Table of Contents
As a fan of authentic interior design, I’ve mostly encouraged our clients to purchase zellige tiles for their residential tile projects. I know that all Pinterest designs are full of the zellige tile bathroom look, and everyone asks if they’re OK to use or not on Reddit. But we wanted to give some answers on whether it is the right material for you. Let’s have a serious conversation about all the pros and cons. Zellige is stunning, but it requires a very specific architectural commitment. Here is our straightforward guide to zellige tile pros and cons so you can decide if it truly belongs in your home.
Let’s Look at the Bright Side: Pros of Zellige Tile Bathroom
1. If You Want a Texture on Your Walls That Feels “Lived In”
Do you know what the real luxury is? A lived in soul in the middle of fabricated luxury bathroom designs. Authentic Moroccan zellige tile delivers an energy that factory made bathroom tiles cannot replicate. Because they are hand chiseled and glazed, the tile surface is incredibly dynamic; that’s why most of the design trends we’ve been following include zellige tiles.
A white zellige tile will catch and reflect natural light beautifully, and it can go with any style understanding. Or, if you want a deeply calming biophilic bathroom, wrapping a zellige tile shower in a rich, saturated green zellige tile is your answer.
2. Zellige Can Work in Any Aesthetics
A zellige tile bathroom isn’t limited to just one specific aesthetic. We love seeing it warm up a sleek modern mid century bathroom just as much as we love it in a rustic European style bathroom. In one of our recent bathroom tile renovations, we decided to use a beige zellige in the shower, and the results were fantastic!
You can also get wildly creative (please do that) with your bathroom interior design, like using an attractive blue zellige tile mixed with white to create a custom checkerboard backsplash on a massive zellige vanity wall.
3. You’ll Love That One: Highly Water Resistant Walls
Because these clay tiles are fired and coated in a thick glass enamel glaze, they make fantastic shower wall tiles. Once properly installed by a professional, a zellige tile bathroom handles wet, steamy environments beautifully, keeping moisture safely away from your drywall while looking spectacular.
Sorry to Interrupt Your Dreams, but You Should Know Those Cons
1. The "Imperfections" Will Bother Some, Red Flag for Perfectionists
This is the biggest shock for new clients. When comparing hand painted ceramic tile vs zellige, you must remember that zellige is intentionally imperfect (because that’s the one thing that makes zellige authentic). You will find pits, crazing, chipped corners, and wild color variations from tile to tile. If you are the type of person who needs perfectly straight, uniform grout lines, a zellige tile bathroom will absolutely drive you crazy. A perfectionist with a sleek and modern look obsession? Zellige tiles may be your red flag.
2. Cleaning May Not Be Easy
Clients constantly ask: Are zellige tiles hard to clean? I’ll be honest with you, they’re not the easiest to clean options you can ever get. Traditional zellige is usually butt-jointed with virtually no traditional grout lines, just a watery grout wash. Because of those raw, uneven edges, we don’t recommend using harsh, abrasive scrubbers or acidic chemicals. You must commit to gentle, daily maintenance to keep your zellige tile bathroom in the best way they are.
3. We Don’t Recommend! The Floor is Strictly Off Limits
I know it sounds a little bit strict but we have our reasons: we don’t recommend a zellige tile bathroom floor. The glossy, highly uneven surface becomes a massive slip hazard the second it gets wet. Especially if you have friends with paws and kids. Furthermore, those famously chipped, sharp edges are a terrible sensory experience for bare feet. You should always keep the drama on the walls and choose appropriate stone tiles or mosaic shower floor tiles to ground your zellige tile bathroom safely.
Reading Isn’t Enough, Order A Sample and Try It Yourself!
So, I hope you can have a little idea if a zellige tile bathroom is right for you, or not. If you’ve decided to get it, bring all your ideas to our zellige tile showroom, and let's select the perfect color shade and flooring match to build a bathroom you will obsess over every single day.