introducing the ultimate neutral

by clé tile | published: Jul 15, 2021

A gold bar resting on white wool on the left; two rectangular, rough-textured clay slabs on beige fabric on the right.

launched in july, 2021, gold and platinum zellige from clé is a dramatic addition to our line of natural zellige, and part of our maison clé* collection of exclusive tile offerings.

to create gold and platinum zellige, we took rustic handcrafted clay tile and hand painted it with a layer of 24 karat gold and platinum respectively to create a rich, molten, metallic finish. the resulting reflective surface plays up natural zellige’s textural variation, creating even more visual interest.

while one way to work with our latest zellige is to pair it (discerningly) with intensely glossy zellige for a dramatic statement. we propose an additional possibility.

for a more subtle but sophisticated take, we offer gold zellige as part of the essaouira lustre blend. this takes natural bejmat zellige and elevates the look with pattern play and color, subtly kicking it up a notch with our ultimate neutral: gold zellige. the blend is an intriguing mix of weathered white, cindered olive, vintage rose, and can be mixed any way you choose.

A grid of glossy black tiles with a faint geometric triangle and a single horizontal line of lighter tiles near the top.

A wall covered with glossy square tiles in dark, green, and gold vertical stripes, with a geometric tile pattern on the floor in front.

our preference is a wash of natural zellige that moves into color highlighted with touches of gold. start by laying out the natural zellige. then, lay out the essaouira lustre blend, playing with the pattern until you have your ideal look, one that strikes the desired balance of randomness and structure, rhythm and melody.

use it on interior walls and lightly used floors (be aware that tile, in particular the gold/platinum will patina over time), on a fireplace surround, or on a backsplash.

A minimal room with a herringbone patterned tile floor, a gold vase with a single branch, and two green square tiles on a white and pink wall.

Herringbone-patterned tile floor in pastel, gold, and green, scattered with pink flower petals and blossoms.

Diagram of tile dimensions and layout on the left; on the right, sample tiles in various colors arranged in a herringbone pattern.

to create the pattern, we laid the tile out over the existing bejmat and tweaked it accordingly then moved it into place. this approach really helped with scale and flow of color within the space.

Partially installed herringbone-patterned tile floor with alternating rows of white, green, and pink tiles, beige tiles surrounding the colored rows, and a cardboard box in the corner.

Herringbone-patterned tiles with some rows in white, green, and pink, contrasting against a background of beige tiles.

*maison clé is where art meets tile. our exclusive tile offerings feature collaborations with artists from across the globe and we very much consider these pieces works of art. think of them as accent walls or the focal point of a room. these are the boundary breaking tiles that have put clé at the forefront of tile design.

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