The Ancient Art of Cocciopesto for Modern Times

Cipriani Design Dining Table

QuarryHouse does not limit itself to stone but collaborates with an Italian studio specializing in ancient cocciopesto techniques to fabricate interior architecture, furnishings, and decorative objects. On a recent trip to Italy, Ed Westbrook connected with old and new friends at Cipriani Design in Reggio Emilia. Their skilled artisans reinterpret traditional polychrome terracotta and inlay techniques for contemporary interiors. In Roman times, artisans decorated the floors, walls, ceilings, and thermal baths of patrician villas using cocciopesto; examples of cocciopesto with inlaid polychrome marble tile floors survive in Pompeii. 

Artisans in Reggio Emilia working on a cocciopesto table top.

Romans crushed or ground terracotta fragments from broken amphorae, tiles, or bricks and mixed them with a lime-based binding agent. The small pieces or shards of terracotta are known as 'cocci." Cocciopesto is water-resistant and more durable than cement; the Romans also used it for aqueducts and bridges. Cipriani Design utilizes cocciopesto for flooring, kitchens, bathrooms, and exterior furnishings. The material's malleability allows them to create custom silhouettes, colors, designs, and finishes. You don't need to travel to Reggio Emilia to see samples and discuss customizability; contact QuarryHouse in the San Francisco Bay Area.

From conception to completion, a custom cocciopesto design from Cipriani Design.