If you’re looking to refurbish your home with some exotic yet tasteful and refined designs, Moroccan décor might be the ideal choice for you. The variety of colors, patterns, and shapes incorporated in their design will open up your space and bring an inviting freshness into it.
Wondering what this style is all about and who were its cultural influences? Geographically, the country serves as a link between Europe and Africa, therefore its rich culture fuses European Mediterranean style with that of northwest neighboring countries like Portugal, Spain, and France. Combine that with African and Islamic influences, and you get the sumptuous Morrocan style in all its glory.
According to Love Happens Magazine, the Moroccan interior style first became popular outside of Morocco in the 1960s, when a splurge of tourists, mostly affluent hippies from Europe and the States, became bedazzled by it and tried to replicate the style in their bohemian living spaces back home.
So, what are the characteristics that define Moroccan interior design?
Moroccan Furniture
Interior spaces might be loaded with colors and patterns but with the furniture, it’s all about comfort and simplicity. For the upholstery, you can choose any kind of patterned fabric but the overall design should be plain and simple. Since the emphasis is on comfort, low seating is one of the key features and therefore a must. Throw some soft cushions and pads on the floor, and simply relax!
If you want to bring the Moroccan look to your bedroom, it’s essential to add an overhead canopy to achieve extra coziness with a romantic twist. Silk and cool cotton are typically used as fabrics here, complementing the traditional geometric patterns of the bedding.
Moroccan Rugs
Another characteristic element that contributes to the pervading sense of repose is a plush Moroccan rug that warms up the coolness of the zellige tiles on your floor. Imagine yourself at home with your feet buried into the fluffiness of these rugs!
There are many astonishing collections of Antique Rugs on the market. They offer a wide array of the most impressive Moroccan rugs and carpets to date. The secret that lies behind their timelessness, and the thing that distinguishes them from Turkish or Persian rugs, is in the bold geometric designs that adorn these rugs.
Bold Colors and Materials
Deciding to remake your interior in this style gives you the freedom to play around with all sorts of colors and materials. Bright and bold colors are predominant on everything except the walls which usually remain white or neutral.
Warm earthy colors like deep red, orange, or cinnamon are translated straight from the picturesque African sunsets. The dreamy green and blue tones stand for the hues of the vast ocean, while shimmering jewel colors, with tints of gold and silver, reflect the sandy dunes.
Next, you have a whole list of materials associated with the Morrocan interior to choose from. Sorting out the most popular ones, we suggest using stone for the walls that are otherwise left clean and bare. Tiles feature heavily on the floors, walls, and ceilings, very important because of the intricate designs painted on them. Spice this up by adding some wooden accessories and decorations to your favorite corners.
Curves and Horseshoe Arches
Traditional Moroccan architecture makes use of the so-called horseshoe arches, also known as Moorish or keyhole arches that function as holes through a narrow doorway. If you don’t want to knock your walls down, the way for you to include this element in your home makeover is through shelves and bookcases, for instance. Different furniture and decorative pieces will bring some curved shapes for you to boast with proper aesthetics.
Metal Works
When you mention metal decorations to someone, they immediately anticipate something pale and boring. Not the case with Morrocans though. To say they love working with metal would be to undermine their craftiness. Your living space would be made to look palatial with these carvings and ornaments ranging from mirrors with decorative wrought ironwork to vases and lanterns, and even kitchen utensils.
Oriental wall mirrors are really a great way to make your entryway or living area a bigger and lighter space – or at least it makes leaving such an impression on your visitors effortless.
Indoor Plants or Garden
We also encourage you to extend this Moroccan theme in your garden. You can start by adding tiles along narrow footpaths, planting a few trees or just placing some plants in terracotta pots. One option is to plant a lemon tree which it’s not only ornamental but produces an amazing fragrance – and exotic sensual scents are definitely another key element for this style.
For a more oasis-like feeling, you can plant a banana tree or papyrus too. Go for bigger-leaved exotic plants because the deep green color of them beautifully contrasts the reddish tones of your furniture. Of course, don’t forget to add a seating area by simply arranging those cushions and pads we mentioned earlier in a nice comfy fashion.
More and more people are losing their heads over this interior style these days, and now you know why. These ideas should be enough to inspire you and get you on your feet and off to the nearest furniture shop. You’ll be one step closer to having your own mystical paradise whether you decide you only need a touch of exotic flair or a full-scale transformation.