Moroccan mystique

This North African state with its mountainous desert landscape has been an inspiration to designers and architects all over the world. Consider some of these eclectic mixes of décor elements for your home too. Morocco is a mystical, magical country with an Afro-Hispanic style influence that is a heady mix of mythical and religious elements and vivid colours. The breathtaking buildings are architectural marvels that ooze charm and mystique from ancient, bygone eras.

Intricate, hand-carved furniture complements ornate ceramics with bold geometric designs in an array of bright colours; these are definitive of the area and its people. Moroccan home décor is sensual and romantic, with rich textures, colours and patterns making for a look that?s timeless in its earthy ethnicity.

Define the look

1. Curtain call

Drapes in front of doorways, hallways, windows and beds are typical elements that add softness and sensuality to a setting. Use brightly coloured sheer fabrics that allow light to play in the room and gently stir in a breeze.

2. On the wall

Inspiration for wall colours comes mainly from the desert environment. Colours are vibrant yet also lightly subdued, creating a harmonious flow from the inside out.

Tadelakt is a traditional waterproof lime plaster coloured with mineral pigments, polished with a river stone, and smoothed off with black or olive soap. Traditionally used for both interior and exterior walls and surfaces, tadelakt can be made to seamlessly cover walls, ceilings, floors, sinks, showers and bathtubs.

3. Eclectic art

Art displays take form in unique elements such as functional, painted tiles and sacred symbols. You can almost add ?rustic? to the description of some aspects of Moroccan style, as evinced in the rusted old washers used here to create a textured backdrop for the ornate cross.

4. All in the detail

Attractive, eye-catching detail can be found in the most unexpected places; see how a beautiful tassel tied to a door key adds instant surrealism – with little effort.

5. Natural context

Natural materials such as leather pouffes, woollen kilim cushions and wood always work well together, and details on each textural piece lend a unique flavour to this exceptional style.

6. Rugged, not rustic

Berber carpets take their style and look from handspun, natural-fibre carpets traditionally made by North African Berbers from as long ago as the Palaeolithic era. Berbers (called Moors by medieval Europeans) are the indigenous peoples of North Africa, west of the Nile Valley. About 14 to 25 million Berbers still live in this region, mostly in Morocco.

Did you know?

Originally – and for centuries – wool was the only fibre used in Berber carpet production; the colour choices were light, natural looking shades – vastly different from the darker colours usually associated with carpets.

Berber carpets are now available in nylon and olefine fibres, but are still made with a cut-pile type construction. They usually contain small flecks of dark colour over lighter background shades.