{interior by Malene Birger via}
When most people think of Morocco, its all about the medinas and the souks, the traders and the artisans, the perfumes and , of course, the colours . . .
But for this post I have decided to step back, tone down and discover some Moroccon design in black and white.
From the quintessential vintage Beni to a thoroughly more modern take on bedlinen – the motifs and designs are showcased without the distraction of colour.
You cant talk Monochromatic Morocco without headlining the Beni Ourain carpets of the Atlas Mountains – these uniquly tribal and essentially practical houshold items have become an essential part of any designers repetoire. Each has a story to tell and as vintage carpets are becoming more rare, the value of an original berber “white giant” increases with age.
To find out a little more about these beautiful carpets have a read HERE : White Giants by Gebhardt Blazek
Above is another Malene Birger interior ( she is, in my opinion, the queen of black & white), which showcases her use of a monochrome palette with layers of Moroccan textiles – relying on pattern and texture rather than colour for interest and definition. The natural tones of the traditional Handira (wedding blanket) are brought to life by the weight of some sparkly metal sequins. Again, the older the handira, the greater the patina, and the higher the value.
Moroccan tiles are often a riot of colour and incredibly detailed geometric design – but here the traditional cement tile is kept simple and toned down.
All makers of these encaustic tiles in Morocco will work to order on both colour and pattern and it is always a joy to see the tile master at work!
One of my favourite textile designers in Morocco is Dar Fatyme – the latest designs see a departure from the usual pops of colour typical of the Dar Fatyme cushions and artwork, and instead are more subtle in tone with reference to traditional stitches and motifs of Morocco.
I’m not a purist about many things, but as far as I am concerned, the only colour bedlinen should be is white . . . with the possible addition of some handstitched details.
This beautiful bedlinen also takes its inspiration from the traditional embroidery of Morocco and its clean geometric details are the perfect addition to this luxe bedlinen made by Tweem.
And finally, no home is complete without a scented candle or two – so these new additions to the Studio Musk range with their signature scents of love {hob}, hope {amal},and travel {safar}
Pretty much sums up my life goals right now!
candles available online via Cote Bougie
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