Our Faux Zellige Square Kitchen Backsplash Tile

We loooooove our new kitchen backsplash tile. When we closed on our new house in September we knew we wanted to make a few improvements before moving in. One of those improvements was to redo the kitchen backsplash tile. There was nothing “wrong” with it but it was not our taste. I have been swooning over zellige for some time now and I knew I wanted a textured square tile for our new kitchen. We found the perfect faux zellige style kitchen backsplash tile! Let’s get into it.

What are zellige tiles?

Zellige tiles are a part of history dating back hundreds of years. They are handmade clay tiles that come from Morocco. They are traditionally square in shape and because they are handcrafted, have imperfections and variations in flatness and shine. No two tiles are the same. This, to me, is the beauty of the tiles. You achieve a uniform but not symmetrical look.

Alas, true zellige tiles are expensive due to their handmade nature and current popularity.

The perfect faux zellige style tiles

Yes, you can achieve a zellige look without sourcing tiles from Morocco! Due to recent popularity there are many options on the market now. We wanted soft white toned tile to compliment our greige kitchen cabinets. After much searching and comparison we settled on Riad’s Ceramic White Tile 4×4. They are square with a shiny glaze finish and come with many color variations. The style also comes in sand or gray tiles. They retail for $12/sq ft compared to real zellige which will run $20/sq ft and up.

We paired the white ceramic tiles with a very light gray color grout. We decided against white grout because I wanted some contrast between the tiles and the grout. However, the grout color choice really depends on what look you are going for. I think white or gray grout will work depending on the vibe you’re after!

In conclusion

When we first had the tile install done I wasn’t sure about the wide color variance in the tiles. Some of the tiles are much more gray than others. But as we finished furnishing and decorating the kitchen the look has grown on me! I don’t notice the color variance any more and I’m super happy with our tile decision.

And (bonus!) they do not show dirt easily due to their color variance and imperfect look.

Would you ever chose faux zellige tiles? Or does nothing compare the the REAL THING?!

For more, check out our favorite white wall paint color here.