Zellige Kitchen Backsplash in Glenview — The Glen

This kitchen backsplash in a Glenview home near The Glen Town Center uses handmade Moroccan zellige tile in a deep emerald green. The tiles are set in a simple grid pattern to let the natural color variation and surface texture of the handmade tile do the visual work rather than the layout. Under-cabinet LED strips amplify the gloss and depth of the zellige surface.

Zellige requires a different installation approach than manufactured tile. The thickness variation between individual pieces — inherent to the handmade process — means the thinset bed needs to be adjusted tile by tile to keep the face plane consistent. We use a white thinset to prevent any gray bleed-through on the lighter grout joints. The edges at the upper cabinets were finished with a cut tile rather than a metal trim piece to keep the look clean in this newer Glen-area kitchen.