Actress Zooey Deschanel and Property Brother Jonathan Scott are quickly becoming our favorite maximalist style muses. The couple has spent recent years reviving a Gerard Colcord-designed Georgian revival in leafy Brentwood, and over-indulgent maximalism is at the top of their agenda.
Followers of the New Girl actress and W Network star may already be familiar with their audacious textiles and wallpaper choices – all of which aim to pay tribute to the property's 1930s roots. And this continues beyond its four walls.
Enter – Jonathan and Zooey's outdoor kitchen – arguably the stand-out feature in their backyard for one key reason: its maximalist tile backsplash. Their cream and blue Azulejo-style tiles bring a stark sense of escapism to the couple's yard – and remind us exactly why they are undisputed masters of maximalism. And, even better yet, they're right on trend.
Azulejo-style tiles like the ones seen above may be topping garden trends this year, but they are certainly no new phenomenon.
The word azulejo derives from Arabic (al-zillīj) – zellij meaning polished stone – and has influenced Spanish and Portuguese architecture since the 13th century. They were originally intended to imitate the Byzantine and Roman mosaics – with many early examples existing in the Spanish city of Seville and the Alhambra of Granada.
In the centuries that followed, Azulejo-style replicas have appeared on both sides of the Atlantic – impacting tile trends from the entryway to the kitchen – and outdoor kitchen. And this 2023 is no exception.
'This year, maximalism is going outside,' says the trend experts at Yardzen. 'Bold and playful tile – from our patios to the pool’s edge – will be popular for creating spaces that are energizing and fun.'
And, maximalist tiles aside, Yardzen notes that Jonathan and Zooey's outdoor kitchen itself is equally on-trend this season – as entertaining-friendly yards reign supreme.
'One of the top requests amongst Yardzen clients is room to entertain, and among these homeowners, they want amenities in their yard that transition their outdoor spaces from day to night,' they announced via their 2023 trends report.
'This includes long dining tables for large groups, outdoor bars, pizza ovens, and heaters for memorable evenings under the stars.' And when paired with these maximalist tiles, we're ticking two trends at once – and enjoying a practical and beautiful summer ahead.
The perfect starting point? This almost-identical match to Jonathan and Zooey's tile (from Wayfair) which we've listed below.
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