Whether it’s a project I’m working on now or one that’s coming up soon, backsplash tile is something that I think about constantly. Recently, I’ve been drawn to the appearance created using zellige tile.

Terracotta Zellige tiles were first produced in Morocco. The rich, terra cotta-colored historical clay body that makes up Zellige (pronounced zill-eejh) naturally forces its color through all of the glazes. Earth is used to create the tiles, which are then fired in kilns ( source ).

I adore how the little shine surface draws attention to the faults in these tiles, which are what draws people in. With a grid or subway application, the uniform shapes establish balance. For my studio kitchen, where I’ve been planning to put a stunning backsplash for many years, I purchased a couple samples in blue tones last week. One of them hopefully will, in my opinion.

View some of these zellige tile applications in the interim. These tiles complement European or old-world designs perfectly, but they also offer a fun alternative to plain subway tiles in contemporary kitchens and bathrooms.