Moroccan mosaic tiles: zillij - zelliges

Moroccan design and motif are very beautiful combinations of colors and art. These designs are evident in many Moroccan inspired buildings and areas. There are many items that can easily turn an ordinary room or home into a Moroccan inspired home. Moroccan tiles are among the very first things that can inspire a Moroccan motif. These tiles have their own very unique designs that are a blend of deep rich colors and mosaic designs. Some tiles depict arches and other Middle Eastern designs that are prevalent in their culture.

Moroccan Tiles Designs

Many Moroccan tiles have mosaic designs that are an echo of their very rich culture and history. Some are a combination of white with deep blue or deep green mosaic designs. Others are really handcrafted tiles which makes their designs all the more unique. Moroccan tiles can become a breathtaking are in the house and they are usually used in water areas and chimneys as well as living rooms. Of course, to have a thoroughly Moroccan motif, other paraphernalia must be added to your Moroccan inspired area.

Pillows, scarves and gauzy curtains and veils can add to the Moroccan motif that you strive to achieve. These additional items must be complementary to your Moroccan tiles to achieve a Moroccan feel. The usual colors for Moroccan tiles are deep blues, greens and reds with other tiles made up of combinations of dazzling shapes and figures to look like mosaic tiles.



For more info, please contact:
Mark Logan
Saint Tropez Boutique
25 Evelyn way
San Francisco, CA 94127
(415)-513-5920

http://www.sainttropezboutique.us


http://http://www.sainttropezstone.com


http://www.sainttropezboutique.net

zillij, zelliges, zelidge : Moroccan mosaic tiles

Zillij is an Islamic art that is based on learning, discipline, and faith. The geometric patterns reflect the Islamic belief that life is ordered by cosmic intelligence, even if people cannot always understand it. The abstract patterns reflect the Islamic desire to understand God’s creation through study rather than copy creation through representational art, which is shunned as a pathway to idolatry. Zillij patterns are constructed from archetypal shapes that have been refined by centuries of scientific study, artistic tradition, and religious belief.

Fundamentally, the purpose of zillij is decoration. Since Islamic tradition frowns on representational art, Muslims celebrate beauty through decorative arts, such as arabesques, textiles, architecture, tile work, and pottery design. The Prophet Mohammad is quoted as saying “God is beautiful and loves beauty.” The Prophet’s love of learning, appreciation of beauty, and directive to avoid representational art provided an ideal set of constraints for the creation and support of zillij art work. It is hard to imagine this art form arising from any other tradition.

In Morocco zillij is used to decorate water fountains, home interiors, add architectural detail, and cover tombs. It is rarely, if unsuccessfully, liberally applied to the exterior of buildings. According to Zillij: The Art of Moroccan Ceramics, zillij is “the subtle application of man’s feelings through form and color, exactly as the house is designed to reflect his requirements. Zillij is an expression of man’s interior world.”

Zillij artisans today continue to be supported by commissions. Restoration work and new building projects keep them occupied as do commissions for zillij installations in private homes. If a family can at all afford it, they will likely add a zillij fountain, wall, or walkway to their residence.

The manufacturing of zillij dates back to the eleventh century. The practice was likely inspired by Roman mosaics, remnants of which can be seen in the ruins at Volubilis. It is certainly influenced by Islamic belief and tradition, which warns against representational art for fear of idol worship. Whereas representational art may, according to the Islamic perspective, disfigure reality in the observers’ mind and lead to misplaced study and misguided worship, zillij, through a disciplined approach to space, line, and color, encourages the observer to reflect on the perfection of God’s creation.

Moroccan mosaics are unique in the Muslim world. The lines in Moroccan geometry are straight as opposed to the curved lines used in Middle Eastern art traditions. This straight line is thought to be an influence of pre-Islamic architecture, constructed by the Berber (Amazigh) populations before Islamic culture arrived in North Africa. The Moroccan line can be seen in both the hard edges of zillij tiles and the rectangular, not round, minaret of mosques.

Kitchen Backsplash tiles: Moroccan tile, Moorish tile, Mediterranean tile, Spanish Tile

Moroccan tiles are a testimony to their deep heritage and rich culture and are usually handmade or handcrafted. The practice of making handcrafted Moroccan tiles has been passed down through the ages. They are the true epitome of Moroccan culture and heritage. They showcase the different colors and designs that have influenced Moroccan design since the early days of Middle Eastern culture. Many people have loved the designs and the colors that handcrafted tiles bring to a room.

Why Are They Unique?

Handcrafted Moroccan tiles are unique because they are traditionally handcrafted by Moroccan artisans using a unique clay found only in Fez. Moroccan tiles also known as zillij or zelliges are handmade specifically in Morocco and wood fire is used to make them hence the natural variations in their color tone and shade. It is this aspect that makes the tiles unique even from each other.

The fact that customers are often encouraged to design their very own tiles with designs to suit their preferences. The choices of tiles are varied both in color, sizes, patterns, and designs.

Zellige Tiles:

Zellige tiles also know as zillij often come as loose geometric shape tiles and are assembled into repeated colorful patterns.customers can make their very own Moroccan designs to suit their color preferences and tastes. Other tiles come pre-assembled and can be used to make up Moroccan inspired areas in the home. These pre-assembled tiles are also handcrafted but they already have designs of their own and they are already glazed compared to the designs your own tiles which will have to be fired up when you have decided on the design. Some stores even have a sticky paper backing where you can try out several designs. This is part of the uniqueness of handcrafted Moroccan tiles.

Some specialty stores carry tiles that are bigger in size and already have designs of their own. Some are handcrafted while others are made, with the aid of modern technology so technically, they are not quite the same because they are probably not made in Morocco nor are they handcrafted. The handcrafted Moroccan tiles are more expensive than the other Moroccan inspired tiles due to the intense labor and time consumed to make these gorgeous tiles.

In spite of their price tags, many people still prefer handcrafted Moroccan tiles due to their organic characters, authenticity, and uniqueness. Many prefer to design your own tiles because they can really integrate their ideas and likes into the design. Saint Tropez Boutique of San Francisco offer this as part of their service, before having the tiles created individualy for their clients in the old city of Fez, Morocco and flown to anywhere in the world.


For more info, please contact:
Mark Logan
Saint Tropez Boutique
25 Evelyn way
San Francisco, CA 94127
(415)-513-5920

http://www.sainttropezboutique.us
http://http://www.sainttropezstone.com
http://www.sainttropezboutique.net