Moroccan Rug I am redoing my room with a kinda Moroccan Theme. ideas?
I am going into eith grade and although I probably wont start my project until next spring I really would like to figure out as much as I can and start collecting things before then. Links are very much appreciated esspecially ones with pictures. Here are some of the things I am looking for:
beds (preferablly day-beds)
curtains
pillows
area rugs!!!!!
lamps
color sceams
orginazation ideas
stuff at VERY affordable prices
people with experince and addvice
oh........and lots and lots of ideas
If you have any other theams with the same sort-of......can't believe i am about to say this........vibe, please let me know.
BTW.......i am doing this my self..with a small amout of help from mom an dad...*sigh*
Moroccan is a very lush, beautiful theme that you can really have fun with.
This link had rugs for as little as $4.00 (they also had them for $200.00, so don't be scared off). Rugs can also be sewn into pillows, especially floor pillows.
The colors and color schemes are rich, as the pictures show you.
Re: your bed. You can use just a mattress and box springs on a metal frame and not use a head and foot board. Instead of your head board hang an exotic mirror with a candle wall sconce on each side, or frame a fabulous Moroccan poster over the bed. Another way to make a statement is with a canopy over the bed in mosquito netting-you can also dye this if it is cream or white.
Low tables in vivid colors, candles in opulent holders (you could decorate plain, straight sided glass candle holders-the kind that look like over-sized drinking glasses-with glass paints in bright colors and gold paint). Silk or silk looking pillows with beading or tassels (you could make these yourself very easily with a small amount of fabric and pillow forms. It is only sewing straight seams on a machine.) Hanging lamps or hanging candles inside glass holders (hang the candles in groups of threes).
If you want to use a rich color on the wall but not overwhelm the room, use it on one wall only, or on two adjoining walls. (Do not paint each wall a different color. It sounds cool but nearly anyone I know who has done it ended up being driven crazy, hated it, and had to repaint.) There are plenty of other colors in the room with the furniture, rugs and accessories. (Sometimes too much is...too much.)
Notice which walls get the sun or which parts of the room are the darker sides. You don't want to further darken an already dark area. On the other hand, place a mirror facing your window to reflect the light into that space to brighten it and add sparkle to the room.
Study the pictures on the website carefully. Look at the shapes of the furniture. The colors and color combinations. The shapes of the accessories. At garage sales you can find items similar in mood or shape and spray paint them. They don't have to match exactly, just have the mood. Paint is the magic wand in decorating. It can change walls, floor cloths, furniture, accesories, and even fabric.
Check import shops like Pier One also, especially their clearance areas. And believe it or not, sometimes places like Walmart have items you can use-I found a green bamboo placemat there that really set off an exotic plant on a friend's kitchen table in their apple green kitchen. I used it as a table runner. That one small accessory made the room. Target is another option-they have the up-to-date colors and shapes.
Oriental rugs are a good way to go. I have found high quality wool rugs at garage sales from thirty-five to fifty dollars-these were large rugs. You could use small ones-more like the size of bath mats-next to your bed or in front of your closet. Try and get natural fiber if you can: wool, cotton or silk. The colors between natural and synthetic fibers are not the same. On the other hand, some of the synthetics aren't too bad and are easier on the budget.
To organize put sturdy square baskets on bookshelves. You can get deeper baskets to hold large items. Building bookshelves isn't hard or expensive-look for birch, pine, or you can custom cut plywood. Sand with an electric sander and fill in the rough edges with plastic wood. Paint or spray paint. If necessary reinforce with L brackets on the back. You can even add square blocks of wood on the corners for feet (if the shelves are smaller or the items on them not too heavy.) You can leave the baskets natural or spray paint them gloss black or the rich moroccan colors.
You are starting now so you are in a position to be picky and choose slowly and carefully. Don't be in a hurry. Take your time and make every piece count.
Moroccan inspired design and dense hand-woven wool pile highlight this handmade dhurrie rug. This floor rug has a light blue background and displays stunning panel colors of ivory.Primary materials: WoolPile height: 0.25 inches Style: TransitionalPrimary color: Light BluePattern: GeometricTip: We recommend the use of a non-skid pad to keep the rug in place on smooth surfaces.All rug sizes are approximate. Due to the difference of monitor colors, some rug colors may vary slightly. We try to represent all rug colors accurately. Please refer to the text above for a description of the colors shown in the photo.
Shopping for rugs in Morocco rug market Mark Gonsenhauer
Moroccan Furniture - Moroccan Lamps and Moroccan Lanterns
Imagine coming home after a long day’s work and slipping into a living room oasis where you’re bathed in soft reds, yellows and oranges while resting on a plush cushion, next to a set of mini palm trees, breathing in the scent of Jasmine incense, listening to light jazz flutes. Selecting Moroccan furniture isn’t just about functionality anymore; it’s about creating a comfortable habitat where you can relax, de-stress and enjoy your downtime.
Finding the right lighting is the key to creating an ideal atmosphere. As early as 5,000 BC, the Chinese have been building homes in correlation with the sun to provide optimal light, warmth and energy. Historically, Morocco has hosted groups of diverse people from all directions – Phoenicians and Carthaginians from the East, Sub-Saharan Africans from the South, in addition to Romans, Vandals and Andalusians from the North. This Diaspora of culture comes together and can be clearly seen in these colorful Moroccan lamps and lanterns.
What makes Moroccan lamps truly unique is that they’re not mass-produced in a sterile factory -- but rather, each shade is made of sheep or goatskin and is then dyed and stretched over a solid iron frame, where it is hand-painted with a needle in brilliant colors, in the decorative tradition of Henna tattoo artistry. Dating back to the Bronze Age, Henna design mimics the Henna plant, which has a plethora of long, thin stalks and tiny blossoms. Much like the tattoos, the lamp designs showcase fluid black lines and shapes, outlined by tiny dots.
Moroccan lamps, varying in shape, size, color and mood offer the opportunity to turn your living room into a stunning art museum. The African Berbers were primarily an agricultural people, so the curved “Berber” floor lamp is painted with a classy, simple style in neutral colors. Tall, slender styles like “The Pharaoh’s Light”, “Red Sun” or “Orange Magical Arabian Nights” capture one’s imagination, while dazzling with dancing patterns, vibrant colors and swaths of vacuous space that instinctively pulls the eyes toward it in wonderment. End table lamps like “African Sun” or “Fez Sun” provide multifunctional use, emanating a soothing glow, while the glass top holds a piece of art, a plant or a tea set for entertaining guests. When you behold a piece like “Ocean Sun,” breathing moonlight into the room with its purple hues and oceanic design, you know that this lamp is not just for providing light, but is a piece of art that will compliment other furniture and themes in the room.
Moroccan lanterns made of stained glass resemble the sort of Church decor that pervades the Holy Land. The shapes range from a rounded hot air balloon design, to a diamond-shaped street lantern style and they can be hung from the ceiling or mounted on the wall. Traditionally, the stained glass panes are subtle, soothing colors – an olive green, a periwinkle blue or a hint of gold. Handmade and framed in black wrought iron, Moroccan lanterns can bring that one unforgettable, warm summer night into your home.
Moroccan lamps and Moroccan lanterns will add an air of magic to any room. When paired with Moroccan rugs, plants and other Moroccan furniture, these handmade Moroccan lights really put the finishing touches on a relaxing, unique escape.
About the Author
Adeal Benhayoun is the writer of Star of Morocco which specializes in Moroccan furniture. For all of your Moroccan lamps questions, call Adeal for the right answers. Different Moroccan lanterns are available.
