Guide: How to choose your Moroccan rug and decor?

In the middle east, legends of magic carpets have appeared in folklore, whether in the 9^th Century story A Thousand and One Arabian Nights or even before, when the Queen of Sheba was reported to have given King Solomon a green and gold flying carpet studded with precious jewels, as a token of her love. Disney immortalized the legend of the flying carpet further in Alladin.

Royal Palaces and Official Residences are full of large, luxurious carpets. In the same way that ceilings are painted, and walls are adorned with portraits and landscapes, the floor is covered with art in the form of rugs. In old times, these rugs would be making a statement, for example a runner might have a royal coat of arms on it to say, “you are walking on royal ground”. Carpets within a particular room would have a design laden with symbols connected with the history of the room and the family living there.   

Often a lot of effort goes into getting the right carpet for each room that best compliments the furniture in that room and it’s intended use. In Morocco Beni Ourain  carpets and rugs are the staple carpet for furnishing floors as an economical and high-quality rug.

The Beni Ourain carpet / rug.

Beni Ourain rugs are named after the tribe that makes them. In the same way Switzerland is famous for its watchmaking heritage, the Beni Ourain tribe is famous for the high-quality luxurious rugs it has produced over the centuries. The techniques and patterns used for making these rugs is remembered through tribal customs, passed down from mother to daughter over time immemorial. In the same way Royal Families are a link to a national past, Beni Ourain rugs are a living connection to Morocco’s ancient Moorish culture with its antique architectures of Medina, sculptures of Marrakech, and the royal soupçon of Andalusia.

Why choose a Beni Ourain rug?

In a world marching towards modernity, people often find comfort and value in remembering our past. The use of antiques, particularly rugs, is a visual reminder of a simpler past and how things used to be, and unsurprisingly Interior Designers have been using handmade luxury Moroccan rugs to bridge the spiritual connection between a room and its occupants, while maintaining a elegant and homely look. The Moroccan styles are achieved by combining matching brighter tones to compliment woods with intricate woollen mosaics to provide a dramatic yet enticing look to your surroundings. Beni Ourain rugs are highly versatile carpets which give an easy-going temperament to the surroundings.

How should I choose a Moroccan carpet/rug?

A little research in rugs will produce a bewildering array of options. Here are a few tips to consider while buying rugs:

1. HISTORY OF THE CARPET DESIGNER AND MARKET REPUTATION:

Every Moroccan Carpet is a labour of love, and each has its own unique story. A skilled carpet designer will have a lot of experience and will be knowledgeable of the ancient folklore and traditions around rug making. A novice, on the other hand, will no doubt try to offer a good product, but the lack of experience and skill will be easily visible in their offering. A good Moroccan Rug trader will know the difference and will only stock the highest quality rugs, so if you buy through a tradesperson you should see if they can demonstrate their knowledge of the market and their reputation.

2. THE DESIGN SHOULD BE OOZING ANCIENT MOORISH ART:

As Moorish carpet demand is high, many novice designers are trying to make carpets in the Moorish style. While patterns may be emulated, a novice has not learned the instinctive way to engrave patterns and their work is not as refined as a skilled carpet designer. Furthermore, novice designers do not understand the symbology behind the patterns and symbols. Beni Ourain luxury rugs are made using tribal art from the 12 ancient Moorish tribes, and each Beni Ourain rug tells a story or has a meaning. A skilled designer writes cultural messages or stories using their hands during the weaving of carpets which any true Berber would be able to read.

3. CHOOSE A HANDMADE CARPET or RUG:

There is no parallel to the quality of handmade products. While machines may try to emulate the process of weaving, machines do not have the eye or capacity to think how to make an artwork better during its creation. Other reasons to always choose handmade are:

1. Moroccan carpets depict the ancient essence of the Moorish folklore, using traditions which evolve over time. A machine can learn a process, but it cannot learn a way to think or evolve.
2. Every Handmade Luxury Moroccan rug is lovingly made to last. A skilled designer will reinforce the weaving to ensure that strength and longevity is built into the rug, so that it is dependable and never gets torn or broken even years after years.
3. Handmade rugs and carpets require no maintenance. It is not necessary to send it to an expensive carpet cleaner as simply dusting with a brush can make it look new.
4. Handmade carpets complement the furnishing of your home because of the variety of colours in it.
5. The manufacturing process uses 100% locally sourced and organic materials. There are no manmade chemicals or toxic materials used in the production process that may irritate either the artisan designer or the buyer.
6. Handmade crafting is more attractive and eye-catching than any machine-made equivalent.

Conclusion:

Handmade rugs and carpets have the best quality and are in a league of their own in how they give a room a royal finish. The manual techniques and the eye for detail of the craftsperson enable a higher quality rug than a repetitive mechanisation of the weaving process can ever produce. While there are many different types of Moroccan Rugs, our favourite is the Beni Ourain rug because of its versatility.

Where to find Moroccan decor products online?

Moroccan handmade products are EASY to find, but it’s not easy to find the good QUALITY. In our website benisouk.com you”ll find the AUTHENTIC Moroccan products from the craftsmen to your hand.