For a beach house in San Jose del Cabo, Kara Mann (karamann.com) mixed Mexican and Moorish influences to create a rich, comfortable space that reflected its location without feeling like an overthemed hacienda. Moroccan inspiration is evident in the headboard, day bed, and pillows.
For a beach house in San Jose del Cabo, Kara Mann (karamann.com) mixed Mexican and Moorish influences to create a rich, comfortable space that reflected its location without feeling like an overthemed hacienda. Moroccan inspiration is evident in the headboard, day bed, and pillows.
 

The Moroccan trend that heated up a few years ago is still alive and kicking, with designers such as Kara Mann and Nate Berkus keeping it fresh. And now a dealer who was mainly selling at trade shows and by appointment has opened his showroom for regular retail hours. Used sparingly in modern settings, the spicy-colored textiles and intricately made traditional pieces—from ornately carved furniture to romantic lanterns—can give a space an instant exotic touch.

 

Photograph: Matthew Millman

 

Five Moroccan Touches

ohn Derian stitched-leather pouf, available in multiple colors, shown here in silver

Pouf Kara Mann loves these for extra seating and kids’ rooms. John Derian stitched-leather pouf, available in multiple colors, shown here in silver, $325, lilleashop.com

 

Eight-inch-square machine-made tiles from Guerramo Gallery

Colorful Tiles These eight-inch-square machine-made tiles ($8 each) from Guerramo Gallery are a bargain compared to traditional hand-cut mosaic tiles assembled to make a similar pattern.

 

Nickel-plated iron table

Table Nate Berkus’s Moroccan table is a modern take on the hammered metal tea trays and stands found in souks and in private homes. Nickel-plated iron, 18 inches high, $130, hsn.com

 

Photography: (tile) Leonard Gertz

 

A 30-year-old Beni Ouarain tribal rug

Rug Designers turn to Beni Ouarain tribal rugs because they’re textural, neutral, and dramatic all at once. Shown here, a 30-year-old rug, 6½ by 12 feet, $5,000, hannounrugs.com

 

Camel leather chair

Camel leather chair Ornate camel-bone inlay on the hand-carved cedar frame of this low-slung chair ($1,500) is the sort of flourish that can be found in many traditional pieces, galeriedumaroc.com

 

ROADS TO MOROCCO

Hannoun Rugs This North Side Moroccan rug dealer has an extensive collection, including popular Beni Ouarain rugs. One-week trials are available. hannounrugs.com

Guerramo Gallery Hit this River North dealer for shiny and ornate carved tables and trunks, lanterns, rugs, colorful pottery, tiles, and more. guerramogallery.com

NEW Galerie du Maroc Jim Engleman’s new-to-the-public showroom has unexpected, understated pieces, ranging from vases to rugs to tables, hailing from remote regions of the country. galeriedumaroc.com

 

Photography: (rug) Nina Hannoun