Tile adds beauty and function to many spaces in the home. From kitchens to bathrooms to fireplaces, they're a fool-proof way to add color, pattern, and interest to schemes. And as with any feature, certain styles and designs become the go-to trend.
Zellige tiles have certainly become a favorite for designers and homeowners alike. These handmade clay designs are glazed and fired to have an irregular texture and finish, which adds a unique feature to any scheme.
But as they continue to prove popular, how can you ensure that your design feels unique and, most importantly, introduce them in a way that still keeps up with the tile trends of 2025? Well, House of Hive Design Co. has just taken to Instagram to share a few ways to make zellige tiles feel more unique. Here are some 'cool ways to lay it that are not so basic.'
How to make zellige tiles more unique
How you lay your tiles will depend on your space, style, and the shape of the tiles. And, typically, you can get more creative in a bathroom than you might in a kitchen, simply because bathroom tiles tend to cover the most space, giving you more space for creativity.
'One of my favorite applications is to lay tiles in a stripe. You can do this using the smaller square tiles, a two-by-six to make a double wide stripe, or an equally beautiful alternating single,' says Kailee Blalock, co-founder at the design studio behind the reel.
A stripe design is truly enduring. It's a classic design that never goes out of trend, but it still has plenty of versatility to create something unique. You can also have fun with scale here – create equal-sized stripes or use different colors and sizes for a more intricate design.
Or, if you want a tile design that is still classic but has more detail, opt for a woven or checkered design. You can introduce more color combinations and create a design that's as simple or busy as you wish.
'My next favorite is to do a woven or a plaid lay. A woven uses four tile colors, whereas a plaid only uses three. This kind of reminds me of an off-set version of the woven,' Kailee explains.
'One of the easiest but most impactful ways to lay tile is to do a chequered lay. I love having a monochromatic moment using a two-tone of the same base color, and I also love the idea of creating squares using two-by-sixes or two-by-fours, or even using four square tiles,' she adds.
A checkered pattern works well in almost any space, but it's particularly favored on flooring in utilitarian rooms and hallways. For a more unique approach, opt for chequered Zellige tiles around a fireplace to give it a more decorative detail where no original tile has been retained.
In her part two video, Kailee focuses on variations on these classic designs, and how simply changing the number of tiles you use in a pattern, or even just the colors, can completely change the look and feel.
'I love this take on the double basket weave,' she says, referring to one of her inspiration images. 'A change as small as swapping out the center color makes this so much more dynamic.'
A double basket weave pattern is essentially where you add groups of rectangular tiles in alternating orientations with different colors, giving it the appearance of a woven pattern on a larger scale.
'In my last video, I mentioned doing a four-color woven, but I found some in a similar vein using three colors. Simply swapping out the colors gives such a different look,' she says.
While some of these Zellige tile patterns are bolder and more intricate, you don't have to use them throughout the entirety of your bathroom, kitchen, or whichever room you're introducing them too.
A shower nook is a great way to add a busy design without overwhelming the scheme, or in a kitchen, the wall behind the cooktop is the perfect place to create a focal point with tiles.
Zellige tiles are a design trend that's set to endure. By taking inspiration from these designs, you can ensure your schemes feel unique and timeless. 'As you can see, getting creative with Zellige is pretty easy to do, so don't be afraid to try a bunch of different patterns,' says Kailee.
