How to use Moroccan style in the interior

Morocco is a sultry and dazzling exotic country, glowing with bright colors and incredible ornaments. The peculiarity of its culture is that it is built on a harmonious combination of East and West, and everywhere demonstrates the duality of the style, so clearly visible in the interior.

The Moroccan style, which appeared due to the mixing of different cultures, came to the liking of designers around the world because of its unpredictability

The history of this country is a motley ribbon of cultures that were formed during the war by indigenous Berbers and colonialists. The arrival of Arabs on these lands significantly changed the way of life of that time. Arab culture united the lands and brought Islam to them. Morocco has long been the center of the empire, which included many African countries. Accordingly, this variegation did not go unnoticed in the culture of the country. Everything here is literally permeated with Arabic features with Greek classicism, and Spanish romanticism.

If you are passionate about the East, you can safely add Moroccan style motifs to your home’s interior

Two directions

Although the style got the name of one country, it is behind the symbiosis of different cultures. The name of the design came from the country where it was widely distributed, but today its fame has gone far beyond North Africa. As a result of this symbiosis, a very recognizable and eloquent, juicy and passionate style was born, with a bizarre harmony of carving, patterns and light.

The style combines Mediterranean, Arabic and African motifs.

The interior is characterized by a combination of muted tones and bright harmonious shades

In the Moroccan interior, two trends can be distinguished:

1. Andalusian - strict Spanish architecture, combined with the luxury of Moorish palaces, finely seasoned with a pinch of Africa.
2. Berber - rude and passionate, pragmatic and utilitarian, reflecting the Berber culture.

Moroccan design is, above all, the harmony of Arab culture, Africa and the Mediterranean. This combination is exotic in a modern interior. And the style itself owes its birth to the work of French and Spanish architects. But this in no way means that he limited himself to the features of these two countries. Here impulsive and vivid features of various peoples are successfully connected.

Moroccan interior is often called the “style of contrasts"

First of all, the Moroccan style was formed under the influence of French designers who built residences for the colonialists, the sunshine and the brightness of the African perception. It combines European and North African traditions, from the time of British and French colonial activity.

Key Features and Character

Moroccan interiors will appeal to both fans of primitivism and lovers of luxury. Such an interior is both diverse and not tiring at all. First of all, fans of custom solutions will appreciate it. But not only them.

This style is characterized by a combination of luxury, comfort and coziness.

Such a design is perfect:

• for those who love order, each element of the situation is in its place;
• minimalists - large rooms filled with air and light, excluding piles of furniture and things;
• lovers of oriental exoticism.

Such a design will perfectly decorate both a large mansion and a cozy apartment. And all because of its originality and uniqueness. Nobody holds the wings of your imagination here.

Moroccan living room in red shades

White living room with a niche in the shape of a dome

A characteristic feature of the Moroccan style is the combination of bright colors and textures. Here you will meet the rudeness of nomads, and complex African patterns, and European elegance of furniture.

Moroccan style in the interior is not afraid to combine bright colors. This is its main feature. First of all, these are warm sunny and golden hues. The most popular is the union of red and gold. The decorator, working in this direction, should give the room impulsiveness and passion through the play of color, so combinations can sometimes be bold and challenging.

For Moroccan design, the natural colors of Africa are reminiscent of the outlines of the desert, the jungle and the fiery sun.

Blue can be used for walls, ceilings and floors.

At registration, tones of “earthen dust” must be present:

• bronze;
• ocher;
• umber;
• shades of brown.

These natural shades will be the perfect canvas for brighter accents:

• purple;
• red;
• blue;
• various shades of green.

Bright Moroccan-style bedroom decor

Moroccan style bed

Everything is built on harmony and interaction of cold and warm tones. The walls are usually plastered with exquisite and warm Moroccan plaster, gaining a marble look. This is due to the features of its texture. Coloring is basically monophonic. The Moroccan interior includes the use of predominantly natural materials such as stone and wood. Since this country has a hot climate, the style decision is to design the room from floor to ceiling with fine tiles. But this technique is not at all necessary for the design of residential premises, while for the bathroom it will come in handy.

Indoor luminaires, mesh shades and colored glass fixtures are suitable as lighting

The emphasis is on creating intimate lighting with the help of cute lamps, floor lamps with original weaving

Furniture plays an unusual role here, because in the foreground are auxiliary objects - stands, benches, pouffes, exquisite footrests. The place of classic sofas is occupied by podiums under a canopy, decorated with many pillows of various shapes and sizes. But this does not mean minimalism in furniture, on the contrary, furniture emphasizes the status of the owner of a house or apartment.

A host of auxiliary furniture is a hallmark of the Moroccan style.

Tall furniture is not welcome, but low and wide will come in handy

Low sofa with bright soft pillows

An ordinary person can come in creative shock from the number of draperies in one room, but this is what was intended. An abundance of curtains, draperies, canopies, pillows and bedspreads with a pronounced texture. The most popular are organza, velvet and silk.

The main role of textiles is to create harmony and comfort in the room.

Carpets are used both traditionally on the floor and on the walls. In African motifs, the tricolor rule does not work, complex ornaments with tints of overflow are used here.

The main thing in the details

It is impossible to create a Moroccan style in the room without understanding the use of decorative elements that will be used to decorate the interior. Traditionally, the people of Morocco lay mosaic flooring, it is worth considering this point if you want to bring a touch of Africa to the room. The completed drawing should resemble a six-pointed star or a variety of flowers. To implement this idea, you can not be limited to mosaics, by the way, you will also have parquet or tile. The floor can also decorate a picturesque Moroccan-style rug.

The more decorative elements reminiscent of the east will be in the room, the stronger it will turn out to bring it closer to the Moroccan style

A colorful panel with patterns or wallpaper in the same style is well suited for interior decoration

Characteristic ornaments are also appropriate for decorating the ceiling.

Interior details here come to the fore:

• these are small twisted cords with heavy brushes;
• wrought iron fixtures in conjunction with nightlights under the ceiling, to create the atmosphere of the Arabian night;
• many chests and mini-chests of drawers that store the little wealth of the hostess - jewelry, cosmetics, perfumes;
• ensemble of patterns and miniature mosaics decorating any piece of furniture or interior detail;
• all interior objects should be made using handmade work, or at least create such an impression;
• the unpredictability of the contrast of color and form, but this does not mean randomness and insanity.

An integral part of the interior is niches in the form of polygonal architectural elements repeating the shape of domes of minarets

Skillfully mastering the techniques of decor, you can create an original home, saturated with passion and comfort.

Arch - one of the most famous details of the Moroccan interior

Numerous Arab arches of various shapes are also a highlight. There will not be too many of them in such an interior. They can be decorated with window and doorways, internal partitions, which are often used in the Moroccan style. If it is not possible to equip windows and doors with arches, then they can decorate niches, cabinets and showers. Niches in such a bath will be present everywhere. Although they are used in the Moroccan bathroom as exquisite details, at the same time they are fully functional. You can combine the bathroom with part of the corridor to create a magical nook and cranny. Drywall is very good for creating a complex arch; using it, you can make arches of any configuration and decorate them elegantly. The simplest option is to plaster the walls, followed by painting with waterproof enamel with the effect of satin or silk. And you can paste the surface with mosaic.

Small bedroom with arch in the doorway

As a result, here we observe the complex ornaments of Africa, the style of immigrants, the fine line of rudeness and modern European decoration and furniture. All this explosive mixture forms a detailed and distinctive interior.

Moroccan style bathroom

Video: a selection of contemporary Moroccan-style interiors

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