Morocco: For the Love of Travel & Design

Morocco: For the love of travel and design

I've always thought Moroccan decor is so unique that it must be featured in a home one way or another. Moroccan design has a lot to offer—one does not have to adhere to "rules" to apply it in a home. One beautiful area rug is an excellent starting point to a Moroccan inspired room.

Like a good wine, Moroccan design adds "body" to a room, turning the atmosphere into an exotic space. And what better way to show that influence than with a beautiful and unique area rug?

My latest Moroccan inspired hand knotted collection started with an idea—I wanted to create beautiful area rugs that capture some of the essence of Morocco—but I also wanted to get to the source—travel is one of my biggest inspirations. Nothing makes me feel more free and optimistic than when I travel. Without commitments, my eyes are wide open, my hand is ready to click that shutter button, and I am ready to sink into the new excitements that are awaiting to be discovered. It’s one of my biggest inspirational resources to almost anything I lay my hands on.

Let me tell you, Morocco did it for me. I have never felt so emotional, so hopelessly inspired and so proud of my own culture then when my feet touched the ground of this country. While exploring this magical place, I visited my parents hometown's, tasted the incredible food (I am not a shabby cook thanks to my mother), felt the luxurious fabrics and mumbled some Moroccan words with the locals. It was an opportunity to come face to face with the source of my inspiration and truly feel what Moroccan influence entails.

There was so much to take in I don’t even know where to begin. Morocco has its own special formula designed to make you want to stay and never leave. The country made me wonder and think of words: sultry, color, seductive, texture, exotic. These words flooded my mind. Morocco is rich with all of them. The more I discovered, the more I wanted to create, and subsequently a whole collection begun to “weave” and take form in my mind. As much as I did not want to leave, I couldn't wait to get back to my desk to begin my sketches.

I love Morocco in the dark, it is gorgeous and intriguing and I could not get enough. The colors are deep and mysterious. My “Sultry” rug was the first in The Cosmopolitan collection and was inspired by the nights in Morocco. It features illustrated abstract uneven pattern a on wool background, showing a combination of blues and slates touched with splashes of bronzy creams—the colors of seductive Moroccan nights.

Another rug admired by many rug designers is “Sultana”. It is a beautiful creation of contemporary geometric elements melding with tradition. This rug illustrates a large silk pattern over a Himalayan wool background. It makes for a beautiful statement when placed on a dark wood floors—letting the silk pattern shine.

Another hand-knotted rug creation from the “View from Morocco” collection is inspired by the charming old Fes. This ancient city is filled with secrets, not as colorful as Marrakech, but just as intriguing. Old Fes glows with golds, browns, rusts and creams. We walked for hours on end in tiny narrow and curvaceous streets, getting lost in the spell, loving every stone and stray cat we saw along the way. Hand-knotted with wool and silk, Fes rug is a reflection of and elaborate tile work I was inspired by in a palace in this magical city. It is a rug with an ancient influence that bursts with a contemporary vibe.

The process involved to create and execute my Moroccan inspired collection was no easy feat. There was so much to take in and express that it was dizzying, yet I enjoyed every moment. The memories are priceless and will allow me to relive every minute I spent in the amazing, sumptuous country that, I surely, will return to very soon.

-SIGAL SASSON

Sigan Sasson is the creative vision behind innovative rug design company, RUG-ART. RUG-ART is a proud supporter of GOODWEAVE, an organization working to end child labor in the carpet industry.