Moroccan Inspiration

I purchased Morocco Modern by Herbert Ypma last month and have since been reading/looking at everything Moroccan design I can get my hands on. This book has some beautiful pictures of Moroccan interior design. The colors are unbelievable.

There has never been a single design style I could subscribe to. I have been intensely interested in design for as long as I can remember thanks to my interior decorator Mother. I have always found single elements in different styles I like but I don't like most of Modern, most of Traditional, most of French Country, etc... My Mom's suggestion was to start tearing out the things I like and eventually I would start to see a pattern. She was right. I like color. I like texture. I don't like most florals. I like geometric shapes. I like metal work. It goes on... Yay! A pattern....but with little experience and not knowing if what I like is a style I felt stuck. I need something I can kind of copy at first and then once I have a grasp on it I can take off with my own ideas. I started looking through Morocco Modern and...THINGS I LIKE!!...EVERYWHERE. I learned that a lot of the patterns that I love and use in my home are commonly found in Moroccan style. Sigh of relief. Unfortunately, copying Moroccan design literally would be quite awkward and unnatural in a New England home, but now I know I don't have to force myself to use muted colors!! Bright colors are not juvenile! They don't have to be anyway. I feel rejuvenated and excited to start applying my style to my home with more confidence.

Side-note:

I have been looking for some plates to hang on the wall behind my kitchen sink. In searching for ceramics on Etsy I came across Royal Design Stencils. She has a Moroccan stencil collection which I plan to use in my house! (She has a lot of other great stencils as well!)