Design trend: inputs from the North African tradition

Small, glossy, colourful and every one different. We are talking about Moroccan-style tiles, one of the interior design trends for 2020.

For centuries, Moroccan craftsmen have been producing stunning handmade glazed terracotta tiles, by the same method, which has survived unchanged to the present. These tiles are used to create tradition Moroccan mosaic, where the ceramic chips are assembled in elaborate geometrical patterns: zellige or zellij.

Zellige has provided Marazzi’s inspiration for the creation of Zellige, a collection that celebrates the unique fascination of flaws in a kaleidoscope of colours and subtly varied shades. We will discuss the collection in this article, and reveal how these tiles are perfect for covering the walls of every room in the home.

This collection’s distinctive feature is the tiles handmade look, which emerges both in the shade variations between tiles and in the edges, which are straight but slightly uneven, as if they had been chiselled by hand. These effects are intentionally created with a state-of-the-art technology that imitates hand-crafted majolica ware.

Perfect for bathroom walls, the Zellige collection Moroccan style tiles create uniform vertical surfaces or can be used to distinguish between walls and spaces, in the small 10x10 cm size or in the mosaic version, with chips in original oblique shapes, available in 3 colour variants and the 30x30 cm size.

Not just in the bathroom: Zellige collection tiles are also an elegant, convenient solution for kitchen walls and backsplashes. The glossy finish, with unique irregularities created on each tile, is the final touch to the assortment in no fewer than 12 shades, including Gesso, Lana, Salvia, Argilla, Cammello, Carbone, Bosco and Corallo, Cielo and all the colours of the sea: Turchese, Petrolio and China.

The new trends for 2020 also suggest use of tiles in Moroccan hand-crafted style to decorate the walls of the lounge with a floor-to-ceiling covering. Thanks to the Zellige tiles’ glossy finish, constantly varying shades and uneven shapes, the light seems to dance on the walls, transforming them into iridescent surfaces. What’s more, infinite combinations can be created, every one different, to make every wall unique and unrepeatable. Due to the tiles’ shade variation and patterning variants, for each of the 12 colours you have more than 70 different tiles for installation.

Marazzi Zellige tiles are so versatile that they fit attractively into every room in the home, including even the bedroom, where they can be used to create an ethno-chic bed-head. They also combine surprisingly well with contrasting styles, such as vintage and contemporary, or classic and rustic. Moreover, they look wonderful with floor tiles of different kinds such as wood-look, resin-look or the granulated marble effect.