Zellige tiles: the handmade touch for your home

Zellige ceramics are a clear example of craftsmanship. For many years, this type of handmade mosaic has been a clear decorative element in Andalusian architecture. Their variety in colour, shape and texture make each zellige piece unique. In recent years, the commitment to craftsmanship has relaunched the use and marketing of zellige tiles, putting the latest industrial advances at the service of ceramics. 

In this sense, Arab or zellige tiles are characterised by the fact that they are made from a particular mixture of clay originating in Morocco. Therefore, in order to make production sustainable, the use of the most advanced ceramic techniques makes it possible to create zellige-style tiles without creating a high environmental impact.

It is also worth noting that, in essence, zellige ceramics are characterised by combining small coloured tesserae and different shapes to create decorated spaces. The variety of tile laying combinations makes it a perfect ceramic for creating unique spaces. However, current trends are moving away from traditional mosaic and towards monochromatic ceramics with a high degree of detonation. Thus, the designs have bright glazes of a single colour but with a variety of shades.

What are the characteristics of zellige tiles?

As mentioned above, the tradition of handwork is combined with industrial ceramics to create zellige tiles that do not lose any of their handmade effect. All in all, zellige ceramics, which in Arabic means "small polished stone", are characterised by:

• Variation in tone and colour between pieces and even within a single piece.
• Imperfections on the surface of the tiles as a result of hand manufacture.
• Shapes with a certain irregularity at the edges.

Zellige tile ideas for the bathroom

As we have seen throughout this post, zellige tiles can be used to design spectacular atmospheres, both indoors and outdoors. The chromatic variation of the same tone or the combination of different coloured pieces give the decoration a unique charm. That's why zellige tiles for the bathroom are pure trend.

You can use them to cover all the walls in the room or to highlight a specific area. If you place them on the wall behind the washbasin, you will achieve the effect of highlighting the mirrors. There are also professionals who choose to place them on the shower wall or to create a differentiated space on which to place the bathroom utensils.

And if you want your bathroom to look trendy, you can combine it with marble pieces to give it a more sophisticated touch.

Zellige tile ideas for the kitchen 

The zellige style gives a lot of character to any kind of decoration. This fact, added to its handmade aspect, makes it a product of the latest trend and very much in demand by decoration professionals. It should be noted that this type of tile brings warmth to rooms and is therefore ideal for kitchens.

The zelliges tiles for the kitchen reflect unique beauty, thanks to their finish and chromatic variation. You can use them to cover the walls or to highlight the central bench area behind the hob or ceramic hob. You can also place them in the sink area. 

In Dune and continuing with our desire to create trend-setting ceramics, we have the Agadir series, inspired by the artisan work of zellige. This collection is designed both to create traditionally inspired spaces and to design more eclectic atmospheres. These tiles, suitable for interiors and exteriors, can be used as flooring and cladding, as in addition to the glossy finish pieces, we also have the Cotto Claro and Cotto Oscuro models. Discover the collection!