Design Trend Alert: Moroccan Style Furniture and Decor

Moroccan style is rich, luxurious and exotic. Filled with brilliant hues, eye-catching designs and inviting furniture, this style has become a favorite among interior designers and it’s easy to see why. But what is Moroccan style and how can you incorporate it into your home? We’re here to help with Moroccan-inspired furniture, décor and decorating tips.

What is Moroccan Style?

Moroccan style is more than a decorating trend. It takes its roots from a wide range of cultural and religious influences, including Moorish architecture and the natural landscape. A North African country, Morocco borders Spain and the Western Sahara to the north and south, and the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea to the west and east. Distinguished by its Berber, Arabian and European influences, Moroccan culture is well known for bold, intricate and exquisite interior designs.

Traditional Moroccan interiors are often filled with bright colors, eye-catching patterns and extravagant textures. Due to the eclectic nature of Moroccan style, it is sometimes confused with Bohemian style, which is also a top trend for 2018. Bohemian homes are designed to break free from conventions, whereas Moroccan homes stay true to Moroccan culture. This key difference allows Moroccan styled homes to often appear more elegant than quirky.

There are also modern interpretations of Moroccan décor that make this trend perfect for adding unique appeal to contemporary homes. These homes utilize a mixture of Moroccan décor and modern furnishings to create a clean and inviting look.

5 Steps to Mastering Moroccan Style

1. Choose a Variety of Colors, Patterns and Textures

In Moroccan interior design, you can find a range of bold colors, vivid patterns and textures. Influenced partially by nature, Moroccan homes range from striking and colorful to subtle and subdued.

To achieve the upbeat and welcoming vibe of a Moroccan home, layer color on color, pattern on pattern and texture on texture. Mix and match your furnishings. Reflect the Moroccan culture while also mixing in pops of your own personality.

Color is a focal point of Moroccan decorating, as it draws inspiration from the surrounding landscapes. From the deep blues and greens of the ocean to the rich and saturated hues of the desert, intense color is commonly utilized in these designs. To get this look, decorate with a combination of reds, blues, golds and purples, like Pantone’s Color of the Year for 2018, to capture the eye. To create contrast, these colors are set against neutral backdrops, allowing the space to look lavish.

Patterns, both prominent and intricate, are also used with color to add visual interest. A variety of tessellating shapes can be seen in Moroccan styles, often reflecting the architecture, like royal arches and lanterns. When combined with the warm Moroccan colors, these patterns breathe life into a space. When designing your own Moroccan-inspired home, mix and match patterns – they can and should typically be combined to create a cohesive scheme.

Finally, utilize a variety of textures in your Moroccan-inspired design. A combination of texture is a defining element of this style, with drapes and canopies often used to soften a room while iron and silver metal lanterns provide ambient lighting. Plush furnishings with ornate details create a welcoming space and the floors are often covered with exotic, hand-woven rugs.

The combination of these elements – color, pattern and texture – all combine together to create depth in the space.

2. Shop Inviting Furniture With Intricate Detail

Moroccan-inspired homes exemplify an alluring combination of comfort and luxury. They are busy with color and pattern, so furniture is kept simple to create contrast and keep the space from looking cluttered.

When shopping for Moroccan-inspired furniture, look for sofas and tables that are low to the ground and simple in design but elaborate in detail. This allows the space to resemble a calm oasis that would be perfect for escaping the hot African sun. Carved wood and plush upholstered pieces are staples of Moroccan interiors, with other furnishings relying on iron scroll work, inlays, ornately carvings and richly-hued fabrics.

To create a modern Moroccan look, fill your home with contemporary furniture and add Moroccan décor to make your home feel exotic. Popular Moroccan patterns and motifs can be found on pillows, lamps, rugs, mirrors, wall art and accent furniture. The pairing looks irresistible!

3. Moroccan Décor That Enhances the Space

When choosing Moroccan accessories and decorating your home, focus on these steps:

• Incorporate Moroccan lanterns. One of the most recognizable elements of Moroccan style, these lanterns are delicately made from metals such as brass or copper, but they can be incorporated as either a décor item or a pattern.
• Utilize colorful fabrics with intricate textures and designs. These can either fill the space or be worked in subtly. For a prominent look, drape luxurious fabrics from furniture, window frames, doorways and even the ceiling, tying the fabric in thick cords to keep them out of the way. For a simpler look, focus on throw pillows and blankets.
• Make sure you choose the perfect lamp. Focus on the base and lamp shade style or pattern. Look for intricate details, scrollwork and trellis or quatrefoil designs.
• Add a mirror. They enhance the ambiance of a Moroccan interior by subtly reflecting lights and adding adornment to the walls. Look for mirrors with decorative wrought iron work, deeply carved wood, dome-shaped frames and metal or jewel embellishments.
• Choose fragrances that link the mind to Moroccan bazaars. Candles that are rich in spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and saffron are not only pleasing to smell but also create ambient lighting.

 4. Anchor Your Space With Moroccan-Inspired Rugs

Moroccan rugs have been a staple element of Moroccan homes for generations – they have been woven by the indigenous people of Morocco since the Paleolithic Era. These rugs are traditionally designed for use as not only floor coverings, but as mattresses, seating and blankets as well. They are filled with symbolism and vary from rug to rug.

These rugs have become increasingly popular in the US and around the world, as interior designers and travelers alike lean toward bold palettes. Due to the increase in demand, economically made rugs that are Moroccan-inspired have become common elements in any design style.

These rugs are known for being both trendy yet classic, cozy and versatile. They work with all colors and patterns, are one-of-a-kind and they can pull a room together like nothing else can. Does it get better?

You can even layer your Moroccan-inspired rug over a jute rug to add even more texture and visual appeal. Mastering the rug layering trend is easy and will make your space look and feel fantastic!

Shop Moroccan-Inspired Rugs:

5. Finishing Touches For a Moroccan Styled Space

Create a modern Moroccan oasis with this beautiful Modus Furniture City II 4-Piece Bedroom Set.

From light fixtures to tilework, Moroccan style is all about the attention to detail. Add the perfect finishing touch to your home’s Moroccan decor by adding comfortable poufs to your living space, Moroccan-inspired comforters to your bedroom and lots of greenery throughout your home!

Shop Moroccan Accents and Accessories:

Add exotic houseplants with large leaves that provide plenty of shade, like banana trees, Monstera plants and fig trees. Not only will they brighten your space with Moroccan flair, but they also purify the air! Then, add potted cacti and succulents around your home to add year-round interest and texture. Finally, make sure to include roses. Morocco is known for its annual rose festival and these gorgeous flowers will add a great splash of color.