Terrazzo flooring makes a comeback in contemporary design

Terrazzo flooring, known in Italy as graniglia, is experiencing a revival in interior design. Originally popular in the 1950s and 1960s, it was long considered outdated and often covered or replaced. Since around 2017, design magazines have noted its return, with companies producing more colorful and contemporary versions. The style, internationally called terrazzo or terrazzo tiles, references Venetian terrazzo, a premium flooring dating to the 16th century made from marble, stone, or glass fragments bound with lime or cement. The mid-century graniglia is an industrial, prefabricated version with visible grout lines. Today, terrazzo is chosen for its movement, durability, and resistance. It is used not only for floors but also for walls, showers, and kitchen countertops. Production now ranges from traditional on-site Venetian terrazzo to synthetic materials like laminate, porcelain stoneware (gres), and linoleum. Architect Francesca Venturoni links the trend to skeuomorphism—artificial materials imitating natural ones—and to the revival of postmodernism, referencing architect Ettore Sottsass, the Memphis movement, and Shiro Kuramata. Giulia Gerosa, design professor at Politecnico di Milano, notes that terrazzo allows for personalization after a period of minimalism. The material also appeals for its potential use of recycled fragments, though cement remains polluting.