*handmade zellige features inherent imperfections in color, size, textural variation, chips, pits, iron spots, cracking and crazing.

bathroom

zellige | essaouira lustre blend (bundle)

natural | weathered white | cindered olive | vintage rose | gold

select your options

a maison clé tile

maison clé are our exclusive tile offerings featuring collaborations with artists from across the globe and we very much consider these pieces works of art. much like art they require skillful installation.

*handmade zellige features inherent imperfections in color, size, textural variation, chips, pits, iron spots, cracking and crazing.

buy sample

sample

$100.00/piece

full tile order

start your project

$ 30.49/sqft

The outline of a freight box truck

made to order | ships from warehouse within 12 - 14 weeks

calculate your project

sqft needed

industry standard suggests adding at least 15% overage due to tile cuts, potential breakage, or future repairs

0

total sqft

$ 30.49 /sqft

0

total boxes

12 boxes/bundle


0

total bundles

$ 2,381.97 /bundle


$0.00

subtotal

0 total pieces

this product comes 1,100 pieces per bundle, including 8 boxes of natural bejmat, 2 boxes of weathered white bejmat, 1 box of cindered bejmat, 1 box of vintage rose bejmat (each 90 pieces per box), and 20 pieces of gold bejmat

minimum order of 78 sqft

only 0 sqft available

product specifications

technical specifications

non freeze thaw resistant icon

non freeze thaw resistant

radiant heating compatible icon

radiant heating compatible

uv resistant icon

uv resistant

stove backsplash icon

stove backsplash

sink backsplash icon

sink backsplash

interior floor icon

interior floor

light residential icon

light residential

interior wall icon

interior wall

fireplace surround icon

fireplace surround

shower floor + wall icon

shower floor + wall

steam shower floor + wall icon

steam shower floor + wall

* see material guidelines guide for specific requirements

description
rating
surface type
glazed + unglazed

finish type
gloss + unfinished

level 2: slight

level 3: medium

level 3: heavy

level 1: will occur

level 1: will occur

level 1: will occur

water absorption
natural: avg. 21.9%, glazed: avg. 22.9%

dcof
natural avg. 80, glazed avg. 25

Weight per sqft
7.04 lbs

Bundle coverage
78.13 sqft

this product comes 1,100 pieces per bundle, including 8 boxes of natural bejmat, 2 boxes of weathered white bejmat, 1 box of cindered bejmat, 1 box of vintage rose bejmat (each 90 pieces per box), and 20 pieces of gold bejmat

read before you buy this tile

do i need to seal a mixed glazed, unglazed and gold & platinum installation of zellige tiles?
 
 for glazed zellige with visible crazing, unglazed natural zellige, or if using a contrasting grout, clé recommends sealing with stonetech heavy duty sealer from laticrete as a pre-grout treatment.
 
 if you are installing unglazed zellige (essaouira lustre blend) on a busy kitchen backsplash where heavy staining is a concern, we recommend applying the clé top coat kit to the tile surface and grouted areas instead of using laticrete sealing products. the clé top coat kit can provide even more protection against stains on backsplashes. please note that this product is only a top coat and should only be applied as the final step of installation. please do not use this as a pre-grout treatment and be careful during the grouting process, using a grout bag and cleaning up as you go.
 
 for all other sealing and protecting, clé recommends stonetech bulletproof sealer from laticrete.
 
 for more information about grouting please see our zellige and gold & platinum zellige material guidelines.

do you offer trim for your zellige tile?

at clé we follow the international model of no trim and highly recommend our clients to do the same. below are the trim alternatives we recommend for this collection.

- if your project needs to turn a corner either inwardly or outwardly, mitering the tiles to meet seamlessly in a corner gives it the cleanest, crafted finish.
- another way to complete your tiling is to run a bead of caulk or grout along the exposed tile edge
- if you have a painted surface next to your bejmat tile, you can choose to paint the outer edge of the tile to match the painted surface.
- like with any of our tiles, you can also build out the sheetrock so that the surface of the finished sheetrock is flush with the surface of the tile.

for more detailed recommendations about about trim, please see our trim guide.

how do i take care of my zellige tiles?
 
 over time, a natural patina will occur on floors as they are maintained and naturally wear. this inherent traffic pattern is a highlight of using zellige and should be both anticipated and favored.
 
 mild, pH neutral soaps should be sufficient for most cleaning—test before general use. for all other maintenance, clé recommends laticrete cleaning products. 
 
 see our zellige and gold & platinum zellige material guidelines for more information.

what type of finish should i expect with this blend?
 
 all glazed tiles in the essaouria lustre blend have a glossy finish with the exception of the unglazed natural zellige which have an unfinished porous surface.

how much variation should i expect?
 
 zellige tiles are created from natural glazes, pigments and clay, are fired in handmade kilns using olive pits, and chiseled by hand into desired shapes and sizes. because of the natural materials and the artisan production methods, there will be noticeable variations in thickness, size, shade and color. there may even be differences in the same color across different sizes of zellige. if you want a uniform looking glazed tile, zellige may not be right for your project!

tiles may be exposed to moisture and/or condensation during production or shipping which may affect the color of the tiles once received.  setting tiles out to dry prior to installation will return return the color to normal. 
 
 due to the natural materials and production process of zellige tiles, there will be degrees of variation in color, shade and size in your order, therefore it is important to blend the tiles from all boxes once they arrive and place them in their installation area to ensure you have the layout you want before installing.
 
variation and imperfection ratings:
 
 glazed zellige tiles in this blend are rated 'level 3 medium' for color variation, 'level 3 medium' for texture variation, 'level 3 heavy' for size variation, 'level 2 prevalent' for pits/chips, 'level 2 medium' for cracks/crazing, and 'level 1 light' for iron spots. 
 
 unglazed (natural) zellige is rated 'level 2 slight' for color variation, 'level 3 medium' for texture variation, 'level 3 heavy' for size variation, 'level 2 prevalent' for pits/chips, and 'level 1 light' for cracks/crazing.
 
 gold / platinum zellige are rated 'level 2 slight' for color variation, 'level 2 slight' for texture variation, 'level 3 heavy' for size variation, 'level 1 will occur' for pits/chips, and 'level 1 light' for cracks/crazing.
 
see illustrations in the technical specifications section above, and read more about the ratings in our tile variation & imperfections guide.

how will my zellige samples compare to my actual order?
 
 as noted in the variation and add on orders sections of our faq, color and size variation between batches (kiln loads) of zellige, in addition to variation from tile to tile, is to be expected given the handcrafted nature of the product. this makes it unlikely that your sample will be a perfect match with your actual order.
 
 if you want a uniform looking glazed tile we do not suggest purchasing zellige.

what should i expect with my order?
 
 zellige tiles travel a long distance and are packed in the traditional way with sawdust to protect the tiles from breaking.
 
 dust and shipping residue are to be expected and should be cleaned prior to installing.
 
 note that the twenty gold bejmat 2"x6"x3/4" tiles included in each essaouria lustre blend bundle will be packaged individually and will ship separate from the rest of the order.

why do you suggest i order at least 15% more than my measurements?
 
 Industry standard suggests adding at least 15% overage due to tile cuts, potential shipping breakage, or future repairs. Please note that due to the production process including the firing methods and raw materials used to create glazed clay tiles, your order of Zellige will have a percentage of tiles greater than 15% with cracks, iron spots, crazing, chipped edges, and pitting.
 
 Please note that pits and chips may be more prevalent on 2" x 6" bejmat tiles compared to other zellige sizes, especially in darker glaze colors, with the corners and edges being the areas most affected. 
 
 If these imperfections do not fit your project’s needs we recommend ordering 20-30% overage to allow your contractor to cherry-pick tiles.
 
is it possible to purchase more of the same material after my initial order (i.e. place an add on order)?
 
 due to the handmade craftsmanship of our tiles and the variety of materials used, there will be degrees of variation in color, shade, size and texture across production lots or batches. this means that your sample may not be a perfect match with your actual order, and that your add-on order may not be a perfect match to either. please keep this in mind when calculating your order, and be sure to purchase enough material.
 
for more information related to ordering and shipping, please be sure to visit our shipping and returns and delivery information resource pages.

grout

zellige is traditionally set without the use of any grout. in morocco the installations are done with a butt joint and no grout whatsoever–and they have withstood the test of time. however, at clé we recommend a slightly larger grout joint of 1/16, with cementitious unsanded grout.

note that the gold / platinum areas of your mixed zellige installation should be finger grouted. we recommend working in small areas and carefully finger grouting to keep grout in the joints and off the surface of the decorative tiles. you may find it easiest to employ this grouting method by using a grout bag for applying the grout into the joint and finalizing the grout finish with your finger or a soft, microfiber cloth.

grout color selection is always up to our client and/or their design professional. however, clé is often asked for our opinion on best grout selections for our tiles. and due to the large array of grout colors that are now available, clé would like to offer this general guideline on a foolproof grout color selection for any of your clé tiles.

first, have your professional tile contractor complete your tile installation, except for the grout portion.

next, when ready to grout, ask your contractor to bring ALL grout color charts from his preferred grout manufacturers, for your review.

lastly, choose a time of day when you are most pleased with the lighting in your space (either natural lighting, installed lighting or a blend of both). during that lighting and time of day, select the grout color that best matches your tile selection.

if you are working with highly color-variegated tiles or a combination of tiles, we recommend that you follow the above recommendations—but match your grout to the color in your installation that you would like to accentuate.

important: we do not generally recommend using a contrasting grout color with zellige, as it will highlight the thin hairline cracks/crazing found on the tiles, and fill in any pits, and/or chips. if you choose to use a contrasting grout (i.e. white grout with black tile) please order 20-30% overage in order to cherry-pick the tile of the imperfections that are standard to zellige. additionally, you must make sure to apply Stonetech Heavy Duty Sealer from Laticrete as a pre-grout treatment to minimize the possibility of the contrasting grout curing in the inherent hairline cracks, pits, and/or chips.

for more information about grouting please see our zellige and gold & platinum zellige material guidelines.

collection dimensions

bejmat* - 2”x6”x3/4”
*bejmat actual measurements tend to be closer to 1 3⁄4" x 5 1⁄2".

disclaimer: please note all dimensions are nominal. additionally, dimensions between tiles can vary +/- 1/4 inch.

the "ultimate" neutral for everyday

luxe, sophisticated, and unexpected

one of our favorite ways to use our ultimate neutral–gold zellige–is in the essaouira lustre blend, which comprises natural unglazed bejmat mixed with four different glazes: weathered white, cindered olive, vintage rose and gold zellige, these tiles can be mixed any way you choose. our preference is a wash of natural zellige that moves into color highlighted with touches of gold. installed on the floor, the tile patinas over time, perfect for anyone looking to replicate the time-worn look of a european home. our proposed layout for the blend (shown in our product images) covers an area approximately 7'8” in width, 10’3” in length.

why we love zellige

clé has made it our goal to push the boundaries of surfaces by exploring tiles from around the world and introducing undiscovered materials that have been used in other countries and cultures, for centuries. probably the most defining characteristics of authentic moroccan zellige is its imperfections. its beautiful flaws and irregularities; its variation. most importantly, it is all created in the place that is the center of expertise for zellige craftsmanship where the art of chiseling the tiles to exact sizes, by hand has been passed down from generation to generation. every tile is hand-molded, hand-cut, and hand-glazed, which also means no two zellige tiles are exactly alike.

all zellige is not created equal

without the signature pitted surfaces and hand-chiseled edges, all you’re left with is a version of zellige-not the real deal. although machine cut zellige may be fine for certain clients and certain projects (they’re certainly more affordable) - we, at clé, have found that offering these modern versions simply isn’t the clé way. our goal is to provide an authentic zellige steeped in history from morocco where the tradition began. in fact, the clay in our zellige tile collection is the original clay unearthed centuries ago and is still fired using ancient practices in bee-hive kilns fueled by burning olive pits and branches.

inspiration