Introducing ‘Mediterranea’: a collection of traditional zellige
Designed by LEBLUME studio and produced by Aït Manos, the master craftsmen of traditional Moroccan zellige
Is there anything more beautiful, pleasing and stylish than a clay brick elegantly covering a surface? We hadn’t asked ourselves that question in a long time, because we’d always get the same answer (no, there isn’t). However, we cannot hide that there is a special beauty in this new collection we are presenting. Colección Mediterránea is an exquisite selection of our new handcrafted traditional zellige floors, designed by Damián López of the LEBLUME studio and Carlos Jiménez, and manufactured in collaboration with Aït Manos, a Moroccan studio specialized in the zellige tradition.
A traditional zellige collection that celebrates the crafts and culture of the Mediterranean
This collection comprises twelve different zellige designs. The pieces conceived by Carlos and Damián reflect the universe in which zellige is born, grown and developed, historically and today. We find in the collection six basic formats in monochrome and six combined bichromatic formats.
Humbly, we can’t decide which one we like best. The combined formats are an ode to the culture shared by the two countries participating in this project. The Alboran Sea, the basket makers of the Guadalquivir, the weavers of the Atlas, the saddleries of the two coasts… Everything we find in the combined formats is recognisable for the Mediterranean inhabitants on both sides of the Strait of Gibraltar. The designers have created based on the imaginary of fabrics, trades and colors that unite the two coasts like an invisible bridge.
The basic formats, despite their taxonomy, give rise to a multitude of different combinations (this is true for all our formats, including our glazed clay tiles and clay brick tiles). Precisely because of the simplicity of symmetry, and because we have selected geometric shapes that are omnipresent in the history of mosaic for a reason, the simple zellige formats in this collection offer a world of possibilities, despite having a somewhat more discreet identity than the combined formats.
Responding to different industry trends at the same time with a single zellige collection
In addition to the shapes, the artistic intention behind this collection is reinforced by the range of colors. The selection of colors available for the basic formats (saline, honey brown, “Grazalema” green, ash, light aquamarine and almond), responds with originality to the interior design industry’s demand for monochromatic zellige. It is a palette full of nuances that create the illusion of polychrome. The magic of glazed tiles is that they subtly change its hues depending on the incidence of light.
The combined formats are available in a palette of full and rich colors in combination with white. We find the intense yellow of Lino, the cerulean blue of Alborán and Cañizo, the deep green of Piña and the reds of Mimbre and Talabartero. All the original colors of the traditional zellige that has been developed in Morocco since the 10th century. The juxtaposition of the white pieces with the flat colors turns the geometric shapes into a vibrant and lively design.
All these elements give our collection a versatility that we are very proud of. They are the perfect addition to all kinds of projects; they reinforce any aesthetic suggestion, give character and personality to the space, and also fit perfectly in any proposal that wants to have sustainable materials and projects that are respectful to the environment and artisanal crafts.
A long-awaited collaboration with Moroccan artisans
To carry out this collection, we have allied with Aït Manos, a celebrated Moroccan artisan firm founded by Ghalia Sebti and Tawfik Bennani, a cosmopolitan couple of European-Moroccan roots who manage the love for the traditional craftsmanship of the Maghreb with exquisite delicacy and good taste.
More than sixty craftsmen at their Casablanca headquarters are in charge of marking, cutting and assembling by hand each piece and tesserae. Aït Manos has become a world reference in the preservation of traditional zellige production techniques. They were, without a doubt, the perfect company for this project, and we could not be more satisfied with our collaboration.
