As we move into the height of summer and begin to look ahead to the latter part of the year, interiors are shifting in tone, embracing colours that feel warmer, richer and more connected to the natural world. At the heart of this change sits terracotta, a shade that carries both familiarity and depth, offering an easy sense of warmth while bringing a more expressive, design-led edge into the home.

For Ca’ Pietra, the appeal of terracotta lies in its dual nature. It is not simply a colour trend, nor only a material rooted in tradition. Instead, it bridges both, combining the softness of sun-baked clay tones with the tactility and variation that comes through in tile form. This gives it a presence that feels layered and enduring, rather than decorative or short-lived, which is why it is appearing across so many areas of the home right now.

Grazzie Wilson, Head of Creative at Ca’ Pietra, says: “Terracotta has a way of sitting comfortably in very different types of homes, which is part of its appeal. In a period property, it can echo something that feels already familiar, especially when used on floors or in more traditional formats, where it adds to the sense of history within the space. In a more contemporary setting, it takes on a slightly different role, softening cleaner lines and bringing a sense of warmth that stops everything from feeling too stark or overly polished.

“From a styling point of view, it works beautifully alongside natural materials like timber and stone, but it can also be paired with deeper tones such as olive, chocolate or even charcoal to create something that feels richer and more layered. It is not about leaning too heavily into one direction, but about allowing that warmth to move through the space in a way that feels easy and cohesive. Tiles are particularly effective here because they give you that consistency of tone while still offering variation in the surface, which helps the room feel more relaxed and less uniform.”

In kitchens, terracotta tiles are gaining ground as a way to soften the harder architectural lines that often define the space. Used across the floor, they introduce warmth that balances cabinetry in deeper tones or paler, chalkier shades, while also pairing beautifully with timber, aged metals and natural stone. On walls, terracotta-toned tiles offer a more enduring alternative to paint, particularly across splashbacks or within alcoves, where their finish can catch the light and create a gentle sense of variation throughout the day.

Bathrooms are perhaps where the shift towards terracotta feels most pronounced. As the appetite for stark white spaces continues to ease, warmer palettes are stepping in, bringing a more relaxed and atmospheric feel. Terracotta tiles, whether used underfoot or across walls, introduce a sense of depth that works particularly well alongside brushed brass, softer stone and plaster-like finishes, creating spaces that cocoons you as your relax.

“Tiles are where terracotta becomes much more than a colour choice, because you start to think about placement and format as much as tone. In a kitchen, using terracotta across the entire floor creates a continuous warmth that softens cabinetry and joinery, whereas introducing it in smaller sections, such as a splashback or behind a range, allows it to act more as a focal point within the scheme.

“In bathrooms, it is often about how far you take it. Full-height application can create something quite immersive and cocooning, particularly in a shower space, while a half-height treatment or a more broken layout keeps the look lighter and more relaxed. The format plays a big part in that as well, with larger tiles giving a cleaner, more architectural feel, and smaller or more irregular pieces bringing in variation and a slightly more decorative edge,” adds Grazzie.

And then there is the shift from terracotta as a material to terracotta as a colour, which opens up an entirely new direction. When you take that familiar tone and reinterpret it through glazed or porcelain tiles, it becomes more playful, more decorative, and far more adaptable. Designs such as Menara Cotto Star show how this colour can be woven into pattern and geometry, where the warmth of terracotta is lifted and layered through intricate star motifs, softened with chalkier neutrals, and given a crispness that natural clay alone cannot achieve.

“Choosing terracotta in this way gives you a different kind of freedom. You are no longer relying on the rawness of the material to carry the look, instead you are working with colour as something that can be shaped, repeated, and refined across a surface. It can feel graphic and sharp when paired with clean lines, or gently timeworn when set against softer finishes, always holding onto that underlying warmth. In a kitchen, this might play out as a patterned splashback that brings energy without overwhelming cabinetry, or a floor that feels layered and expressive rather than rustic. In a bathroom, it allows terracotta to take on a lighter, more decorative role, catching the light across glazed surfaces and adding detail in a way that feels both practical and quietly indulgent.”

What makes terracotta-coloured tiles so compelling is the way they hold depth. They are never flat, even when the finish is smooth, there is always a subtle shift in tone, a variation in glaze, a sense that the colour has been built up rather than applied. That is where the magic lies. You get all the familiarity of terracotta, that connection to sun-warmed places and easy living, but translated into something that can feel tailored, expressive, and entirely at home in a more contemporary setting. It is less about recreating the past and more about reworking it, which is exactly why this colour, in tile form, is finding its way into so many spaces right now.

As interiors continue to favour materials with more substance and palettes that feel warmer and more enveloping, terracotta stands out as a shade that answers both. Through tiles, it offers a way to introduce that warmth with depth and longevity, shaping spaces that feel as comfortable as they are expressive as we move through summer and into the months ahead.