Using Zellige tiles in bathroom design

Authentic Zellige tiles are handmade from clay and then glazed at a high temperature to create the beautiful, delicate sheen which makes them so appealing.  The appeal of them is that they are not quite perfect, which most things that are genuinely handcrafted are not.

With their origins in North Africa, Zellige tiles are seen in many Moroccan designs and historically, they have been used in beautiful mosaic designs which make this style so beautiful.  Now we see them in traditional squares and they are a welcome change from the classic Subway tile.  I am partial to a Subway tile though as they are such a classic look, but it’s nice to look at alternatives too.

I am going to show you how you can use Zellige tiles in your next bathroom design.

Using Zellige tiles in bathroom design

The great appeal for designers of these gorgeous tiles is that they are made in a range of beautiful colours.  Each tile is also a little different so you don’t achieve an even colour across the tiled surface and this becomes more evident the darker and bolder you go with your colour choice.

A warm neutral below has variation in colour, but it is not as extreme as in the second image with the coral coloured Zellige tiles.

Emily Lauren Interiors

The Block

Even without much colour variation, the overall colour is still uneven as the nature of the tiles with their undulations and gloss finish means that the light bounces around the surface. 

Rather than buy the authentic clay tile there are now lots of ceramic Zellige style tiles on the market.  You achieve a similar look and it can be difficult to always tell the difference.  A ceramic option will be more uniform and won’t have the odd chipped edge, which is part of the appeal.  However, if you love the look, but like a more uniform finish, this could be the option for you.

Using grout with Zellige tiles

The idea with Zellige tiles is to not see the grout in between the tiles, but of course this can be quite a challenge.  People do in fact lay them without grout, but this is not recommended in a wet area as you need the tiles to be waterproof.  Therefore, when grouting Zellige tiles you need to butt them up to each other as closely as possible and use a grout that is similar to the tile colour.  As their imperfections are part of the appeal, this can be a challenge.  You can use more grout and define the edges of the tile, which still looks really great, but it won’t necessarily be as authentic.

Below are Zellige tiles with an obvious grout line.  Although not necessarily the way the tile is designed to be laid, it is nonetheless very appealing as the white line defines the edge of the tile and highlights the subtle changes in colour and tone.

The Design Files

A great way to introduce colour

As Zellige tiles are delicate and pretty, they really lend themselves to introducing strong colour into bathroom design.  As there is so much variation in the tone of each tile, you don’t get a solid strong injection of colour, which can be overwhelming.

The drawbacks of using Zellige tiles

• They can be hard to clean.  As the surface has soft undulating ridges, you need to spend more time on these tiles than on a simpler even tile to get them looking right.
• You do require a skilled tiler to lay them for you, particularly if you do not want to see much grout.  They are therefore not a DIY project and you will need to find an experienced installer.
• Remember the appeal of Zellige tiles is in the lack of uniformity.  Each tile is different and being handmade there will be imperfections.  This is how they are meant to be, but you need to be comfortable with this.
• I wouldn’t specify these for flooring as the edges could be slightly uneven and therefore might cause injuries to bare feet.

Zellige tiles have been on trend for a while now and they are becoming more mainstream.  I think that for some time now we will be seeing people using Zellige tiles in bathrooms for a little bit of something different.

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