You might not know the name (yet), but you’ve seen them: zellige tiles (also known as Moroccan tiles, zellige terracotta tiles, and zilij) are the trendiest tiles of 2019.
If you’re thinking about installing the tile of the moment in your house, there are a few things you should know—from how to tell if it’s the real thing to why it’s not ideal for perfectionists.
Charmingly irregular zellige tiles in Out at Sea: A Shipshape Renovation in Provincetown by Hein+Cozzi.
Photograph by Justine Hand for Remodelista.
1. It’s an ancestor of subway tile.
Zellige and subway tile seem worlds apart: one was created in 1904 for the New York City subway, the other dates to the 10th century in Morocco.
Photograph by Helen Cathcart.
“Moroccan Zellige tiles, sourced from Marseille,” in La Vie en Rose: A 12th-Century Poet’s Villa in St.-Paul de Vence, Restored for Modern Living.
The art of making zellige is passed from generation to generation in Morocco; master craftsmen are called maâlems.
2. It’s a prized (but dying) art.
As with prized goods in other parts of the world (Champagne, Belgian linen), Morocco recently required that true zellige tiles be made from a clay without lime or iron, both of which can damage the tiles, and labeled accordingly.
Photograph by Jersey Ice Cream Co.
Because they’re hand-molded, hand-cut, and hand-glazed, no two zellige tiles are exactly the same.
3. No two tiles are alike.
Zellige tiles spotted on the vanity of designer Ilse Crawford’s Own London Flat.
Photograph via The Modern House.
To note when considering zellige tiles for an interiors project: unlike manufactured, uniform factory tile, the handmade nature of zellige tiles results in imperfect, uneven shapes.
4. It can be hard to clean.
Installed on a wall, the tiles appear more fluid or rippled than flat; corners and edges protrude rather than laying flush.
Zellige Terracotta Weathered Tile in white—four subtly different shades—from Clé Tile.
Another side effect of zellige’s handmade charm: it’s impossible to get a batch of zellige tiles in the exact same hue.
5. It won’t be one uniform color.
6. But it’s possible to get “natural” zellige.
If you like a more bare look, you can get natural, unglazed zellige. Just be sure to wet the tiles before installing to prevent a “veil” of cement forming on the tiles, and use a grout with few additives.
A backsplash of zellige tiles in subtly different shades in House Call: 50 Shades of Weathered White in Hudson, NY, from Zio & Sons.
Photograph by Martyn Thompson, courtesy of Zio & Sons.
Installing zellige tile is tricky and requires special care.
7. Now is not the time to DIY.
Experts recommend that zellige tiles be installed as close together as possible—with no joint and no tile spacers. Most installations include prepping the area with adhesive cement, placing the tiles, then skim-coating with a thin liquid joint cement or grout and wiping away the excess.
8. The grout will be (nearly) invisible.
Photograph by Nicole Franzen.
Zellige in the bathroom; see An Arts and Crafts Icon Reborn in the Catskills by Jersey Ice Cream Co.
9. It’s not just for walls.
We’ve spotted zellige all over walls and kitchen backsplashes, but retailers say it can also be used on the floor in low-traffic areas (think: a guest bathroom). But be aware: walking on the floor (particularly with shoes on) may damage or scratch the tiles.
A good way to tell whether your zellige is authentic or not?
10. If it doesn’t have imperfections, it’s not zellige.
Black zellige tile as a backsplash in one of our favorite dark and moody kitchens of all time.
Photograph by Laure Joliet, courtesy of Nicole Hollis.
For much more on choosing tile (and taking care of it), see Remodeling 101: A Guide to the Only 7 Types of Tile You Need to Know, Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Grout and Caulk (but Were Afraid to Ask), and 7 Favorite Architect-Approved Sources for Subway Tile.