Can a carpet change your life? OK, maybe not totally, but something life changing happened to me the time I met my first Moroccan rug in person! It happened during our last sourcing trip in Morocco, where we travelled to the Atlas Mountains and hiked to find local vendors selling some of the most beautiful and authentic pieces. You can read all about our Morocco trip here. When I saw IT, I felt like I had laid eyes on the Beyonce of carpets. Not kidding! It wasn't the most colorful or the most shocking by any means, but the design and texture was something playful and sophisticated. It spoke to me. I had to take my shoes off and step all over it. I really wanted to lay down and roll around, but knew Brooke would have walked out on me. I was over-stimulated in the best way by its subtleness, and needless to say, it took the long trip home with me.
I've lived with some beautiful rugs, but nothing that compares to a Moroccan beauty and what its presence can do for a room. They can truly bring life back into a space!
Sometimes we hear people say, “I could NEVER do a Moroccan rug in MY home, I’m not BOHO!”. Every time I hear this a little part of my heart hurts. If only they could see the right one actually worked into their space, they would see how these gorgeous rugs can fit seamlessly and literally transform almost any décor!
In fact, back in the mid 20th century, famous designers like Frank Lloyd Wright used these amazing rugs to “warm” contemporary interiors. To them, the primitive, rustic qualities and imperfections of each carpet made them the perfect fit in their homes! They even have them at Falling Waters – Frank Lloyd Wright’s early modernist home – on public display.
Moroccan rugs are usually 100% wool and traditionally were woven exclusively by the women from Berber or Arab tribes using local sheep’s wool and local vegetable dyes. Each woman passing down the art of weaving to the next generation of girls. For these tribes, the carpets served as floor coverings, beds, seating, and blankets for keeping cozy and warm up in the Atlas Mountains during the winter months.
Their designs range from bold geometrics with bright color, to natural and muted with shades of browns and blacks with simple designs. Symbols are a common feature woven within rugs too, many women weaving their life story into each rug. They're often very whimsical, which is another reason we love them so much! It’s fun trying to figure out what each symbol might mean. They tell the story of fertility, weddings, the seasons, and the human soul seeking light. Some symbols infuse protective powers into the rugs, while others ward off evil energy. We could all use a bit of this in our daily living space, amiright?!
Some of the most popular weaves are Azilal:
Azilal rugs are 100% wool + recycled cotton with a high pile.
Beni Mguild:
Beni Mguild rugs are 100% wool with a short, thick pile.
Beni Ourain:
Beni Ourain rugs are 100% wool with a thick, fuzzy pile. Often woven in neutral colors with geometric designs!
Boujaad:
Boujaad rugs are 100% wool with a medium pile. This style of rug is known for its warm colors and geometric patterns that reflect the whim of the weaver!
Boucherouite:
Boucherouite rugs are colorful masterpieces, made from wool and pieces of recycled cotton, woven into magical patterns!
and Talsint:
Talsint is located in the oriental region of north east Morocco, where the carpets are made by Berber women using traditional Berber knots and strong accents of color!
Moroccan rugs are as popular today as they were back in the mid 20th century when European designers used them in their high end designs! Back then they were also gifted to elite families and often found in palaces and sacred spaces!
Whether you live in a palace or an apartment, with so many beautiful color choices and designs, there's a Moroccan carpet that'll fit your space! A rug you can create even more stories and traditions upon. It's our mission to handpick, one by one, Moroccan rugs that give us that same butterfly feeling I got when I first fell in love with my rug!
So, do you want to see what we've sourced? Shop our current collection here!