Zellige Kitchen Backsplash in Vinings
About This Project
This Vinings kitchen backsplash used handmade Moroccan zellige tile in a glossy white finish, installed in a vertical stack bond pattern from counter to upper cabinet. The homeowner chose zellige specifically for its handmade variation and the way light plays across the slightly uneven surface.
Zellige tile is fired at lower temperatures than standard ceramic, which means it's more porous and the edges are less consistent. Standard plastic spacers don't work because the tiles vary in thickness and size. We hand-set each tile, adjusting spacing by eye to keep the joints visually even while accommodating the natural variation. Grout selection was critical: we mocked up three colors on a small test section before committing, ultimately choosing an off-white that complemented the tile's natural variation without disappearing into it.
The brass fixtures and open shelving in this Vinings kitchen were installed by others; our scope was the backsplash tile from counter to upper cabinet, including the return around the window opening.
What We Did
- Prepared drywall substrate and applied skim coat to address surface irregularities
- Dry-fit and sorted zellige tiles by thickness to distribute variation evenly
- Hand-set each tile in vertical stack pattern, adjusting spacing by eye
- Grouted with off-white unsanded grout; applied penetrating sealer to tile and grout
