Zellige Kitchen Backsplash in Poncey-Highland
This kitchen backsplash project was part of a full kitchen renovation in a Poncey-Highland home. The homeowner chose a handmade zellige-style tile in a glossy white finish, installed vertically to emphasize the ceiling height of the renovated kitchen. The backsplash runs from the countertop to the underside of the upper cabinets, with open shelving replacing the upper cabinets on one wall.
Zellige tile has a naturally irregular surface and slight variation in thickness from piece to piece, which is part of its character. Setting it flat requires adjusting the mortar bed individually for each tile rather than applying a uniform trowel pass. We use a non-sanded white grout with a slightly wider joint than you'd use for factory tile, which allows the handmade quality to read correctly without looking poorly set.
The tile is installed on the wall above the sink and range, with precise cuts around the range hood mounting plate and electrical outlets. A flexible sealant rather than grout was used at the countertop joint to accommodate the independent movement between the counter and the wall. This project is in a Poncey-Highland bungalow that was extensively renovated while retaining its original exterior character.
Project Details
- Service
- Kitchen Backsplash
- Area
- Poncey-Highland
- Materials
- Handmade zellige-style glossy white ceramic tile, non-sanded white grout, flexible sealant at countertop joint
- Scope
- Residential
- Timeline
- Single-day install
What We Did
- Established level reference line and planned layout for vertical orientation
- Set zellige tile with individually adjusted mortar beds to account for thickness variation
- Made precision cuts around range hood, outlets, and cabinet edges
- Applied non-sanded grout and flexible sealant at countertop joint
Considering a zellige or handmade tile backsplash in your Poncey-Highland kitchen? Call (229) 290-2963 to discuss.
