Moroccan Architecture & Moorish arts

Kitchen design trends that last: Moroccan style

sttropezboutique — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 23:32:04 +0000

When you’re in the market for a new kitchen floors or Kitchen backsplash there are a variety of styles and ‘looks’ to choose from. But how do you know which kitchen design trends will last the distance and which will go out of fashion?

While there are no hard and fast rules for trends in design, and predicting what looks will still be ‘in’ from one year to the next isn’t an exact science, there are a few kitchen fashion tips to bear in mind if you want to set your new kitchen on the right track:

Less is more in kitchen design

A sure-fire way to pick a style that will quickly date is to choose one that involves clutter. This means everything from busy, country-style kitchens to styles that call for highly textured or patterned finishes – things like cabinet doors with ‘worked’ or ornate panels, patterned benchtops and mosaic-tiled splashbacks.

On the flip side, the less clutter there is, the less able you’ll be to ‘visually date’ the room a few years down the track. Experts agree that trends in design look favorably on aesthetics that are based on clean lines and low fuss; these kitchen fashions are much more likely to stand the test of time.

Kitchen design trends favour colorful territory

Colours are the key in kitchen design. Moroccan tiles also known as Moorish tiles, Zillij, or Zellige are the best fit for your kitchen backsplash as well as your kitchen floors due to their organic and unique colors such as red, yellow, green, cobalt blue, white, brown, tan hues that make the Moroccan tiles timeless and works beautifully in traditional and contemporary interiors. When tilling your kitchen with Moroccan tiles you are not just adding tiles to your kitchen but you are adding style, and piece of the Moorish arts and history to your home.

4″ x 4″ glazed Moroccan tiles are the new trend for kitchen backsplash because they look stylish and they are much easier to clean.

You may also use the glazed Bejmat tiles which are the Moroccan version of subway tiles. Bejmat tiles comes in 2″ x 6″ x 3/4″ tiles in several colors, but the most common colors of the bejmat tiles are the Moroccan white, cobalt blue, emeral green, red, Moroccan yellow, and cofee brown colors. Same as the glazed Moroccan tiles, Bejmat tiles are durable and much easier to clean.

Another type of Moroccan tiles is the Zillij mosaic or Zellige are available in 12″ x 12″ x 1/2″ mosaic sheets in endless selection of geometric pattern . Zillij brings a centuries old tradition into a fresh new spotlight, use them in your next contemporary installation or historical reproduction.

To learn more about Moroccan tiles, please contact:

Saint Tropez Boutique

25 Evelyn Way

San Francisco, California 94127

Phone: (415) 513-5920

Email: sales@sainttropezboutique.us

Web: http://www.sainttropezboutique.us

Moroccan decorating ideas

sttropezboutique — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 23:24:18 +0000

Moroccan architecture and Moorish style home decorating is quite popular among Architects and interior designers in the U.S.A , due to its dramatic jewel toned colors, gorgeous exotic patterns and luxurious Moroccan fabrics.

Tired of looking at the same bedroom, same dining room and same living room again and again? Then it’s time for a change. This time to not just change the furniture or the color of your home, rather go for a completely different look. Decorating your home in Moroccan style is the latest trend these days. Morocco is like a melting pot of different cultures and styles and so the Moroccan style décor will have some of the features of every culture and style. One can even see hints of Arabic style in it.Moroccan home décor can be classified into two types – urban Moroccan decor and rural Moroccan decor. The urban décor involves the use of ceramics, metal, wood and leather. On the other hand, the rural décor has more of the Middle Eastern influence, with an emphasis on the use of rugs, fabrics and embroideries. The best feature of having a Moroccan style decoration is that the objects used in it are usually those that have use in practical life too. Given below are some tips that will help you in decorating your home in the Moroccan style.

Moroccan Style Decorating Ideas:

Use of Bright Colors

When decorating your home Moroccan style, make sure to use bright natural colors. The colors like green and blue, found in the sea of the area, and the ones like gold and yellow, found in the surrounding desert, should be used as much as possible. You can combine other colors like vibrant red, orange or purple with blue or gold to create an effervescent ambience. Feel free to use of vibrant colors such as pink fuchsia, lavender, and orange while keeping the aesthetics in mind. Bring Nature Home For creating the tropical atmosphere seen in Morocco, you can make extensive use of plants. The more exotic the plants, the better look they will bring to your house. At the same time, they will also provide you with some greenery in the ‘concrete-jungle’ world of today. If it is feasible, you can also get textured walls.

Lighting

Lighting plays a very important role in adding that perfect Moroccan flavor look to your home décor. Moroccan light fixtures are totally different from those used in the other parts of the world. Moroccan light fixtures include Moroccan sconces, Moroccan chandeliers, Moroccan lanterns, Moroccan hanging pendants, and Moroccan lamps. A great source for quality handmade Moroccan light fixtures as well as Moorish lighting is a California company called Saint Tropez Boutique that design and handcrafts Moroccan light fixtures in Casablanca, Morocco and exclusively distributes them in the U.S.A. The reason why I like Saint Tropez Boutique because they are unique Moroccan light fixtures designs, plus they handcrafted from top quality Moroccan solid brass that has been carved into refined and intricate patterns. Addition to that Saint Tropez Boutique is the exclusive dealer in the U.S.A that has Moroccan light fixtures pre-wired for the UL-Standard (pre-wired for the U.S Standard wiring). To learn more about Moroccan lighting by Saint Tropez Boutique, please visit them online at: http://www.sainttropezboutique.us

Extensive Use of Textures

Moroccans love extensive use of textures in their home. So, if you want to have a Moroccan style look, rule out too much use of smooth and sleek materials. In fact, the fusion of multiple textures and shapes will be best. You can have darkened wood plank floors, which can be covered with natural fiber rugs of sand-ish color. This will not only add texture to the room, but also provide you with some comfort under the feet. You can also try draping fabric from the ceiling.

Some Other Tips

Colorful mosaic tables not only give a Moroccan feel to your place, but also help to brighten up a dull room.
Use of handmade Moroccan tiles will go a long way in creating a Moroccan décor.
Use of Moroccan tent as a Moroccan lounge getaway in your own backyard.
Use of Moroccan wood lattice screens also known as Jali Screens in your windows doors, kitchen and bath cabinet doors, or even as a room divider wall Last but not the least, you can buy silk bedcovers or cushion covers, in jewel tones, to create that perfect Moroccan look.

Bathroom design ideas: Spice up your Bathroom Moroccan Style

sttropezboutique — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 23:06:47 +0000

When selecting the right flooring for a bathroom, there’s more to keep in mind than personal style. Some very specific factors come into play: Is your flooring, for instance, impervious to water? Will it stain easily when makeup takes a spill? Is it safe when walking across with wet feet? Given those considerations, here are some of the top contenders in bathroom floor surface.

Moroccan tiles also know as Zillij tiles or Moorish tiles are organically handmade and hand glazed clay tiles originated from the city of Fez, Morocco back in the eleventh century and were used to decorate floors and walls of the sultans & the nobles castles and palaces bathhouses, courtyards, fountains, and much more. There are two types of Moroccan tiles, the first type is the Moroccan field tile and the other type is the Moroccan mosaics also called Zillij mosaics. Moroccan tiles are available in several colors and hues and the most common colors are the following colors:

Moroccan field tiles are available in several shapes, sizes, and colors and the most common shapes of Moroccan field tiles are 4” x 4” x 3/8” square, 2” x 6” x ¾” rectangular bricks know as Bejmat tiles, 4” x 4” x 3/8” hexagon, and 4” x 4” x 3/8” octagonal. Moroccan field tiles works well in bathroom floors and walls, shower floors and walls, around the bathtub, vanity top, and much more. By being glazed tiles, Moroccan field tiles are very low maintenance and easy to clean and care for.

The other type of Moroccan tiles is the Moroccan mosaic tile also known as Zillij mosaic or Zellige tiles are available in endless geometric as well as floral patterns. The art of Zillij is essentially a Moroccan art form. Although its roots are in the universal language of two-dimensional mathematics, which can be traced to the Levant, Egypt, and the Roman mosaics of Volubilis (the Moroccan Roman city), it has all the characteristics of a unique art form.

Forget about the fancy marble, glass tiles, porcelain and tony stone. If it’s the hottest look in bathrooms you’re after, go for the Moroccan tile s.

To learn more about handmade Moroccan tiles, Moorish tiles, Zillij tiles, Zellige tiles, please contact:

Saint Tropez Boutique
25 Evelyn way
San Francisco, California 94127
Phone: (415) 513-5920
Email: sales@sainttropezboutique.us
Web: http://www.sainttropezboutique.us

Kitchen lighting design using Moroccan light fixtures

sttropezboutique — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 22:56:22 +0000

Lighting your kitchen doesn’t need to be a complex task. The most common mistake home owners make is trying to light their entire kitchen with one light fixture centered in the ceiling. The most effective lighting for the kitchen involves several components blended together including ambient, accent and decorative lighting. The end result is a warm and inviting environment that works with your other design elements to create a practical workspace and lively entertainment area for your family as well as your guests.

MOROCCAN AMBIENT LIGHTING

Ambient lighting is important in kitchen lighting design that is often overlooked in the kitchen. This indirect lighting is a key ingredient to any kitchen lighting design with Moroccan light fixtures. Ambient lighting softens the lines and shadows on people’s faces and creates a warm inviting glow in the room.
The kitchen used to be strictly for food preparation and children who were not to be seen or heard. Now, floor plans are more open and parties often flow from the living room through the dining room and into the kitchen. Ambient lighting will attract people into the kitchen and make them feel welcome while eating appetizers and sipping wine at the island. Ambient lighting fixtures may include flush-mounted Moroccan ceiling light fixtures, a Moroccan pendant lighting hanging over the island and adjustable Moroccan style track lighting.

MOROCCAN ACCENT LIGHTING

Moroccan Accent lighting is the least common layer in the kitchen, but it is becoming more common as people spend more time in the kitchen for casual entertaining. You may want to hang a piece of artwork on the wall behind the breakfast table, or a tile backsplash over the sink may be a decorative focal point. Occasionally, Whitehead installs lighting inside glass cabinets to illuminate collections of china and glassware.
Moroccan Hanging pendant lighting, Moroccan lanterns, Moroccan spotlight lights and Moroccan wall sconces are all accent Moroccan light fixtures.

MOROCCAN DECORATIVE LIGHTING

Decorative Moroccan lighting should be considered in direct proportion to the size of your kitchen — the larger the space; the greater importance Moroccan chandeliers, Moroccan hanging pendants and other eye-catching Moroccan hanging light fixtures play. There are two major considerations when it comes to decorative Moroccan lighting. First, you want to make sure that the scale of the Moroccan light fixtures is right for the space. Second, the shade material has enough opacity to effectively hide the light bulb.

To learn more about Moroccan lighting and Moorish light fixtures, please contact:

Saint Tropez Boutique
25 Evelyn way
San Francisco, California 94127
Phone: (415) 513-5920
Email: sales@sainttropezboutique.us
Web: http://www.sainttropezboutique.us