Cotto Etrusco

From gentle lustres to gleaming sheens, sparkly glazes to natural terracotta, coming in squares, hexagons, diamonds, triangles and lozenges, Cotto Etrusco tiles are perhaps marked by their wide-ranging style, a defining factor perhaps being that no tile is the same. Cotto Etrusco’s handmade terracotta tiles are the perfect place for innovative interior designers and architects, ground-breaking hoteliers and spirited homeowners to begin their journey in sourcing wholly unique tiles. 

Swathing a variety of structures, Cotto Etrusco tiles are found in heritage buildings, churches, castles, medieval villages, private homes, hotels and restaurants. Sourced from an original Etruscan clay pit, only the finest clays are chosen to be processed in traditional ovens heated by ethically managed forest woods. The second bake is produced using solar-heated electric ovens, and each piece is shaped using handmade wooden moulds and then air-dried. Colours are made from natural oxides, which creates warm, earthy, rich colours which are not without their iridescent crystalline glory, gold and ruby layers, razzle-dazzle and glimmer – giving the oxidised terracotta huge contemporary appeal, not to mention a sustainable and eco-friendly business model.

Maverick Creative Director Simone Giottoli was the genius behind the idea to reinvigorate the market for handmade Etruscan tiles. Over twenty years ago, Giottoli began extensive research in ancient kilns, centuries-old productions and the restoration of an old stone kiln, which would be the starting point for the authentic recreation of tile-making.

Following in the footsteps of Etruscans, Giottoli sourced clay from an old Etruscans clay pit and continued the traditions of old with the process of mixing clay as per ancient artisan techniques followed by a slow natural drying process in the open air and a 10-day baking cycle in exclusively wood-burning stone kilns, creating a genuine, natural product.

Alongside designers and master craftsmen, the tiles come in all shapes and sizes and is in constant research and development to create new looks, finishings, mixtures and hues. Cotto Etrusco is always ready for the next bespoke commission or tile challenge to puzzle over, like, for example, a recent tri-dimensional pattern that came from a collaboration with Chiocchini & Partners Studio.

But turning the pages of this shop’s history a little earlier, we’ll find the provenance of the name – the original owner was Adèle Raymaekers, who’s name coined the shop’s identification in 1949 as Del Rey. The name stuck and through careful safeguarding, it grew in influence, and the next owner Arnout Marchand, specialised in chocolate and biscuits.  When Proot took over in the 80s, pastries, coffees, hot chocolates and ice creams were added to the expanding menu. Today the couple travel the world gleaning innovation for the chocolate shop as the brand grows internationally, find them also in Tokyo and in receipt of a fabulous accolade, becoming a member of Relais Desserts, an organisation of the 100 best pâtissiers worldwide.