Moroccan:Exotic opulence of North African artisanship.
Moroccan design is what happens when a country treats pattern, tile, and craft as national identity. Zellige, painted plaster, hand-woven rugs, filigreed brass, jewel-toned upholstery — everything hand-made, everything specific.
Moroccan design is what happens when a country treats pattern, tile, and craft as national identity. Zellige, painted plaster, hand-woven rugs, filigreed brass, jewel-toned upholstery — everything hand-made, everything specific.
The style translates beautifully abroad because the components are so distinct. One Moroccan rug or one zellige tile splashback resets an entire room without theming it.
This guide walks through what defines the look, the palette we work from when a client asks for it, the pieces and materials that make a room feel like Moroccan instead of "generic contemporary," and where in a home it lands best.
Key characteristics.
Every Moroccan room is a workshop's worth of handwork.
Colours we build the room around.
Primary Palette
Accent Colours
Colours to Avoid
Colours specified from Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams — the two catalogues carried by every serious paint store, with codes any designer can quote and any store can mix.
Materials & textures.
Materials
- Zellige tiles (mosaic)
- Carved plaster
- Brass and copper
- Cedar wood
- Tadelakt (waterproof plaster)
- Wool and silk textiles
- Leather (including pouf)
- Wrought iron
Patterns
- Islamic geometric patterns
- Star and cross motifs
- Arabesque scrollwork
- Berber tribal designs
- Quatrefoil shapes
Textures
- Intricate tile mosaics
- Carved plaster reliefs
- Hammered metal
- Hand-knotted rugs
- Embroidered textiles
Furniture & decor.
Iconic Pieces
- Leather poufs
- Low sofas and banquettes
- Floor cushions
- Brass-top tables
- Carved cedar furniture
- Wrought iron beds
- Painted wooden chests
Decor Elements
- Moroccan lanterns
- Brass tea sets
- Hand-painted ceramics
- Beni Ourain rugs
- Embroidered textiles
- Ornate mirrors
- Carved screens
- Colorful pottery
Lighting style.
Brass Moroccan pendants with cut geometric patterns throwing shadows across the wall. Hand-forged wall sconces, candle lanterns on every low table.
Best rooms.
Space & approach.
Small Spaces
Moroccan can work in small spaces with careful editing. Choose one or two statement elements: a gorgeous lantern and a pouf, perhaps. Use mirrors (Moroccan-framed!) to expand the space and reflect lantern light. Stick to a cohesive color palette. A small powder room with zellige tiles becomes a jewel box.
Large Spaces
Large spaces can embrace full Moroccan opulence. Create a proper Moroccan salon with low banquette seating and scattered poufs. Layer rugs. Hang multiple lanterns at varying heights. Use carved screens to create intimate zones. This is where the style's maximalist tendencies shine.
Starting a Collection
Start with one Beni Ourain or Boujad rug — hand-woven, wool, layered over what you already have. The rug alone can redefine the room's mood.
The Considered Room
Commissioned Moroccan pieces are made by artisans in Fez and Marrakech — hand-carved cedar, hand-hammered brass, hand-glazed zellige tile. Imported, not reproduced.
Pieces that live in this idiom.
Every piece above is designed and built in our workroom. Prices are our to-the-trade rates; no retail middleman.
Related styles.
Bring Moroccan home.
Our workroom designs and builds bespoke furniture in the Moroccan tradition — commissioned to your room, delivered white-glove. To-the-trade access; no retail middleman.
