You read it right, Riad Tile has a brand new color of zellige tile available, in-stock, and ready to be installed in your home. Here’s a sneak peek of our latest, Unglazed Natural Zellige in 2×6:
This new variety of zellige is terracotta tile in its truest, most basic form. It’s deeply textured and rustic, with a sense of charm that we consider nearly inimitable. One of the biggest strengths of zellige has always been its simplicity, and Unglazed Natural unapologetically displays simplicity in spades. Its subtle color and texture is owed entirely to the high quality materials of which it’s composed. This tile doesn’t feature any glaze, pigments, or dyes to speak of, meaning that what you see is what you get. There’s something earnest about this approach that we find particularly appealing. More than just aesthetically pleasing, Unglazed Natural is an outstanding example of how sometimes in home decor, less is more. As many of our customers have demonstrated with our other tiles, vibrant colors and flashy patterns can be used to great effect throughout the home, but you should never underestimate the power of the understated.
Tiles that feature this traditional look are almost always imitations in some form or another, either copying the style of some historic tile or adapting old methods to fit modern production techniques. But like all of Riad Tile’s zellige, this just isn’t true of Unglazed Natural. Our zellige is meticulously handcrafted by artisans in Morocco, ensuring that when you buy our zellige, you’re getting 100% authentic artistry created according to the same time-tested methods that have remained nearly unchanged over centuries. We believe that even if you’re on a budget, you shouldn’t have to accept lesser materials, so we work hard to keep our prices low and our offerings as accessible as possible.
Unglazed Natural in Its Natural Habitat
Over the last couple of years, interior designers have taken to zellige faster than most materials, blazing a trail for this amazing tile’s use in homes across the US. Almost overnight, the bold risk-takers of interior design answered the question, “Where does this tile belong?” paving the way for new applications of this stunning variety of tile. So to some degree the legwork for Unglazed Natural has been done. All you have to do is look at where our more neutral tones, such as Natural White, Iron Grey, and Snow, are most at home for inspiration with this new tile.
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In all likelihood, we see Unglazed Natural being used in large scale projects where its neutrality can lend a contrast to colorful or highly-textured design elements and decor, drawing disparate pieces of a room together. It is also remarkably well-suited for spaces that are otherwise stark and bright, adding a bit of color and texture without overwhelming the lighting and darkening the space too much.
The addition of Unglazed Natural to our tiling line is a part of Riad Tile’s constant effort to give you the options you deserve to build something unique to you. In a world of cookie-cutter spaces, we aspire to help you create something beautiful, something that you can truly enjoy instead of just settle for. We believe that gorgeous, high-quality materials should be as affordable as we can possibly make them, and zellige is no exception. Because this tile is such a new addition to the interior design palette, it can seem a bit exclusive. We’re always working to combat this idea, because you shouldn’t have to settle.
As more of our customers receive their orders of Unglazed Natural, we look forward to seeing the incredible applications they dream up. In the meantime, we’ve got plenty of other zellige applications from which you can draw inspiration!
Zellige Around the Home
If you’ve been keeping your eye on the latest interior design trends and styles, we don’t need to tell you just how many people are adding zellige tiles to their remodels. From massive kitchen renos to small accents in guest bathrooms, this amazing tile is sweeping the nation faster than any we’ve ever seen. Like in its home country of Morocco, zellige tiles in the US are being used in countless places for many purposes. This versatile tile is capable of standing up to the challenges of many different settings, including intense heat from fireplaces, food stains in the kitchen, and water damage in the bathroom. After their initial formation, zellige tiles are kiln-fired over olive branches, subjecting each tile to low heat and slow curing and hardening. This method imbues the tiles with resilience to heat and water, all while giving them their unique look.
As sturdy as zellige is, it’s important to note that they aren’t to be used in just any situation. Because of their terracotta construction, these tiles are not suited for areas with high foot traffic, so they shouldn’t be used as floor tile. (don’t worry, we have a lot of options for floor tile!) That said, don’t be shy with your ideas for zellige! It holds up remarkably well in areas that other tiles simply can’t, such as pools or the aforementioned fireplaces, and it looks great doing it.
See for yourself!
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This fireplace, created by one of our customers, is the perfect example for how neutral white zellige tile enhances anything it touches. On either side of the fireplace, you can see clearly that this space makes use of a brighter white paint for its walls, which has the benefit of lightening up the room at the risk of overdoing it and becoming too bright. In order to offset this bright white, this designer makes use of neutral white colors, which is a surprising diversion from the typical darker colors that accompany brick. This touch of off-white, created by the mixture of our Natural White Zellige in 2×6 and a fabulous stone hearth, is the perfect way to soften the rougher edges of stark whiteness, creating a one-of-a-kind fireplace and well balanced space.
Zellige tiles provide opportunities not just for amazing spaces, but for never-before-seen applications. The way you choose to use zellige could very well be the first time this tile has been used in such a way, giving you ample opportunity to explore, create, and ultimately, build your personal style.
White Zellige Tile is Still Perfection
As exciting as new additions to our line of tiles are, as of now nothing is beating the explosive popularity of our white zellige tile! Both our Natural White and Snow Zellige options are flying off the shelves almost as fast as we can keep them in stock, and there’s no sign of that letting up anytime soon. White zellige tile is as elegant as it is versatile, effectively providing the people that use it with a way to add a dose of classic Moroccan style without having to deal with the challenges of matching colors. Their respective off-white colors provide brightness, while the classic zellige glaze and delicate imperfections break up any semblance of monotony, creating a perfect blend of fascinating and practical. Of course, like all zellige, white zellige is well-suited for an amazing variety of settings and applications, both large and small.
In bathrooms, white zellige tile works as a sort of evolution of the classic white tile bathroom. By introducing a bit of variation in shade and texture, white zellige creates the best possible version of the classic bathroom color scheme. Think of it this way: white ceramic tiling has long been a consistent choice for bathrooms because it’s familiar and goes with just about anything. But it has a handful of drawbacks: it’s a bit unexciting and too stark and bright for many people’s tastes. Zellige tile offers the benefits of this classic white tiling without these two key drawbacks. The soft color variations present in some tiles slightly contrast the brighter tiles alongside them, resulting in a flowing sheet of whites rather than a solid block of the same color. Take this simple bathroom as an example, in which a tub is surrounded by our vibrant 4×4 Snow Zellige.
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Even as the whitest zellige tile we offer, Snow offers a healthy dose of variation in color that creates the sense of contrast that is completely lacking in something like ceramic. Set against the bright bathtub and natural light from the window, you can clearly see where Snow’s greyish hue softens the space, making this space feel as relaxing and calming as it should. Additionally, the zellige brightens up the dark color of the outside of the tub, keeping it from overwhelming the rest of the space.
Modern Uses of Terracotta Zellige Tiles
As you plan your own zellige application, it’s important to spend time envisioning your end goals. Are you trying to modernize your space, or send it back in time with a classic flair? Do you need to temper the natural light of the room or make the most of what little daylight the space gets? Zellige can help you accomplish any of these goals, depending on how it’s applied. In modern settings, zellige acts as a foil to otherwise sleek decor, providing strategic texture that enhances the simple smoothness that usually accompanies modern styles. In more rustic settings, zellige is well at home, with its well-defined sense of Old World charm.
In either setting, zellige’s role is dependent on the preferences of the person using it. This ancient tile performs well in even incredibly ambitious projects, like this fireplace wall:
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This space makes use of our gorgeous pink marble tile, Norwegian Rose in 6×12, in combination with 2×6 Snow Zellige to craft an eccentric, distinctive space that you’re unlikely to see anywhere else. Even down to the lighting fixture, this space is built to explore the possibilities present in out-of-the-ordinary decor. The interplay between the soft Snow white zellige tile and the grey and white veining in the Norwegian Rose marble tile is absolutely brilliant, especially in the right light when the glimmering enamel of the zellige and the marble’s natural luminescence are on full display. However, this room has another benefit that’s unseen: this knockout combination has likely never been done anywhere in the world.
Up until very recently, neither zellige nor Norwegian Rose marble were available in the same geographic location. This style of marble tile was formerly almost solely used in Scandinavian countries where the material is most prevalent, while zellige was largely only available in North Africa. With that in mind, this combination of two exquisite tiling options showcases the new and exciting possibilities present in every home. Your ideal kitchen, bathroom, entryway, or whatever else doesn’t have to be something you dream about. You can make it happen. When working with Riad Tile, this customer was able to unite these two distant parts of the world in their own home, and you can do the same.
Breaking Out of the Ordinary
As zellige continues to sweep the US, many people are looking for guidance as they try to envision what zellige might look like in their own home. After all, even small tile applications can be a pretty big step, especially since they’re usually part of a larger renovation project. At Riad Tile, we continually work to support our customers, giving you the tools, guidance, and options you need to build something all your own. From major kitchen overhauls to decorative additions to your pool, we can help you find exactly what you need for your dream application.
If you’re interested in seeing any of our tiles in person, please feel free to order a sample today, and we’ll ship directly to your door. Keep in mind, a small sample may not be representative of what a full zellige application may look like, as each and every tile is slightly different. If you have any questions about zellige, please feel free to view our installation guide or contact us directly!
