Missouri Terrazzo Recognized for Art Installation in Katherine Bernhardt Home

Pop art energy meets terrazzo in artist’s St. Louis residence; Missouri Terrazzo nets a national award for bringing her floor designs to life.

FREDERICKSBURG , TX, UNITED STATES, July 24, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Contemporary artist Katherine Bernhardt is staging art shows around the world this year, but one of her biggest and perhaps least expected works may be found underfoot—inside her own home.

National Terrazzo & Mosaic Association (NTMA) has honored Missouri Terrazzo for the art installation in epoxy terrazzo with a 2025 Honor Award, recognizing it for craftsmanship, creativity, and the successful fusion of architecture and art. Seamlessly integrated into the home’s modernist design, the colorful floors, designed by Ms. Bernhardt, reflect both technical precision and artistic flair.

“It was a total art installation—a big art installation,” Ms. Bernhardt said of the project. The artist is internationally recognized for her bold, energetic, and often large-format paintings characterized by pop culture icons and tropical motifs.

A native of suburban St. Louis, Ms. Bernhardt grew up surrounded by terrazzo. "Like all houses there built in 1928, mine had terrazzo,” she said. “I grew up with that, and I loved it. Plus, it’s durable—you can’t ruin it.” She also grew up admiring the striking International style home at 5725 Lindell Boulevard, which she acquired in 2022.

Designed by Washington University School of Architecture alumnus Gary Glenn, the 1986 structure draws inspiration from Le Corbusier. The original interior, however, followed the whimsical, postmodern spirit of the Memphis Milano movement, a design collective founded by Italian architect Ettore Sottsass.

Seeking to integrate terrazzo creatively in the home's remodel, Ms. Bernhardt removed the existing vinyl plank flooring and hired Missouri Terrazzo, a local contractor. "When they said they could do anything, I went with it," she said.

Ms. Bernhardt envisioned the home as a showcase for her extensive art collection, recapturing the home’s original aesthetic and leaning heavily into the bold colors, geometric patterns, and offbeat forms of 1980s design. The residence is a cultural narrative of her creative spirit, with the terrazzo floors grounding the interior aesthetic in a fusion of street art and pop art that bridges architecture and expression.

It was the artist's first time designing with terrazzo. She worked with her assistant, Ashley Colangelo, to create mock-ups using Photoshop, experimenting with color combinations and patterns before finalizing the design. After several rounds of sampling and refinements, she settled on a seven-color palette. Aluminum strips were selected to separate colors, and a single custom mix of marble and glass aggregates was blended into each hue to unify the composition.

The finished design features a dramatic entry: 1-foot-diameter, three-dimensional circles in seven vibrant hues across the foyer, while contrasting terrazzo bands energize the hallway. In the family room, an abstract two-tone composition evokes bacterium cells. A single field color grounds the design in the kitchen, sitting room, and other living spaces, providing cohesion throughout the eclectic interior.

The entire installation process, completed in September 2022, took about 14 weeks. “It was fun to watch every day—a neat process,” reported Ms. Bernhardt, who added that she’d welcome an opportunity to design terrazzo floors for different spaces. Looking back on the project, Ms. Bernhardt said she has only one regret: that she hadn’t taken the Memphis Milano style of the floor even further.

Missouri Terrazzo’s craftsmanship helped translate the artist’s vision into a permanent, functional piece of art. “The floor is so perfect and wonderful and amazing; I love it,” Ms. Bernhardt reported. “Everyone who comes in loves it.”

The Honor Award was presented to Missouri Terrazzo on May 21 in Brewster, Massachusetts, at NTMA’s annual convention. One of the nation's oldest terrazzo companies, Missouri Terrazzo was established in 1932 and joined the NTMA in 1938.

About NTMA

NTMA is a full-service nonprofit trade association headquartered in Fredericksburg, Texas. Founded in 1923, the association establishes national standards for terrazzo systems and promotes terrazzo as a sustainable, durable, and versatile flooring material. The NTMA provides complimentary services to architects, interior designers, artists, general contractors, maintenance professionals, and property owners. From helping the design community write specifications to providing technical assistance, the NTMA's goal is to help ensure quality terrazzo installations.

The association’s annual Honor Awards program celebrates design and construction excellence, recognizing outstanding terrazzo installations that exemplify quality, craftsmanship, and innovation. By recognizing its members' accomplishments, the program promotes member contractors as the sole qualified resource for terrazzo installations that meet industry standards. Terrazzo veterans and design professionals evaluate the submitted entries.

Terrazzo originated in 15th-century Italy, evolving from the mosaic techniques of Ancient Rome. It was first created when Venetian marble workers found an innovative reuse for discarded stone chips. Terrazzo artisans still pour terrazzo by hand on the construction site, with options for precast and waterjet-cut elements. Aggregates such as stone, recycled glass, or other materials—often sourced locally—are embedded in a cement or epoxy base and polished to reveal the chips. Terrazzo combines design flexibility with ease of maintenance and durability to last the life of the building.

Chad Rakow
National Terrazzo & Mosaic Assocation
+1 800-323-9736
info|ntma.com| |info|ntma.com
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