The Beauty Of Moroccan Decor

Moroccan furniture is usually solid wood and stylish. Morocco is an ex-French colony, but it is very near Spain as well. In fact, two small parts of Morocco, Melilla and Ceuta are still under Spanish control.

This means that Moroccan furniture and decor has Berba, Arabic, French and Spanish influences. These Mediterranean influences are obvious in traditional and modern Moroccan furniture.

If combined with Moroccan decor and colours, Moroccan furniture can transform your home. Walls are normally emulsioned plain white or cream and lightly decorated with old carpets or tapestries with one or two photos or paintings hanging among them.

Reds and browns are the predominant colours. Poignant writings from the Koran or other Arabic philosophers are often written out in bold script and framed.

Moroccan accessories such as lamps, lanterns, mirrors, benches, vases, mosaic end tables, ottomans, rugs and ceramics can bring that remarkable local flavour to the decor, setting off the solid timber or padded cloth furniture.

Pillows feature extensively in Moroccan interior and garden decor, but they also use sofas and seats in the European manner. Morocco is famous for its leather craft and leather is often used to cover chairs, sofas and footstools or poufes.

Scatter rugs are important for sitting on and they are taken out and beaten each day to keep them clean as Morocco is a hot, sandy and dusty country when you travel a few miles inland from the coast. Camels are still used for transport in rural areas and camel hair is woven into rugs, blankets and wall coverings.

Moroccans like tiles and mosaics and Arabic style tiles are quite distinctive if you want to use them in your bathroom and kitchen. If you would like to dine in Moroccan style, they usually dine at a very low round table with the main dish in the centre from which everyone helps themselves, although in a family, some members will feed others too.

Following convention and hygiene, you may only touch food with your right hand, although everyone will have washed both hands before coming to the table. Bread, rice and couscous feature highly in Moroccan food as does potatoes, carrots, lamb and chicken.Water is served during the meal and tea and coffee afterwards often with very sweet cakes sprinkled with icing sugar and syrup.

People relax at home wearing long, loose-fitting garments and lounge on benches or on rugs on the floor surrounded by cushions. In the evening, lighting will be low provided by low wattage bulbs hidden behind red and brown stained glass or cloth. Candles, scented or not also feature a great deal in living rooms and bedrooms unless someone wants a stronger light to read by.

Candles in wall sconces are common ways to highlight extraordinary parts and illuminate corridors and some doorways. Often these sconces do not contain candles, but hold aromatic oil with a floating wick which is less expensive to leave burning between the hours or twilight and bed time.

Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on a number of subjects, but is now involved with outdoor dining tables. If you would like to know more, please visit our web site at Solid Oak Dining Tables.