Reclaimed Antique Terracotta

De Ferranti sources genuine reclaimed terracotta floors from the south and west of France, salvaged from period buildings where they have already lived a long life. These tiles are typically 150 years old or more, and that age is not a styling choice, it is embedded in the surface: softened edges, worn corners, subtle undulation, and a patina that only time and footfall can produce.

Most examples were originally fired in wood-burning kilns, which is why the colour is so varied and the texture less uniform than modern gas or coal-fired terracotta. Expect a naturally irregular finish, gentle shifts in density, and a breadth of tone that moves from sandy yellows and honeyed ochres through to warm blush, rose and deeper fired-earth browns.

Hand moulding is a key part of the character. The tiles carry small surface signatures from the original making process - slight rippling, faint impressions, and the quiet imperfections that give reclaimed terracotta its depth. Colour also reflects provenance: the yellows associated with Bordeaux, and the warmer pinks and clay tones typical of the south west, creating regional palettes that feel unmistakably authentic rather than curated.

Reclaimed Antique Terracotta is ideal for projects that want real heritage underfoot: entrance halls, kitchens, dining rooms, wine cellars, boot rooms and character-led commercial spaces. It also lends itself beautifully to mixed-format layouts and large expanses where tonal drift becomes part of the design language. As a reclaimed material, supply is limited and batches vary, so selection and blending are part of the process, with De Ferranti able to guide grading, sequencing and installation intent to achieve anything from a softly harmonised floor to a more animated, timeworn patchwork.