I have been a little slow off the mark to reignite my blogging mojo this new year/new decade/best foot forward time of year, but this week got me back on track with the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel prompting me to share some of my favourite lighting images that I have been squirreling away on Pinterest.
Hopefully this year will see a lot more interior inspiration kind of posts on the blog as we finally head into the realm of proper grown-up building and renovations on our little olive grove in the moroccan countryside this summer – enough of the trees and the wells and water, time to start putting a roof over our heads.
In the meantime I am finding a little light inspiration in and out of the souks of Morocco from quintessentially traditional lanterns, some vintage finds, alongside a few more contemporary designs as well.
I have always loved a vintage chandelier or two – and I have more than a few which have been lying dormant in boxes these past few years – time to get them out, dust them off and find them a place in the sunshine. If you are in Morocco you will always be able to find vintage treasures and antiques, you just need to know where to look – often in amongst a lot of other stuff ! In Tangier, a wander around Casa Barata can turn up anything from a bolt of blue velvet to a crystal chandelier and a few things inbetween
For ambiance and mood lighting nothing does it better than the slightly more contemporary designs found in morocco using ancient and tradtional metal craft – and if you cant find the right shape or size what you need to do is find a metal worker who will make a lantern in whatever size and shape you want.
Big bold basket lampshades can also be found in the markets of Morocco – I frequently stop at the roadside basket makers in both Tangier and Assilah to see what these talented artisans have woven from locally sourced bamboo, wood and wicker.
There are several designers who are based in Morocco and take inspiration from the aesthetic while placing it clearly on a more contemporary stage. One of my favourites is the tarbouche inspired lampshade by designer Valerie Barkowski who has a boutique in Marrakech.
Another is Hamimi Designs who are inspired by tradtional shapes and techniques to create their beuatiful woven pendant shades.
So while slightly more cliched images might spring to mind when you think about lanterns and lampshades in Morocco take time to explore and look for the extraordinary amongst the exotic.
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ALL IMAGES & CREDITS VIA MY PINTEREST BOARD
