Treasure hunt in Morocco
“The door opened and he entered. Ali Baba found himself inside a cave with many tunnels, all of which twisted and turned. In front of his bulging eyes lay vast piles of treasure: pots of silver gold, precious vases, weapons studded with rubbies and emeralds, diadems, carved plates and carpets, all heaped together.”
When you enter the doors of the souk the words of this old fairy tale will come to live. The many little streets, all of which twisted and turned will open up a magical world of traditional craftsmanship before your eyes. There is a reason why Morocco is every designers wet dream. With arched doorways, painted alleys, precious textiles and detailed patterns, the country’s decorative arts are mind-blowing.
When visiting be prepared to become fascinated by the world of carpets. The skills behind these traditional rugs are learned by apprenticeship and through decades of tribal knowledge passed down within families and communities. There are around forty-five different tribal groups, each of which has distinctive designs and sometimes varying weaving and embroidery styles.
One of those artist who became fascinated by Morocco’s world of textile is Laureen Deberdt the mastermind behind NUR, the Belgian conceptstore. On her website you can find contemporary and handmade decoration for your home. She can be booked for personal shopping to help you pick out something unique . She dives into the different patterns, colors and sizes, as well as give you some background on the origins of the many symbols and motifs in use.
We where trilled when she took us with her for a day of treasure hunting !
A bit of background on Moroccan rugs. The majority you’ll find in shops are made by one of the forty-five distinct Moroccan Berber tribes in the country. Each one has a unique style and every rug is handmade on a loom. It’s most often done by women in their free time. Rugs can take anywhere from 10 days to 6 months to make depending on size, complexity and how much time she has. Rugs first and foremost are used in homes or for celebrations. They then are sold as goods or traded.
Typical Boucherouite
One of those amazing styles is Boucherouite - which means ‘leftover materials’ in Moroccan - is made from thousands of scraps of old clothes, recycled cotton and colorful wool. All of these materials are combined by Berber women and made into a fabulous, unique decorative design. It’s freedom of expression at its best! A true piece of art.
The phrase shop till you drop can really be used when you go hunting for a carpet. Remember to stay calm and bargain. And in case you don’t find the time to join us in our Surf villa in Morocco you can always book a unique home made piece on NUR conceptstore