Color! Part 4

So I've told the tales of our "colorful" beginning in Morocco.  I'm thankful that time eases the stress of a rocky start, and now it's all quite humorous and provides an entertaining post here and here!

The final house was well worth the wait after all the mishaps in the other places, and each move brought us closer to finding a place to call "home".  We moved in early September, after the kids had started school.  One good thing about all this is that once the furniture was in place, all the shipments containing our personal things could also be delivered.  We were able to completely unpack and set up house in less than 2 weeks!  I think it had something to do with the fact that we were more than ready to be settled....somewhere!

The house was located in the Souissi (pronounced, Sweesie) neighborhood of Rabat, very close to the Hay Riad neighborhood.  The exterior of the house was rather plain, but with a colorful and lush garden.  However once inside, our jaws dropped like never before.



main entrance



A long, wide hallway ran the length of the main part of the house, leading to incredible entertaining space, including a beautiful and spacious terrace.  This house contained unbelievable Moroccan charm, from delicate stucco designs in the ceiling, to carved wood work, to floor-to-ceiling zellij tile work on three walls of the salon (living room).  Never before, and never again will we live in such a grandiose home.



Grand Hallway; carved wood arched divide, stuccoed ceiling above,

carved wood ceiling to left





lovely terrace



detailed view of terrace zellij

While this post concludes our quest for living arrangements when we arrived in Morocco, it also is about the colorful craft of zellij (pronounced, zel-leej) tile.



close up of zellij in salon



view of salon before I began collecting doors; beautiful but very busy and hard on the eyes



view of salon after acquiring a few doors softens the zellij to a welcoming, exotic showplace

Entirely made of terra cotta clay, each piece is hand chiseled into various shapes to make complex geometric shapes for walls, ceilings, fountains, floors, outdoor terraces, tables, pools, etc.  The possibilities are endless.



fountains, tables, and calligraphy all made of zellij for sale at the tile factory in Fez



beautiful fountain located inside Hilton Hotel (aka House #2)

view of different styles, and now makes me wish I had bought them ALL!



closeup of the detailed work around the windows of the salon



octagonal table offered at the tile factory

At first sight, it is overwhelmingly "busy", but after one has learned the arduous task of how these works of beauty are created, you view it with a more appreciative eye.  In the cities of Fez and Meknes, one can visit the tile factory and watch the lines of crafts men and women work their magic with enamel paint, a chisel and mortar.  The large pieces of tile are painted, then cut and chiseled to the size required for the design,  then assembled in geometric shapes, just like a puzzle.  After assembled face down, the mortar that holds it all together is applied.  The process has not varied in over 1000 years.



craftsman working his magic



the last piece of the puzzle before the mortar is poured



Based on Islamic traditions, Muslims celebrate beauty through decorative arts since their faith does not allow representational art.  Zellij tile work allows one to contemplate on God's perfect creation and beauty through these intricate geometric designs.

To learn more about zellij visit here, or to acquire some examples of your very own here.

I'm thinking a splash of zellij in the kitchen or bathroom of my new home would be awesome!  To what room would you add this incredible Moroccan charm?

My Love Affair......Come On In!

Folks that know me, know I have a thing for doors.  This isn't a new love affair either.  I can remember as a little girl, commenting to my mother on the beautiful doors of some lovely antebellum homes where I grew up.  Even back then, I preferred detailed doors over plain ones; deep, rich wood tones refinished to a warm, welcoming "Come on in!"

My adult infatuation with doors began in Tunisia.  Located on the Mediterranean coast of North Africa, we spent a year there while my husband studied advanced Arabic.  And so began my confirmed love affair of doors.  The small village of Sidi Bou Said, is perched on the cliffs of the Mediterranean Sea.  Truly an artist's paradise providing sweeping vistas to delight the senses daily, rain or shine.  In typical Tunisian fashion, most buildings are painted white while doors and windows are painted the most beautiful shade of blue!  Each time I see this blue, it makes me want to hug myself, and takes me straight back to the narrow, steep streets of this charming village. 

I spent hours meandering the streets of this lovely village, snapping pictures of doors and windows.  Back then I seemed to be more focused on windows.  Probably because I figured they were more portable, if I ever was tempted to buy one.  Which I did, by the way, and that will be another story for another post. 

I was told that the iron studs on the doors are an indication of wealth; the more studs, the more wealth.  I never confirmed this detail, but I was often curious.

So here I give you pictures of doors in the far away land of Tunisia.  Come on in!