Terracotta & Burnt Orange Paint
Terracotta is earthy red-orange, softened towards clay pink or deepened with brown towards rust and burnt orange. It brings warmth and cosiness to cooler bedrooms and living rooms, while stronger orange shades work well as smaller furniture or cabinet accents. Every shade is available as a 60ml sample to check before choosing your depth.
Terracotta is an earthy red-orange, often grounded with brown, softened towards plaster pink or deepened towards rust. Designer Nicole Cullum prefers the brown- and red-leaning versions over fiery orange for a more grounded room, and interiors experts recommend terracotta's depth for cooler, north-facing spaces. Burnt orange overlaps at the deeper, rustier end. Here they are, from rust to soft clay.
At a glance
- Character
- Clay pink through deep rust. Brown- and red-leaning terracottas feel grounded. Burnt orange overlaps at the deeper, rustier end.
- Best rooms
- Bedrooms, living rooms and accents. Earthy walls cocoon bedrooms and living rooms. Brighter orange works in smaller doses on furniture or cabinets.
- North light
- Warmth, not extra light. Terracotta adds warmth and cosiness to cool north-facing rooms. It does not add light.
- South light
- Check for an orange glow. Strong southern light can make terracotta glow orange. Compare a softer clay alongside.
- East light
- Warm mornings, earthier afternoons. Warm, bright morning sun brings out orange and peach. Cooler, bluer afternoons subdue the glow and reveal earthier notes.
- West light
- Muted mornings, orange evenings. Cool, flat mornings quieten terracotta. Warm, golden evening sun can make orange notes glow strongly.
- Pairs with
- Blush, stone, linen and navy. Blush pink, pale stone and linen tones keep things soft. Indigo and navy bring contrast.
- Sample tip
- Compare rust with softer clay. Check the sample on sunny and shaded walls. Compare a softer clay if the orange feels too strong.
Tap any tile to read more.
Earthy terracotta, rust and red clay
Grounded rust and red clay for cocooning rooms.
Best in north-facing rooms
Foundry™ is our deep burnt orange and rust; Fothergill™ a muted, softer clay; Ferdinanda™ and Fognani™ deeper red-brown clays. Neptune's George Miller describes as working in both cosy and airy spaces, and terracotta walls are a lovely way to cocoon a bedroom.
Best in north-facing rooms for Foundry™, Fothergill™, Ferdinanda™ and Fognani™, where earthy warmth adds cosiness rather than light. Fothergill™ also suits east- and west-facing rooms; check its softer clay warmth once the direct sun has moved on.
Orange and copper accents
Lively orange and copper for smaller painted accents.
Best in north-facing rooms
Brighter and livelier. These are the ones to use in smaller doses: on a door, a painted chair or kitchen cabinets that warm up a monochrome scheme. OKA's Sue Jones suggests terracotta accents against a calm neutral background.
Best in north-facing rooms for Dooper™ and Recreation™, using their brighter warmth in smaller doses. Dooper™ also suits east- and west-facing rooms, where low direct sun will strengthen its orange character.
Soft clay, peach and plaster
Gentle clay warmth without the intensity of orange.
Best in north-, east- and west-facing rooms
The gentlest end of terracotta: soft, sun-warmed plaster tones that give warmth without the intensity of orange. Lovely in dining rooms and north-facing living rooms.
Best in north-, east- and west-facing rooms for Dellpink™, Maz™ and Annesley™, whose gentle warmth suits cooler daylight. In east- and west-facing rooms, compare the peachier glow of direct sun with the quieter colour of the shaded half of the day.
Painting terracotta and ceramic plant pots
Match ceramic plant pots to your painted walls.
Plenty of people searching for terracotta paint want to paint a pot. Garden experts advise starting with a clean, dry pot with no soil in it and using a coating made for the job. Our Ceramic Plant Pot Paint is made for ceramic pots in every one of our colours, so your pots can match your walls; check its preparation guide for your pot before you start.
What colours go with terracotta?
Blush pink, pale stone, linen tones and navy.
Experts pair terracotta with other earthy colours for calm, with blush pink and pale stone, with off-white linen tones to lighten it, and with blue, indigo or navy for contrast. Our versions: Fothergill™ with pale stone Hockley™; Foundry™ with blush Lottie™ and warm off-white Dellwhite™; or Dellpink™ against deep slate-blue Bobber™.
Sample it the way we would
Step 1
Paint your peel-and-sticks
Each £5.99 sample comes with three paintable peel-and-sticks. Give them two coats and let them dry fully.
Step 2
Stick them around the room
Put them on two or three walls, including the wall opposite the window, at eye level and lower down.
Step 3
Live with them for a day or two
Look in the morning, the afternoon and under your evening lamps. Move them around until you are sure.
Your questions, answered
Is terracotta paint orange or pink?
It can lean either way. It is usually grounded by red-brown earthiness: the soft end reads plaster pink, the deep end rust.
Does terracotta suit a north-facing room?
Yes. Its warmth and depth make cool north-facing rooms feel cosier. It will not make the room brighter, so choose the depth carefully.
Colours for north-facing roomsHow do I use burnt orange without overwhelming a room?
Start with accents, such as a door, a chair or cabinets, against a calm neutral background. Then go bigger if you love it.
Can I paint terracotta plant pots?
Yes. Start with a clean, dry, soil-free pot and use a coating made for pots. Our Ceramic Plant Pot Paint comes in every Cameron Colours shade.
Ceramic Plant Pot Paint