Sentier des Ocres; Carefully curated cotto character
Merola Tile’s proven terracotta expertise has reached a new pinnacle with our stunning Sentier des Ocres collection. John Merola and his dedicated design team spent two years developing this stunning and exclusive new range with our manufacturing partner in Spain. The result is a total triumph: a collection that combines warm, authentic, light cotto tones with elegant yet simple glazed decors. The combination is a winning mix of characterful color, powerful patterns, and beguiling textures.
The key attribute of this series is its sensational cotto color palette. Here the creative inspiration comes from the old ochre mines near the picturesque village of Roussillon in Luberon, France. Anyone who has visited this spectacular area will have been struck by the stunning ochre-colored houses. In Roussillon, these overlook a deep canyon that was once housed by ochre quarries. The rich natural clay found here ranges in color from terracotta orange, through dusky pink, to warm yellow, and even deep red. It took Merola’s creative team 24 months to capture the warm variety of these cotto colors, but it was time well spent. Today, using nine different base color prints, we have achieved a totally authentic cotto palette.
The plain tiles are complemented by three simple yet versatile decors. The trellis option features a white glazed diagonal stripe. This can be rotated 90° to form a diamond grid or combined with Coin – a plain terracotta tile with a small white glazed triangle in one corner – to form a range of trellis patterns, starbursts, tacos, or other layouts. You can also put four coin tiles together to create a white taco in a terracotta background or use them to close off a border created with the striped tiles.
Sentier des Ocres also offers a colorful decor option: a deep blue floral scroll pattern. On each triangular décor the pattern is picked out in a raised blue glossy glaze, finished by a matching border. The soft raised texture of the decor is reminiscent of the historic vetrosa technique that is now created with cutting-edge technology. The result are softly rounded designs in a deep blue, typical of French Provençal pottery.
Perfect for the increasingly popular farmhouse chic design trend, Sentier des Ocres porcelain tiles are durable, and easy to clean. Certain to add lasting value to any space, this versatile range can bring a peaceful, spa-like feel to any bathroom, add impact and a sense of movement in a kitchen feature wall or backsplash, or achieve a warm, welcoming atmosphere to any living room. The tiles complement natural wood, woven rugs, painted plaster, and a wide range of furnishing fabrics. And, in the garden, Sentier des Ocres offers the perfect low-maintenance surface option for patios, terraces, or outdoor kitchens. The designs help to create a natural and organic feel, particularly when paired with plants and wooden accent pieces.
Tile is the best surface for your space. The Sentier des Ocres range is made from 100% natural ingredients, making it a healthy choice free from allergens, VOCs, formaldehyde, and PVC. It is also a very practical, safe, and savvy tile choice; one that delivers superb technical performance.