco, is a U.S. Green Building Council Member and they are very proud of how they work to better our environment with their product. We are thrilled with the look of our countertop and backsplash, but also so happy to know that they were created responsibly. You can read more about the company’s environmental ethics here.
There are more of the pros and cons of terrazzo here, but these are the factors that helped me make my decision in the end.
Aside from the general statements about terrazzo, I want to add that I really enjoyed specifically working with Terrazzco, who happens to be somewhat local to me in the Charlotte, NC area. We had some miscommunication at one point, but in the end everyone was fabulous to work with and delivered a beautiful product that I am going to enjoy for years to come. Additionally, if you are in North Carolina, and looking for someone to install terrazzo, stone, or other countertops, I found someone who is amazing through Thumbtack, and I would be happy to pass on his information. Jose of Marvel Stone was quick, communicative, efficient, and did a beautiful job.
If you are considering terrazzo for your upcoming home improvement project, I can’t recommend it enough. You will have countertops that will stand the test of time, remain beautiful, and you can rest easy knowing that they were safely created. Should you have any specific questions I didn’t answer here, feel free to reach out to me via email at [email protected] or drop a comment below.