Pastel Zellige Backsplash with Open Shelves in Fredericksburg

This kitchen backsplash in a Fredericksburg vacation rental uses handmade zellige square tiles in a mix of soft blues, creams, and off-whites. Zellige is a Moroccan handmade tile with natural glaze variation and slight surface irregularity — each tile has a slightly different tone and face, which creates the watery, light-catching quality visible in the finished surface. The installation requires more care than standard ceramic because the natural thickness variation means mortar bed depth must be adjusted tile by tile to keep the surface reasonably flat. We used a flexible medium-bed mortar and adjusted each piece individually. Behind the open wood shelves, the tile continues uninterrupted so the shelves float against the surface.