A method of depositing a catalytically reactive coating to a substrate including selecting a target light off temperature for a predetermined catalytic combustion environment, selecting a thermal barrier coating composition, selecting a catalytic material and codepositing the thermal barrier coating composition and the catalytic material onto the substrate in proportions selected to produce the target light off temperature when exposed to the combustion environment. The method may include controlling the codepositing step to cause the thermal barrier coating composition to interact with the catalytic material to produce a phase having a light off temperature different from the respective light off temperatures of the thermal barrier coating composition and the catalytic material. A catalyst element may include a substrate and a first layer comprising a thermal barrier coating composition and a catalytic material throughout its depth disposed over a first portion of the substrate. Other portions of the catalyst element may have a second layer consisting of a catalytic material and a third layer consisting of a thermal barrier coating composition depending on a stage of combustion with a combustion environment.