Using the Darker Shades of Zellige
At Riad, one of things we most enjoy is seeing how creative our customers are. From the kitchen to the patio, we’ve seen our tiles used to build spaces that have a completely singular visual style. In seeing our customers creativity on full display, one thing we always notice is how unique and personal a space can be. No matter its shape or size, a room or outdoor area is almost always a reflection of its owner by way of being shaped by their tastes in decor and their personal style. We also notice that no two spaces are completely the same, and some may benefit from a specific piece of decor where another might not. With this in mind, we decided to go over some of the uses of the darker shades of the Moroccan tile, zellige.
Deep, Rich Coloration
One of Riad’s most recent offerings, Zellige is a classic Moroccan tile with origins reaching back centuries. Artisans in Morocco have handcrafted these tiles using a nearly unaltered method for hundreds of years, using natural dyes and a kiln-firing process.
We offer Zellige in a variety of colors, including forest green, steel grey, emerald green, and black. While these darker colors may not have the brightness of some of our lighter colors, their complexity and rich coloration make a perfect match for many different spaces. For example, if your kitchen features a great deal of natural light from large windows, a darker tile, such as our forest green zellige tile, might be the perfect way to better balance your space. Some (but not all!) rooms that have the benefit of incredible natural light can be made to seem too bright by light-colored tiling, so a pleasant offset from a darker tile can create a space where the intricacies of the darker tile can be appreciated while the natural light doesn’t become overbearing.
But balancing a room’s natural brightness is far from the only reason to use a darker zellige tile. These handmade Moroccan tiles feature a bold visual style that simply can’t be replicated by any other style of tile. The delicate chipping and cracking that creates the visual zellige is well-known for is pronounced in these deep colors, adding a flair of contrast to each tile. Additionally, the subtle variations in color that give zellige applications their always-unique texture is often more apparent in the darker colors, adding just a bit more complexity.
Varied Textures for a One-of-a-Kind Space
No matter the shade of zellige your space requires, you can be sure that we have the right color for you. From vibrant sky blue to verdant emerald green, Riad works hard to make sure that you will be able to find your perfect handmade zellige tile. All of our zellige is handcrafted in Morocco by master artisans who specialize in the time-tested methods use to create zellige tile.
If you’re interested in seeing our tile in person, please feel free to order a sample anytime!