How to make a mosaic encased in terrazzo. This mosaic is used from waste pieces of concrete.

Is it terrazzo or a mosaic? This art piece uses both techniques meaning the mosaic does not have any texture to the touch but aesthetically it looks like it. This video shows all the steps in a time lapse from preparing the substrate to placing the mosaic and pouring the concrete.

Nestled on a serene farm, this house stands as a testament to the beauty of repurposing and thoughtful reconstruction. Originally a tear-down, the owners chose a path less traveled—rather than starting from scratch, they rebuilt the home with reclaimed and repurposed materials, giving new life to old elements. This commitment to sustainability perfectly aligned with our approach to the flooring project. For the farmhouse floor, we created a sweeping tree mosaic using precut tesserae made from offcut waste UHPC (Ultra-High Performance Concrete). By incorporating these repurposed materials, the project not only reflected the owners' ethos but also highlighted our dedication to blending artistry and sustainability.

The mosaic was first hand-drawn onto the concrete canvas, setting the stage for a unique creation. Over the holiday season, the Stone Design team and the farm's family came together to bring this vision to life. This project was as much about connection and creativity as it was about craftsmanship—a true collaboration that celebrated the joy of working together to create something beautiful and meaningful.

Given its location as the rear entrance to a working farm, this space needed more than just visual appeal—it had to be highly functional. The room serves as a wet room, looking out onto the picturesque farmyard while performing the practical role of storing freshly harvested vegetables and enduring the daily ebb and flow of muddy boots from collecting eggs. To meet these demands, we installed electric heat beneath the floor. This heating system ensures the floor dries quickly, making it easier to clean and preventing dampness from lingering in the high-traffic space. It adds both comfort and practicality, transforming the rear entrance into a warm and welcoming space that seamlessly balances utility and artistry.

Once the uncoupled membrane and heating wires were installed, we poured a fiber-reinforced concrete layer to serve as the canvas for the mosaic.. When paired with the uncoupled membrane, this combination ensures long-lasting durability and stability. The result is a foundation that is as strong and reliable as it is beautiful, perfectly prepared to showcase the intricate mosaic design.

At the top of the farmhouse property stands a magical sequoia tree—a towering symbol of strength, beauty, and connection—that became the inspiration for the mosaic centerpiece. Once the artwork was sketched onto the floor, the real magic began.

Over the course of a week, three generations of the farm's family and our Stone Design team came together to breathe life into the design. Countless hours were spent selecting just the right shade of tesserae from the carefully sorted trays and adhering them to the floor piece by piece. Each moment brought its own rhythm—filled with farmhouse meals shared around the table, music playing in the background, and drinks in hand.

The result is far more than just the art itself. The sweeping mosaic tree represents a celebration of creativity, connection, and craftsmanship. It is a testament to the memories created during its making—a tangible reflection of the collaborative spirit that made this project so special.


Once the mosaic was complete, the next step was to pour a polishable concrete around it—an essential process that both protected the mosaic and elevated its visual impact. The polished concrete created a stunning contrast to the intricate texture of the tesserae, allowing the tree mosaic to stand out as the centerpiece of the room.

For Nolan Mayrhofer of Victoria Stone Design (VSD), this project was a culmination of years of honing his craft. Nolan began his career as a mosaic artist before transitioning into the world of concrete and terrazzo, a journey that gave him a unique perspective on how these mediums can work together. A recent trip to Spain, where he explored the extraordinary works of Antoni Gaudí, solidified his vision. Gaudí’s masterful blending of mosaics, stone, and concrete inspired Nolan to see these techniques not as separate disciplines but as parts of a larger, integrated art form—one that offers infinite possibilities for aesthetics and craftsmanship.

The farmhouse floor is a perfect example of this multi-tiered approach. It represents a seamless fusion of art and functionality: a mosaic born of creativity, surrounded and preserved by concrete, and polished into a lasting legacy. This project exemplifies the endless potential of combining traditional artistry with modern techniques to create something that is both timeless and enduring.

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