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Global Inspirations: Exploring the Culture and Beauty of Moroccan Rugs

Photo via Kelly Martin Interiors

Moroccan culture has captivated our attention with their exquisite rugs, but many people don't know much about the origins of their striking designs. Moroccan rugs were introduced into mid-century modern interiors in the 1920's, however these vivid rugs date back to the Paleolithic Era where the native people of Morocco hand-crafted them as an intrinsic part of their survival. 

Due to the harsh climates of North Africa, the Moroccan Berber tribes hand constructed the rugs to protect their families from either the frosty Atlas Mountains or the blazing Sahara Desert. Because of the different climates, tribes created various unique carpet styles. However, in most tribes the art of rug weaving was traditionally passed down from mother to daughter, and each design carried strong culturally symbolic meaning. 

The intricate geometric patterns portrayed themes of fertility, spirituality, and male protection; they also depicted the extraordinary stories of its weaver. Moroccan rugs are valued for their one-of-a-kind designs. There are over 45 different types of Moroccan rugs, but we'll be looking at three popular styles today: the Beni Ourain, the Azilal style, and the Boucherouite. 

Photo via MobMasker.

Beni Ourain: Nuts for Neutrals
Beni Ourain rugs come in neutral tones with dark geometric lines. These thick wool beauties can be incorporated into minimalist interiors, paired with bright furnishings, or intertwined with other lively prints. The options are endless! 

Photo via Semikah Textiles features rug style Silhouette.

Photo by Laure Joliet designed by Emily Henderson featuring home of Bri Emery.

 Azilal: Brilliantly Bold
Azilal rugs are known for their vibrant coloring and abstract patterns. The antique look of these textiles creates a beautiful contrast against modern interiors, and would also unite seamlessly with vintage decor. 

Product from Baba Souk.

Photo via My Domaine.

Boucherouite: Alluring Artistry
Boucherouite rugs were woven from different scraps of materials by Berber women, which resulted in exquisitely unique works of art. No two of these colorful creations are the same, a quality that is highly sought-after!

Photo from Lef Living.

Photo via Femina.

The true true beauty of the Moroccan rugs lie in the depth and meaning that each design carries. Every stitch holds a magnificent piece of history derived out of a rich and fascinating culture. Decorating with any of these elegant rugs will breathe life into countless interiors spaces. 

Dazzled by these Moroccan rug styles? Check out these vendors for your own little piece of Morocco:

Babasouk
Maroc Rug Company
Semikah Textiles
Illuminate Collective Rugs

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Artist Spotlight: Laurie Anne Gonzalez (Art + Design)

Meet artist Laurie Anne Gonzalez, a Southern artist with Alabama roots now living in Phoenix, Arizona with her husband Taylor. Laurie Anne's artwork showcases her exploration of fine art figure drawing as well as capturing her new Southwestern environment. Read on to learn more about Laurie Anne's artwork and to see her home tour!

'Lady with apple', gouache, Laurie Anne Gonzalez.

Jacquin: How would you describe your artwork? What are you currently working on?

Laurie Anne: If I had to put myself in a category for my style of art it would lean towards post-impressionism but my style can change drastically depending on what I am working on. Not only do I paint but I also design stationery which tends to be more meticulous and detailed artwork. Currently, I am working on exploring different mediums and sizes of artwork. I’m very excited to see what 2018 brings!

'Desert Outline', gouache, Laurie Anne Gonzalez. 

Jacquin: How has your artwork or your approach towards art evolved over the years?

Laurie Anne: My art has changed a lot over the years. Mainly in size. I used to paint very large oil paintings. I took about a 6 year break from painting and worked for Sweet Pea Designs stationery company and when I started my painting business back up, I starting working on smaller watercolor paintings.

'Lady with table', gouache, Laurie Anne Gonzalez.

Jacquin: How does your love of antiques & vintage come out in your style at home? Also, tell us about your vintage home decor shop, Laurel and Co.

Laurie Anne: Laurel and Co. was started by me and my friend Lauren out of a mutual love of Emily Henderson. My favorite part of our business is finding really good vintage art. When my husband and I go on trips, we try to find a piece of art from a thrift store or estate sale to remember our trip by.

'Dancing Ladies', gouaches, Laurie Anne Gonzalez.

Jacquin: What is your favorite hobby when you aren't creating artwork?

Laurie Anne: When I’m not working, you can find me hanging out with my husband and puppy or traveling! I love to travel and try to as much as possible. 

Jacquin: What artists are inspiring you right now?

Laurie Anne:  I’m currently digging Richard Claremont, Dylon Mierzwinski, and Kate Waddell.

Jacquin: What is on your creative bucket list? 

Laurie Anne: To teach online Art classes! That's one of the fun things I am going to explore this year!

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Fashion meets Interiors series: featuring style blogger Lan Vo

It may be cold and icy outside, but I have a warm and sunny Fashion meets Interiors feature for you today! Today style blogger Lan Vo of The Lan Line dazzles us with a chic, pastel-inspired outfit & photoshoot based on the vibrant interior design shown below. I really love how it all came together! Read on as style blogger Lan shares her inspiration behind this fabulous outfit:

Hey Y’all! My name is Lan Vo and I am so excited to be featured on Jacquin’s blog series! I am the creative director of the fashion and lifestyle blog, The Lan Line, where I display my versatile style and lover-of-life attitude!

GoodHomes via Design Milk, photo by Maxwell Attenborough

The space I chose is full of pastels and fun colors! Although it is winter, and these colors don’t really go with the season, I still was drawn to the room and how fun it would be to be in it.

I’ve chosen this room because I felt that it matched my bubbly personality. Pastels in interiors are not very common and that is why I love this space. I love trying styles that are not common and going out of my comfort zone.

When I looked at the interior design inspiration, the room reminded me of this particular dress' fun floral embroidered details. Additionally, the dress' shade of blue complemented the room perfectly! I also love the yellow couch and how it adds a pop of color and pattern to the room without overdoing it. It’s so smooth, yet edgy and that’s how I feel about my dress and the details of it.

Of course blush is a perfect pastel shade that can be worn in any season, so naturally I had to add it to my ensemble. I wore my blush statement earrings to accent the pastel blue tones. I think the simplicity in my combination of pastels, makes a big impact in the overall appearance itself, just as pastels do in an interior space. 

SHOP THE LOOK:

1. Floral Lace Applique Fluted Sleeve Striped Smock Dress - SHEIN ($34)

2. 'Ginger' beaded earrings in Cotton Candy color - Lisi Lerch ($98)

3. Gladiator block heel shoes - TANDRA ($69.95)

4. Gucci purse

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Ideas for Decorating (Non-Functional) Fireplaces

Image via Room for Tuesday

During the cold months of winter, a fireplace often becomes a focal décor element of a space. But, for those who live in warmer climates or have fireplaces that don’t actually work, there are still ways to utilize and highlight your fireplace as an architectural element. A non-functional fireplace can be styled to fit any type of space whether it be contemporary or traditional. You can use sleek lanterns to bring a modern edge to a fireplace or decorate it with candles to create a more cozy and intimate setting. Whatever concept you are trying to achieve in your own home, it can be done using some of the decorating tips below!

CANDLES:

Filling a fireplace with candles instantly creates a cozy, comfortable and welcoming atmosphere. Layering different shapes of monochrome candles is chic and adds a subtle architectural element. Not to mention, burning candles create a beautiful, naturally dimmed light similar to the light traditional working fireplaces give off. To take an extra step, you can also put candles in lanterns in the fireplace to add more structure.

Design by Sarah Gibson and Jacqueline Brown of Room for Tuesday

VASES:

Combining different shapes and sizes of similar vases makes an area look less calculated and more organic. While the use of vases in a fireplace is unconventional, it creates a special elegance that usually the mantle of a fireplace would provide rather than the inside of a fireplace. 

Photo from Decorpad

WOOD:

If you want to keep with the traditional use of fireplaces, there are multiple ways wood can be used to fill the empty space. One way that always looks great is meticulously stacking logs to create a beautiful and natural architectural element. 

Design by Kate Strickland, photo for mydomain.com

SCULPTURES:

Putting a sculpture or piece of art in a fireplace space is completely unexpected. This is the perfect idea for someone with eclectic taste that isn’t afraid to take design risks. If you are up for the risk, the final design result is artistic and unique!

Photo from homeinspiration.net

FRESH FLOWERS AND GREENERY:

Adding a fresh floral arrangement or greenery is a quick and easy way to add a design element to an open fireplace. It is important to make sure the scale of the arrangement is large enough so it doesn’t get swallowed by the space of the open fireplace. For greens, you can combine an assortment of different sized plants.

Photo for Homedit

Which one of these fireplace decor ideas would you try? 

Article by Layne Wolfington, Interiors by Jacquin intern.

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The Design Lovers Gift Guide

I've collaborated with the Interiors by Jacquin team to compile the best gift ideas for Design Lovers of all backgrounds. You will love these gift suggestions! We have 3 distinct categories of gifts to entice you: Creative gifts, Luxury gifts, and Budget-Friendly gifts. Read on for our top recommendations for the picky design-lover in your life!

1. Michael Aram Palm Frame

2. Tourer Bright Cross-Body Bag

3. Broste Copenhagen 'Haldan' Candlestick Set

JACQUIN'S TOP CHOICE:

Michael Aram Gold 'Palm' Frame

Designer Michael Aram never fails to create impressive luxury home decor & gift items. This gilded 'Palm' frame is one of my favorites! This frame, which I own personally, catches the light and shines when displayed making it the perfect showstopper gift for the Design Lover!

BONUS: 

Koa Wood & Rose Gold Watch - JORD Watch

1. Origami Folded Vase

2. Creative Lettering & Beyond Art Kit

3. 'Well-Wishing' Travel Mug

STEPHANIE'S TOP CHOICE:

Creative Lettering Art & Stationery Kit

Now this gift is definitely my favorite gift of the season! It's no secret that the art of calligraphy has made a glorious comeback in these past few years, and if you're anything like me, it has seriously peaked your creative interest. If you know someone (or maybe you are someone) who is dying to learn this skill but can't afford to take a professional course, then this lovely hand-lettering kit teaches the magic of calligraphy and hand-lettering for only $14.77! 

1. Filix Lambswool Blanket

2. Dragonfly Napkin Ring Set in Violet

3. BYOB Scented Candle DIY Workshop

LAYNE'S TOP CHOICE:

BYOB Scented Candle Making Workshop

During one of my recent trips to Atlanta, I stopped into the store Candlefish. Not only do they have hundreds of handcrafted candles in stock, with the option of choosing your own scents to put into a unique candle, they also offer candle and essential oil making workshops! Candle making workshops are a great gift to give/plan for a girls night out or a date night! It is definitely an unexpected yet extremely pleasant surprise of a gift. 

Save this gift guide onto Pinterest to have gift ideas on-hand throughout the year! Happy shopping!

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Fun Finds at the Traders Village Flea Market! (Video)

There are two things I really love in life - a great design find and a great deal, and Traders Village Flea Market in Texas delivers on both. Traders Village is located just outside of Dallas, Texas in the suburb of Grand Prairie and it has been ranked one of the Top 10 Flea Markets in the United States. 


I made the visit to Traders Village with my great friend Hina Amin, host of inspirational radio show Expressive Homes with Hina on Radio Azad. Hina and I were eager to see what this flea market has to offer and we were inspired by so many things we found while shopping. Watch our video above to see our experience at Traders Village Flea Market!

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