Terracotta Backsplash

Glazed or bare clay?

Most terracotta here is glazed, with a colored glaze over the clay body. A few pieces show the clay with no colored glaze: the Cotto Natural Genoa mosaic on an 11 1/2x14 sheet and Sunrise, a hand pressed hexagon in 8x8, both with a natural finish, Hand Made in 2x8 with a matte finish, and Quadri Spaccatto in 12x12 with a satin finish. Amor and Galeria Platino are glossy terracotta subway tiles in gray. The clay pieces read earthy and warm, the glazed ones clear and colorful.

Which terracotta subway tiles are there?

Glazed terracotta subway comes in several slim formats. The 2 1/4x7 9/16 pieces include Crimson Leather in red, Ocean Leather in blue, Ash Glossy in gray and Topaz Glossy in yellow. Sunset Brew is a glossy brown in 2 9/16x8 7/16, the same format as Amor and Galeria Platino. Furstenburg Teal, Sirena Sky and Flat Iron are glossy subway pieces in 2 3/4x9 3/4, and Obsidian and Washed Denim are fine textured pieces in 2 1/8x7 1/2.

Fluted terracotta for a backsplash

Fluted pieces have a ribbed face in the 2 1/4x7 9/16 subway size. Ash Glossy Fluted comes in gray, Crimson Leather Fluted in red, Navy Leather Fluted in blue and Grove Leather Fluted in green. A leather finish has a soft, low sheen face, and the glossy fluted piece a bright one. More ribbed tile in other materials is in fluted tile.

Squares, mosaics and other shapes

Glazed terracotta also comes in 6x6 squares: Jaunty Leaves and Vintage Linen Manta in beige, Star Turn and the Multicolor tile in mixed colors, Ballooning in gray, Link Refrain in blue and Patagonia Sand. Rustic Blend is a multifinish 2x2 mosaic on 12x12 sheets in white, blue and yellow, Cobble is a glossy red 4x8, and Grey Vista and Aero Gold come in 2 1/8x7 1/2.

Which colors are there?

The color range runs well beyond clay red. Red comes in Crimson, Cobble and the natural Genoa mosaic, blue in Ocean, Navy, Sirena Sky, Furstenburg Teal and Obsidian, green in Grove and Washed Denim, yellow in Topaz and Aero Gold, and gray in Ash, Flat Iron, Amor and Galeria Platino. Brown comes in Sunset Brew, Hand Made and Quadri Spaccatto.

Which pieces are also listed for shower walls?

Several glazed lines carry a shower wall listing as well as a backsplash one: Crimson, Ocean, Ash, Topaz, Sunset Brew, the fluted Navy and Grove pieces, and the Rustic Blend mosaics, along with Amor, Galeria Platino and the Genoa mosaic. The 6x6 squares, Cobble, Grey Vista, Aero Gold and the 2 3/4x9 3/4 subway pieces carry a backsplash listing only. More terracotta in every finish is in terracotta tiles and glazed terracotta tiles.

Which pieces are listed for a kitchen?

Kitchen listings are led by the 6x6 squares and the slimmer glossy pieces: Ballooning, Multicolor and Patagonia Sand in 6x6, Ash Glossy subway, Furstenburg Teal, Aero Gold, Navy Leather Fluted and one Rustic Blend mosaic. Amor, Galeria Platino and Sunset Brew are listed for kitchens, bathrooms and living rooms alike, and the Genoa mosaic adds powder room and outdoor listings.

Which pieces are listed for a bathroom?

Bathroom listings favor the leather and fine textured pieces and the clay tiles: Ocean Leather, Topaz Glossy, the Ash and Crimson fluted pieces, Sirena Sky, Obsidian, Washed Denim, Star Turn, two Rustic Blend mosaics, and Hand Made, Quadri Spaccatto and the Sunrise hexagon. The living room group is mostly the decorative 6x6 squares, Jaunty Leaves, Link Refrain and Vintage Linen Manta, with Cobble, Grove, Flat Iron, Grey Vista and Crimson Leather subway. More bathroom terracotta is in terracotta bathroom tiles.

How thick are the tiles?

Thickness depends on the line. The 2 1/4x7 9/16 subway and fluted pieces are 9/16 inch, the 2 1/8x7 1/2 pieces 1/2 inch, Amor, Galeria Platino and Sunset Brew 5/8 inch, and the 2 3/4x9 3/4 subway pieces and the Multicolor 6x6 pieces 3/4 inch. Most other squares, the mosaics, Genoa, Sunrise, Hand Made and Quadri Spaccatto are 3/8 inch, and Patagonia Sand is 1/2 inch.