Semsem | Handmade Zellige Side Table

Every price includes the folding iron base you see in the photos, painted matte black. It folds flat and the top simply rests on it. The 65 cm height stands on the straight base in the photos, the other heights on the curved one. One upgrade if you want it: galvanized, painted black for a table that lives outside (+€39), in the Base finish step. The ornamented base with hand-forged scrollwork on the lower part, the artisan's own pattern, no two the same, is available on request: message us on WhatsApp or email and we quote it with your table.

Zellij (also written zellige) is a Moroccan tilework tradition with roots going back to the 10th century. Each tile is shaped by hand using a steel hammer and chisel, one strike at a time. Then placed alongside its neighbours and set into cement, the traditional bed for Zellij. Cement takes full sun without softening or warping, and it holds the surface flat for decades, indoors and out. There are no machines involved at any step. The craft is practiced in a handful of cities in Morocco. The artisan who makes these tables works in Salé, on the Atlantic coast, where the tradition has been passed from generation to generation. The tables are made exclusively for You.

Wipe with a damp cloth. Mild soap is fine. Avoid abrasive cleaners, which can dull the enamel over time. The grout lines can be cleaned with a soft brush.

The Zellij tiles are frost-resistant and the cement top handles the seasons well, even in full summer sun. The painted base is the part that needs attention. Wipe it dry after rain, and during heavy rain spells and through the snow season use a waterproof cover or bring the table indoors: water that sits and freezes stresses the grout lines, and standing water is what starts rust at a chip. A touch of matte black paint over a chip seals it again.

Each Zellij table is made to order: allow 2 to 4 weeks for it to be made in Salé, and at least 4 weeks for sizes of 90 cm and above, then 1 to 2 weeks for delivery with UPS or a private courier, whichever serves your address best. All in, count roughly 3 to 6 weeks from order to your door. If it takes a little longer, because every piece is handmade and demand can run high, we will let you know by email or WhatsApp. Please include your phone number at checkout so the courier can arrange delivery with you.

Your table travels padded, wrapped and boxed, and a courier still has to carry it to your door. Take a minute at the door: look at the box for dents, holes, crushed corners or a torn side, and open it in front of the driver if you can. If anything looks wrong, write it on the delivery slip before you sign, or refuse the parcel. If a neighbour or a parcel point receives it for you, please check it as soon as you collect it.

Every table is checked before it leaves the atelier, then protected, wrapped and boxed for transport. In the rare case it arrives damaged, send us photos of the box and of the piece within 48 hours of delivery, at salam@tissireatelier.com or on WhatsApp, with your order number. Those early photos are what let us open the file with the carrier, and we repair or remake your table for you, at our cost.