There are now many contemporary online-tile companies that offer their customers an extensive and versatile line of mosaic tiles. These are directly influenced and inspired by the world famous moorish baths, as are their bath products. Since the Moroccan designs in themselves are so varied, moorish tiles too have many different interpretations.
It is a little known fact that Moorish tile is influenced by very old traces of french designs. A French tile commonly known as a carreaux ciment is a type of cement tile. Since Morocco was a former French colony, it has the vestiges of French art and architecture. These are visible on the mosaic tiles of Morocco till date. Owing to this influence, there are many architects, designers and artists who have studied French design aesthetic and L’ecole des beaux arts, then created ranges of beautiful tile designs with Moroccan shades and patterns. The Art Deco style of making tiles has also become famous, and Moorish tiles feature in both modern tile designs as well as antique tiles. Very popular right now are the handmade Moorish tiles with Moroccan colors, patterned with French fabric designs. Other influences to these include Turkish and Islamic styles.
Spanish Influence on Moorish Tiles
Andalusia, famous as the home of the beautiful Alhambra Palace in Spain, has long been an inspiration for Moorish tile designs. In history, Moorish design and Spanish art has co-existed for centuries starting from the Hispano Moresque region. Many parts of Spain like Granada, Seville, and Cordoba have a heavy influence of Moorish architecture and fountains. Particularly in southern parts of Spain, one cannot miss the crossing over of Spanish tiles and Moroccan tiles in the architecture found in old monuments, gardens, palaces, and homes.
Moroccan tiles also have an Islamic influence, and Arabesque tiles are very common throughout Morocco in the form of its architecture. The abstract and non-central design of Moroccan tiles comes from the Islamic interpretation of a single God.
The Moroccan Colours
The colours on Moroccan moorish tiles are heavily influenced by the region’s closeness to the sea. Meditteranean influences in the forms of shapes and colours are evident on these tiles, which are made of encaustic tile and ceramic. Interior design in Morocco sees the use of Moresque tiles, and even the furniture may be decorated with these tiles. Paintings and murals can have mosaic borders coupled with tile stair risers. Exterior areas can have embellishments with tiles, in hues of blues and greens as well as terracota.
The main colours that feature on Moorish tiles include white, green, saffron, black, brown, and blue. These are placed in endless combinations to create textures and contrasts. Shapes like stars, squares, diamonds, polygons and triangles come together in these colours to create beautiful mosaics. These mosaics are interpreted in different ways and can encourage meditation or even hypnotism. All these designs, shapes and patterns coupled with the traditional moorish colours are said to bring together the four well-known popular elements – water, air, earth, and fire.
