Interior Design - Marble and Mint

COSY BENI OUARAIN RUGS FOR THE WINTER SEASON

Posted on 14th November 201614th November 2016 by admin

We’re into the middle of November, and even though Christmas is everywhere already, it’s still a little early for me to be thinking earnestly about the festive season! What is nice though, and never too early to consider, is how to make your home warm and cosy, not just for Christmas, but to see you through the long cold months ahead. A pure wool rug, with a soft deep pile is the perfect addition to any room for the Winter season.

My December issue of Elle Decoration UK recently arrived, and features a beautiful vintage Beni Ouarain rug, which sits perfectly next to the simple Christmas fir trees in this Danish home photographed by Birgitta Wolfgang. This simple Scandinavian style setting is stunning, but with their classic designs and monochrome colours, Beni rugs sit easily with any interior style. We have some beautiful vintage Beni rugs available in our stock in Marrakech, but we also offer as an alternative a collection of modern rugs, woven from the finest quality wool using traditional weaving techniques. Take a look at our sample size sale, a collection of rugs in the perfect size for sitting in front of a sofa, the fire, or underneath a small table. After weaving, these modern rugs are washed and dried up to eight times, and it’s this repeated washing which improves the appearance and texture of the wool, giving it a luxuriously soft silkiness. Perfect for sinking your feet into! Buying a good quality rug like this is an investment, and with the right care it can and should last you a lifetime, not just for Christmas!

BENI OUARAIN RUGS - BLACK OR BROWN?

Posted on 15th October 2016 by admin

Trawling through the internet this morning to find a suitable image to illustrate the difference between ‘black’ and ‘brown’ designs on a Beni Ouarain rug. Unfortunately we don’t know the source of this beautiful photo, but you can clearly see that the classic lattice design on this lovely Beni rug is woven in brown wool. So what is the difference? and how can you know what you are buying? It is often very difficult to tell from photos whether a design is in fact brown or black. If you’re working with a neutral palette, either brown or black will probably work in a room, but we are often asked by clients specifically for a Beni rug with a ‘black’ design.

You can find vintage Beni rugs woven with either brown or black designs, but ‘black’ will often have faded down to a lovely charcoal grey over years of use and washing. However, it is worth noting that contemporary Beni Ouarain rugs woven with undyed wool are invariably woven with a brownish coloured wool, the reason for this is simply that wool from pure black sheep has become increasingly difficult to source. Therefore if you do find a modern Beni rug with a black design, you can probably assume that the wool has been dyed. This doesn’t detract from its beauty in any way of course! If you are looking specifically for a rug with a black design, we will do our best to find one for you, and this often involves getting some really good close up photos of the rug to double check the colour of the design. A custom made rug can, of course, be made in the colour of your choice

[email protected]

SOURCING IN MARRAKECH

Posted on 11th October 2016 by admin

We will be back in Marrakech at the end of this month, spending time in the Souk des Tapis, living and breathing rugs for a while! If you know what you’re looking for, Marrakech is still a great place to source both vintage and contemporary Moroccan rugs. We are lucky enough to work in hand in hand with a very well established family business there who have a knowledge of the history of their rugs built up over generations of trading. We don’t claim to know absolutely everything about Moroccan rugs, it’s a continual learning curve for us, but what we don’t know they can certainly tell us! They have a very large stock available on the ground in Marrakech, which they source direct from the weavers. If there is anything special you are looking for, a particular size or style of rug, please let us know, we will always do our best to find your perfect rug. Our special relationship with our supplier means they will always be on the lookout for our clients’ requirements. We are also regularly updated and have first dibs on any new and interesting rugs in their collection. Their excellent weavers in the Atlas mountains also supply our beautiful custom made Beni Ouarain rugs. Please get in touch if you would like any more information on any of our stock either in the UK or Marrakech. We would love to hear from you! [email protected]

NEW FOR OCTOBER…..VINTAGE KILIM BOUCHEROUITE

Posted on 3rd October 20163rd October 2016 by admin

A sneak peak of some beautiful Vintage Kilim Boucherouite arriving this month to add to our collection…..

These colourful flatweaves are woven from pieces of recycled textiles, are light and durable, and perfect for throwing down on a wooden or stone floor to add warmth, texture and colour. Above is a lovely kilim abstractly decorated with tribal motifs including eight-pointed ‘Solomon’s star’ (female fertility) symbols.

Although you may find many similar kilims, no two are exactly alike. In contrast to the kilim in the first photo, the one above has an orderly vertical zig zag design with contrasting horizontal weaving at each end, and below a traditional lozenge design. Easy to clean, they are perfect for kitchens, bathrooms and children’s rooms. All three arriving later this month….we will keep you posted!

AUTUMN - TIME TO COSY UP….

Posted on 23rd September 2016 by admin

After a long hot Summer, Autumn is finally here and time to think about long cosy evenings ahead. Bare floors are great in the warm weather, but when this time of the year comes, we all want something nice and soft to sink our feet into, next to the sofa in front of the fire, or to welcome you when you take your shoes off in your hallway.

Changing or adding a rug with the season is a great way to instantly update your room, adding colour, texture and warmth. The colour purple is set to be the next big noise in interiors, following on from Autumn/Winter 2016 catwalk trends. We have some beautiful vintage Boujaad rugs available now in soft aubergine and purple tones, originating from the Haouz region of the Middle Atlas Mountains. Investment pieces to see you through this and the coming Winter season. A little early to be thinking about Christmas, but the jewel tones in these rugs would be just perfect for the festive season too!

MID-CENTURY MODERN

Posted on 9th August 20169th August 2016 by admin

If you’re as much a fan of Moroccan rugs as we are, you will know that they were first introduced to the world of interior design by mid-century modernists such as Le Corbusier, Alvar Aalto, Charles and Ray Eames and Frank Lloyd Wright, who used (now classic) Beni Ouarain carpets in his design of Fallingwater House. So what is mid-century modern? It’s a term which describes architecture and design for a period of roughly three decades, from the 1930’s to the 1960’s. The abstract art of Berber rugs was used by these mid century designers to create a complete contrast to the sleek, modern designs of furniture and buildings of the period.

The mid-century vibe is currently enjoying a bit of a revival, although it never really has gone out of style. Mixing pieces of re-claimed or re-invented pieces of mid-century furniture and accessories can make a contemporary home completely unique. Vintage Moroccan rugs do of course fit perfectly with this aesthetic! Most vintage pieces found were woven from the 1950’s to the 1970’s.

Mid-century New York Apartment. Photo credit mid-centuryhome.com

Read more about how to give your home mid-century appeal with Livingetc. (see their Facebook page). We love the etagere by Jonathan Adler for displaying a treasured vinyl collection!