What are Zellige Tiles?

Zellige tiles, which originate from Morocco’s historic mosaic custom, are one of the vital well-liked kitchen and loo tile tendencies at present. Past their stylish attraction, zellige tiles have a definite magnificence and handcrafted look, making them a long-lasting dwelling development. These handmade tiles are famend for his or her vibrant colours, geometric patterns, and meticulous craftsmanship. Other than their magnificence, zellige tiles have a protracted historical past and custom that contribute to their distinctive attraction. This exploration will equip you with the information it’s essential to determine in case you are able to get in on this unique tile development.

Zellige tiles are a conventional kind of Moroccan tile. The time period zellige is derived from an Arabic phrase which means “little polished stone.” These tiles served as the inspiration for the intricate mosaic patterns present in Moroccan structure and design, each historic and fashionable.

Genuine zellige tiles are ceramic tiles constituted of a particular clay. Every tile is made by hand utilizing a singular slicing, shaping, and sharpening approach. This handcrafted course of leads to slight imperfections in every tile, which contribute to their distinctive attraction. Zellige tiles have a glazed floor, which produces luminous colours and provides depth and character.

Zellige Tile Fashion Information

Tile tendencies change over time, however the zellige tile development seems to be significantly sturdy as a result of its elegant model, handmade aesthetic, and flexibility. See how some householders and designers have embraced the development.

Inexperienced Zellige Tile in a Impartial Kitchen

Colourful zellige tile offers a hanging distinction in a impartial coloured area, making the design extra balanced, vibrant, and dynamic. This gentle inexperienced zellige tile offers an immediate focus on this all white kitchen and is the best backdrop for the vent hood and brilliant brass wall sconces.

Tone-on-Tone Dwelling Bar

Due to their barely variable colour and luminosity, zellige tiles are wonderful for making a tone-on-tone look. Designer Elle du Monde used black zellige tile as a backsplash for this black cupboard dwelling bar. The black tiles give the bar sufficient glowing depth to maintain the design fascinating and sudden.

Vertical Zellige Tiles

These blush pink zellige tiles elevate the model of this easy white kitchen. Laying them vertically provides the kitchen a extra fashionable look, nevertheless it additionally visually expands the area.

Ombre Lavatory Wall

Relatively than attempt to work across the colour variations in zellige tiles, this designer embraced the ombre look through the use of zellige tiles in three totally different colour variations. This provides the lavatory a up to date look but additionally pays homage to the mosaic historical past of zellige tile.

A Luminescent Glow

Zellige tiles characteristic an iridescent high quality that makes them seem to glow in gentle gentle. This makes them particularly efficient, even in impartial coloured areas, at creating dynamism and curiosity.

Scalloped Zellige Tiles

Zellige tiles can be found in quite a lot of shapes. The most well-liked are sq. tiles, which are available quite a lot of sizes, however you can even discover rectangle, fish scale, cross, star, hexagon, and trapezoid shapes.

All-Encompassing Zellige Tile

This designer used blue zellige tiles to cowl the whole rest room from flooring to ceiling. This may increasingly end in monotony with some tile sorts, however the variability and imperfections of zellige tiles present inherent curiosity.

Issues Earlier than Utilizing Zellige Tiles

All of us agree that zellige tiles are hanging, however as a result of their distinctive model and nature, they won’t work in each utility or area. Listed below are some concepts to contemplate earlier than implementing them in your house.

Inherent Imperfections

Genuine zellige tiles are nonetheless handmade in Morocco. Which means no two tiles are precisely alike in dimension, depth, or colour. Due to this fact, if you’d like a tile wall with flawless uniformity, zellige tiles usually are not for you. As an alternative, zellige tiles produce a tile wall or flooring the place corners don’t precisely meet and there are slight colour adjustments throughout the tiles.

Individuals who use zellige tile ought to embrace its imperfections. One necessary tip from tile producers is to combine the tiles from all of the bins you get on your undertaking. This can unfold out the slight colour and form variations within the bins.

Upkeep

Glazed zellige tiles require only a common cleansing with delicate cleaning soap or stone cleaner and water so as to preserve them wanting stunning for years. Wipe up all spills rapidly, and preserve the tile free from abrasives that may scratch or mar the floor of the tiles. Slight imperfections within the tiles trigger sure corners to stay out, so concentrate on this when you clear. By no means use harsh chemical compounds or abrasives as a result of these will harm the glaze. Glazed zellige tiles don’t have to be resealed; nonetheless, unglazed zellige tiles require common utility of a sealer.

Adhesive and Grout

Many designers and tile professionals suggest that zellige tiles be put in with no grout line seen. Zellige tiles are put in on a substrate lined in a thin-set adhesive. Due to their irregular form, some contractors decide to make use of wedge-shaped spacers to get the tiles as evenly spaced as wanted by means of the laying course of. Enable the thin-set to remedy and apply an unsanded grout with a tile float at a 45-degree angle. Enable to sit down for 10-20 minutes, after which clear and wipe down in keeping with the producer’s directions. Make sure to clear and buff the tiles utterly to keep away from grout haze on the tiles.

The place to Use Them

Zellige tiles seem delicate, however they’re surprisingly sturdy. They’re warmth and moisture resistant and might stand up to put on and tear. Zellige tile producers insist that these tiles can be utilized anyplace, together with partitions, flooring, fireplaces, and outside. That is true with a couple of caveats. Though zellige tiles are sturdy, some have barely raised edges that may trigger issues on sure flooring.

The raised edges of zellige tiles are susceptible to scratches and different harm, so they’re finest utilized in low-traffic areas. Some folks additionally declare that the glazing on zellige tiles makes them slippery. Use small-scale zellige tiles on flooring in order that the grout strains can present extra traction.

Discovering Zellige Tile

It’s straightforward to seek out genuine zellige tiles, however it is important that what it is best to search for. Select a good provider with a confirmed observe report for distributing zellige tiles. Some well-liked distributors embody Cle Tile, Riad Tile, Zia Tile, and Badia Design. Some suppliers might give you documentation or a certificates that verifies the standard and handmade origin of their tiles. Search for the hallmarks of authenticity, together with a hand-crafted look, shiny and “cracked” floor glazing, a variation of colours, and being made utilizing conventional strategies in Morocco.

Timeless or Fashionable?

Zellige tiles are at the moment one of the vital well-liked tile tendencies in kitchen and bathtub design. Whereas development instructions are all the time tough to foretell, zellige tile has traits that argue for its timeless attraction. Zellige tiles have been round for a whole lot, if not a thousand, years. The truth that we’re nonetheless utilizing them at present is proof of their timelessness. These tiles are handcrafted from pure supplies. Their authenticity distinguishes them as a traditional and stylish alternative. So, whereas we can’t predict whether or not zellige tiles will probably be utilized in the entire newest kitchen and loo designs in ten years, we will say that they may all the time be stunning and won’t be disappearing from kitchens and bogs any time quickly.