Terrazzo coffee table: Where to buy 9 of our favourites

WORDS Elyssa Kostopoulos PHOTOGRAPHY Instagram PUBLISHED Tue, 30 Jan 2024 - 1:40 pm

Although many of us – the RUSSH team included – still agree that there's nothing like experiencing the sweet smell of Italy IRL, there's nothing quite like being able to bring some of these European touches into our home. The terrazzo coffee table is not only a hot-ticket item because of its Italo influences, (a trend we have also seen with the popularity of marble furniture); but also due to its versatility and durability. Two vital considerations when spending on any piece of furniture.

Even if you aren't familiar with the name of the material, there's no denying that you have seen a terrazzo coffee table at least once or twice on your social media feed. The speckled stone, normally seen in shades of neutral cream, beige or oatmeal and laced with contrasting materials can be found in the living room of many of your favourite interior designers. And it's not without reason.

Below, we're breaking down why terrazzo is one of the most coveted stones of the moment, why it makes a great choice for a coffee table and the pieces that are currently on our wishlist.

What is terrazzo and why is it a good material for a coffee table?

Some of the earliest uses of terrazzo is credited to the Italians tracing back more than 500 years. Although there is some archeological evidence of similar-style floors in Turkey some 10,000 years ago; it was the Venetians who breathed new life into the material. With marble being the material of choice across Italy, Venetian workers thought to use the left-over fragments that they managed to salvage from job sites, and place them next to each other in a clay mortar base for their own residence and terraces.

This technique continues to form the basis of creating terrazzo even today. The composite material consists of chips of marble, granite, quartz, glass, shell or other suitable materials; that are combined with a binding agent like a type of cement and/or polymeric. Once it has set and cured, it is polished to final product we are used to seeing on coffee tables, splash-backs and even floors.

The main reason why terrazzo is a great material choice for your next coffee table is because of its durability. History has shown that this building material can truly last a lifetime – and then some. Terrazzo is also extremely easy to clean and absorbs stains easily, which makes it a great option for a living space where you tend to spend lots of time. If you're worried about placing your hot coffee mugs on your new coffee table, the material is actually heat resistant; which is ideal for the clumsy ones among us.

If this wasn't already enough to convince you, buy a terrazzo coffee table is also a great option if you're looking to make a sustainable interior design choice. Because the material uses discarded fragments to create its intrigue, it recycles pieces that otherwise would have gone to waste.

Why has there been a sudden surge in popularity?

With people spending more time in their homes over the last 18 months; there has been more emphasis placed on having good quality, furniture pieces to decorate your space with. We've seen it in the rising demand for Australian homewares brands and shopping local, and our desire to buy smarter has also impacted to popularity of terrazzo.

Terrazzo is also mainly seen these days in neutral and versatile colour schemes with the accents of the marble and other materials bringing the flare; which means that the material tends to work with almost all aesthetics and in any space. We have naturally seen terrazzo dominate in modern-bohemian style homes; but depending on the shape and finish, it will find a place in any contemporary space.

It helps of course, that the material started trending majorly towards the beginning of last year. But unlike the more kitschy interior trends that have emerged recently (the cursed Ultrafragola mirror); the terrazzo coffee table will last the test of time.