Moroccan influence is (still) hot in interior design…poufs, lanterns, beautiful, colorful textiles. I for one am a big fan and it actually makes me a little sad that it’s a trend because trends come and go and I want this one to stay! One of my favorite home decor items coming out of Morocco is the Beni Ourain (also spelled Beni Ouarain) rugs–an ivory shag rug with a graphic black pattern (often diamond and lines.) They’ve been popular with designers for years, but are now seen everywhere! No surprise because they’re the perfect way to add a contemporary ethnic vibe to any room, yet make it feel super cozy.
I saw this picture of a Chicago North Shore home a couple of years ago and have coveted one ever since.
And here’s one in the home of Jayson Home creative director Caroline Scheeler…you know it’s hot when it’s associated with Jayson!
As you can see, this furry friend looks great underfoot in any room including mid century modern…
And check out the living room rug of the ubiquitously-shot and recently-sold home of J. Crew’s Jenna Lyons…
There are now lots of places you can buy them online if you do a quick Google search, but since each one is unique in design, size and shag level, I would feel more comfortable seeing and touching it before I lay out some decent cash. I found one I loved at Michaelian & Kohlberg in the Chicago Merchandise Mart but couldn’t bring myself to pull the trigger and have spent the last two years kicking myself. West Elm also jumped on the trend and is doing a good knock off at an affordable price so if you tend to be someone who likes to switch things up with different trends, you might want to save some money and go this route since the originals do cost a pretty penny. A few months ago, they were also selling authentic ones so if you’re interested, it wouldn’t hurt to call their customer service number and see if they have any left. You can also find them on Etsy and through the store of fabulous blog My Marrakesh which is written by an American woman living in Morocco.
Here’s one of my favorites on her site right now–not a vintage, but styled like the oldies and just as goodie because of the gray color with blue highlights:
Even if you don’t order a rug, her blog is a feast of beautiful Moroccan design inspiration and color!
I know I’m meant to be looking at the rugs here… but I really like the leather couch in the CS Interiors picture. I’m thinking about a leather couch and some kind of fabric chairs or visa versa. What do you guys think? Leather couch or leather chairs? And any recommendations on where to look/buy? I’ve never heard of Jayson- apparently its hot ;)! Ill go look…
As someone who truly loves handwoven carpets, Morocco still produces such fine work. Loved this post!