My favorite road in the world is a
scenic byway to Moab,
Utah from my hometown of Grand Junction, Colorado. Much of it parallels the
Colorado River as it runs through
Castle and Professor Valleys, a desert that lights up the
color of tomato soup red at sunset. Driving, peddling, or paddling this
corridor at sunset is one of the most sublime color experiences you’ll witness.
All colors are variations of the warm, bold color of baked earth, or
terra cotta. I am deeply rooted in the
desert, therefore by this color. Thus, it’s only appropriate that terra cotta
becomes a part of our home here in West Virginia.
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| Looking to the living room from the kitchen |
So, I’ve neglected to make a blog post in a few weeks.
Besides the fact that I am a new mother, I’ll blame it on the fact that my
French father-in-law visited to meet his new grandchild and paint our living
room. We unplugged the internet router for a few days to paint, and then basked
in the bold color transition (
Benjamin Moore Terra Cotta Tile 2090-30, Sherwin Williams Spicy Hue - SW6342). Since then,
Rising Sun added an understated but
elegant crown molding to the room. Not the southwest desert sunset, but every
morning light rays beam in, painting the living room with a charged glow of baked
earth.
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| Looking into the kitchen from the living room |
Amid celebrations,
Rising Sun started to install our terra
cotta tile in the pantry and entryway of our kitchen.
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| Pantry and entryway - starting the tile install |
Made in Texas by a locally-owned company,
Rustico, the terra
cotta is the real deal. The tiles are made from the dirt in Saltillo, Mexico.
The tiles are thick and rich and natural. Standing on them with my eyes closed
makes my heels feel like they’re growing roots like they do when I walk in the
desert southwest. I spent hours searching for real terra cotta, only to find
ceramic replicates. Not a walk in the desert, but every time we enter the
house, we have a glimmer of the natural glow of baked earth.
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| Installed tiles in entryway to kitchen |
