Decorating: Transform Your Living Space into a Moroccan Paradise
Bring a pinch of kasbah cool and some North African notes to your home with exotic details and rich colours, straight from the souk
Lucy Meek
11 July 2014
Whether you are working on a complete redesign of your living space, or simply want to update its look, it is easy to infuse your room with the colours and textures of a Marrakech bazaar, without setting foot outside the UK! Draw on desert colours of brown, red and burnt orange for the classic Moroccan look, accented with jewel tones of indigo and emerald. Stick to rustic materials such as wood, earthenware and antiqued metal for a bohemian edge, or create a sumptuous pleasure palace feel with patterned tiles, crushed velvets and gold detailing. Take as much or as little inspiration as you like from these 10 gorgeous examples, to create a look that channels North Africa, but works for you, too.
Mix up materials
Team burnt oranges with antiqued metals and natural woven fabrics to achieve the classic Moroccan look. The kilim floor cushions in this living room tie in beautifully with the earthy orange colour of the sofa and the dark wood and metal of the carved screen.
Discover how to mix and match your style
Team burnt oranges with antiqued metals and natural woven fabrics to achieve the classic Moroccan look. The kilim floor cushions in this living room tie in beautifully with the earthy orange colour of the sofa and the dark wood and metal of the carved screen.
Discover how to mix and match your style
Cut it out
Use cutaway arches to frame shelving and doorways, mimicking the grandeur of a riyad in Marrakech. Here, the woodwork has been painted white to keep the effect fresh and subtle.
Use cutaway arches to frame shelving and doorways, mimicking the grandeur of a riyad in Marrakech. Here, the woodwork has been painted white to keep the effect fresh and subtle.
Drench with detail
Intricately embroidered fabrics with bold patterns will give your living space the feel of an exotic bazaar. Look out for textiles with sequins or tiny mirrors stitched into them, which are typically found in Morocco.
Intricately embroidered fabrics with bold patterns will give your living space the feel of an exotic bazaar. Look out for textiles with sequins or tiny mirrors stitched into them, which are typically found in Morocco.
Display coloured ceramics
Fill your shelves with ceramic ornaments in shades of deep blue, red and yellow. Although these pottery pieces are European in style, the detailed patterns and vivid colours are quintessentially Moroccan.
Fill your shelves with ceramic ornaments in shades of deep blue, red and yellow. Although these pottery pieces are European in style, the detailed patterns and vivid colours are quintessentially Moroccan.
Aim high
In a Moroccan home, no space is left unadorned, so look at your living room and see if you could bring pattern or colour to the tops of the walls or the ceiling. Decorate these lofty areas with intricate patterns, embossing shapes in glittering gold paint, then hang a striking Moroccan-style chandelier, to help draw the eye up to the sensational ceiling and down to the seating below.
In a Moroccan home, no space is left unadorned, so look at your living room and see if you could bring pattern or colour to the tops of the walls or the ceiling. Decorate these lofty areas with intricate patterns, embossing shapes in glittering gold paint, then hang a striking Moroccan-style chandelier, to help draw the eye up to the sensational ceiling and down to the seating below.
Work in geometrics
Mix and match detailed geometric patterns in assorted bold colours for a pop of Moroccan style. Mixing in some soft velvet or the occasional neutral fabric will prevent the prints from clashing.
Explore great ideas for decorating with geometrics
Mix and match detailed geometric patterns in assorted bold colours for a pop of Moroccan style. Mixing in some soft velvet or the occasional neutral fabric will prevent the prints from clashing.
Explore great ideas for decorating with geometrics
Drop down a little
The seating in a Moroccan home is low to the ground, so choose a sofa that you can sink into. This one is perfectly aligned with the floor cushions and low coffee tables, creating a laid-back living space.
The seating in a Moroccan home is low to the ground, so choose a sofa that you can sink into. This one is perfectly aligned with the floor cushions and low coffee tables, creating a laid-back living space.
Create a neutral backdrop
To keep the many colours and textures of a Moroccan scheme from feeling overwhelming, stick to neutral hues on the walls and floor. The white background in this living room allows the sofa and painted door to really sing out.
TELL US...
Are you a fan on Moroccan-inspired style? How do you incorporate it in your home? Share your tips in the Comments.
To keep the many colours and textures of a Moroccan scheme from feeling overwhelming, stick to neutral hues on the walls and floor. The white background in this living room allows the sofa and painted door to really sing out.
TELL US...
Are you a fan on Moroccan-inspired style? How do you incorporate it in your home? Share your tips in the Comments.
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