Smitten for Saltillo: Kelsey Harp’s Kitchen Reveal
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For Austinite Kelsey Harp, choosing Saltillo tile for her kitchen renovation was a no-brainer.
Her 1970s home in Austin's Travis Country neighborhood needed a major remodel, but it also had plenty going for it: Greenbelt views, a quiet setting, charming architectural details from the era, and most importantly for this renovation, existing Saltillo terracotta floors.
"We knew we could work with that," Harp says.
Rather than replacing the home's original character, Kelsey and her design team embraced it, pairing natural terracotta flooring with a bright white tile backsplash, warm wood cabinetry, and vintage details. The result is a kitchen that feels fresh and modern while staying connected to the home's 1970s roots.
- The Design process
- Choosing Kitchen Tiles
- Natural Materials Bring the Kitchen Together
- The Finished Saltillo Tile Kitchen
The Design Process
Kelsey and her husband purchased the home in July 2019 and called on friends architect Chelsea Scharbach and interior designer Emily Seeds to help transform the kitchen.
Coming from a ranch-style home with low ceilings, the family wanted their new kitchen to feel light, airy, and spacious. The existing Saltillo gave the team a warm, natural foundation to build around while allowing plenty of room to introduce lighter finishes and materials.
Choosing Kitchen Tiles
Design by Emily Seed Interiors | Architecture by Chelsea Scharbach| Photography by Kate Zimmerman Turpin
For the kitchen, Kelsey chose White Glazed Thin Brick for the backsplash while keeping the warmth and character of Saltillo tile underfoot.
The combination creates a simple contrast: bright white glazed clay on the wall and earthy, natural terracotta on the floor.
Traditional Saltillo tile is made from natural clay and shaped by hand before being dried in the sun and fired in a kiln. This handmade process creates the beautiful variations in color, texture, and shape that give Saltillo tile flooring its distinctive character.
That natural variation also makes terracotta a versatile choice for renovations, especially when the goal is to create a space that feels warm, relaxed, and lived-in rather than overly polished.
Kelsey paired the tile with matte quartz countertops that mimic the appearance of hand-poured concrete, adding another subtle texture to the space.
Natural Materials Bring the Kitchen Together
To complement the terracotta kitchen floor, Kelsey selected clear-sealed white oak cabinetry. Open shelving below provides easy cookbook storage while also helping reduce cabinetry costs.
For one of the kitchen's finished touches, she sourced an antique French white oak island from Round Top. Kelsey sanded and repainted the piece before topping it with the same matte quartz used throughout the kitchen.
The mix of old and new materials gives the space personality without making it feel overly designed. Natural terracotta, white oak, glazed oak, glazed clay, quartz, and an antique centerpiece all work together to create a kitchen that feels collected over time.
The Finished Saltillo Tile Kitchen
The finished kitchen is bright, welcoming, and full of natural texture.
The white glazed tile backsplash reflects light throughout the room, while the Saltillo tile floor adds warmth and character. Paired with the natural wood cabinetry, the terracotta creates a clean, modern look that still feels appropriate for the home's original architecture.
Instead of working against the existing Saltillo floors, the renovation shows how embracing them can help guide an entire kitchen design.
For anyone considering Saltillo tile in a kitchen, this Austin renovation is a great example of how natural terracotta can work alongside contemporary finishes, vintage furniture, warm woods, and handmade tile.
Curious about Saltillo tile? Read our guide to everything you need to know about Mexican saltillo tile or browse our Natural Terracotta collection.
Have questions about choosing terracotta or handmade tile for your project? Reach out to us at contact@clayimports.com. We're always happy to help.
