OMG! OTT! If only I could find myself lounging the day away at this riotous riad. A pleasure palace, a hedonist hideaway, a haven of over-indulgence. Too much? Never! Another gob smackingly wonderful location from the Hi-Location agency.
Run away, far away to an exotic land. To a magical beach and a magical house. To Morocco and Essaouira. To a traditional Dar but one with a difference. Retro and funky, modern and quirky. Bespoke yet family orientated. You'll find me by the open fire with my toes buried in the beni ouarain. Sidi Kauki via Airspace locations.
A few steps from the spice market in the Marrakech's medina is the home of stylist, art director and designer Valérie Barkowski. Dar Kawa, a riad overflowing with style and a timelessness. Authentic with a twist. A modern take on the historic. A perfect escape in an exotic locale.
I am pretty excited to share a couple of new books with you today while I head out to the cottage to enjoy a beautiful summer day and spend time with my mom (Happy Mother's Day Mom!!).
The first one I was REALLY stoked to receive, as it was written by a fellow blogger. Maryam Montague has been living in Morocco for several years now and it is because of her and her blog MyMarrakesh.com that I have fallen in love with the country of Morocco and especially it's absolutely gorgeous interiors and architecture. The textures and colours are mesmerizing and such beautiful inspirational decor. Maryam's book, MARRAKESH BY DESIGN, (Artisan Books, May 2012), is filled with wonderful photos that she took herself (several are of her own home and boutique hotel called the Peacock Pavilions) and gives quite an introduction to the Moroccan culture and elements of decor they are so well known for. I even busted out my vintage Moroccan wedding blanket Jo sent me as a wedding gift to use as a backdrop for the photos I took of the book. (That blanket is SO gorgeous and one of my prized possessions). I can't wait to devour every word and photo of this book - I think I'll bring it to the cottage. :) Congrats Maryam - you should be so proud of this book! P.S. Maryam's home is featured in this month's Lonny and last month's Elle Decor!
New work from Philadelphia based interior designer Ashli Mizell. I love the rustic look of the tiles against the marble and cabinets. It's rough vs smooth, modern trad with a twist of ethnic. A clash of tiles reminiscent of the pattern riots of the riad plays with the calm of the white while smoky hues play with earthy oranges. A hint of Morocco. It's the layering that comes through in Ashli's designs. Pattern on pattern, texture on texture. Rustic on the modern. (Original post on Ashli Mizell here.)
Wed, 13 Feb 2013