TERRACOTTA

Ochre, salmon, peach, apricot, the mellow hues of antique terracotta are as varied as the regions from which we reclaim them. From the rich red tiles of Normandy and the north of France to the yellow, pink and peach shades of Lyon, Provence, and the southwest, the local clay was formed by hand into squares, rectangles, hexagons and octagons and fired in wood-burning kilns. Antique terracotta floors are distinguished by their texture, variation, and the patina that comes from years of use. Cool in summer, warm in winter, these floors were the traditional material throughout many French homes. No new terracotta tile can compare with the relaxed, informal charm of a genuine antique terracotta floor.