subject: Embrace Your True Colors: Moroccan Lanterns And Moroccan Imports [print this page] Not every living room or front hallway features stunning, vivid colors. Break from the mold by letting your exotic self shine. Decorate your home in surprising and provocative Moorish styles. Moroccan lanterns and Moroccan imports of all kinds provide vivid touches to your inner world, leaving no excuse for feeling blah about your decor.
Importing carved furniture from Morocco means spending a lot of money on the item itself plus shipping costs. Purchasing a hand carved cabinet, headboard or bench, however, may amount to an investment. Look for exquisite items featuring delicate carving in cedar, mahogany or honey pine. A Moorish bench, for example, has no back but two sturdy, curved arm rests, carved intricately throughout. Expect seat covers of bold and contrasting colors, though you will have to supply the alluring maiden in loose and tissue-like clothes yourself.
Henna is among the familiar features of Moroccan fashion. Find henna lamps with their stunning colors such as purple, amber and yellow. With such a fixture hanging from your ceiling you may be inspired to add some of this natural dye to your own skin in similarly exotic colors and patterns.
Moroccan lanterns defy definition, simply because there is no one particular style. Perhaps the only thread running through this kind of lighting is the tendency towards the vivid and the unexpected. A star-shaped lantern will shoot light from points facing in many directions, suggesting energy along with light and color. Lanterns may juxtapose the smoky quality of rustic metal with the hues of stained glass, yet achieve a dim light and romantic atmosphere.
Kitchens and bathrooms may seem like ordinary places of function and practicality, even drudgery. If this is the case, re-decorate with Moroccan tiles. These come in mosaic styles or ceramics decorated in explosive floral patterns. For the ambitious home owner, purchase tiles of interlocking designs requiring planning and concentration, like a puzzle.
Whether you highlight an otherwise dull room with an orange rug or create a room entirely devoted to the theme, you can find just the right color and style for you. The variety of designs tends towards the same themes as tiles and other touches. Set bright, solid colors against throws and rugs to bring out certain lines or aspects of a pattern.
A smoking hookah may sound like a dubious Moroccan artifact, used as part of an unworthy pastime, but it will define a space and get people talking. Make sure everyone knows that your colorful space is devoted to the theme of Moroccan design. Find a hookah in bronze or stainless steel, finished with brightly colored tubes or bowls.
Finally, when your cabinet sits in your library, an antique copy of 1001 Arabian Nights propped atop its solid wooden bulk, add some ceramic or glass decoration. These stylish touches can double as practical items such as gold and red ornate tea glasses or an intense burnt orange tagine for serving or cooking. Order an elaborate platter for serving couscous with mint tea.
