Marrakech: and do come in....

You see, Moroccans intrinsically understood something very basic:  the power of paint.  Even in the smallest villages, doors were painted in fantastical colors and designs.  It was......poetry...or it was Prozac.  Or it was both..... 

The blogging girl admired their bold confidence, their happy curly-Qs, their it's-only-paint-for-goodness-sake nature.  She was fond of their fondness of turquoise and pink... 

How was it, she wondered, that everyone else had become so....... boring....?

P.S.  Do take a peek here to see the lovely vintage Moroccan wedding blanket (or wedding quilt) that darling Barbara in Australia purchased from me.  I have a new stash of wedding blankets, in case you would like to have a little sparkley glamour, too.  Drop me a line:  maryam at mtds.com

Comments

[mary]

Being someone fascinated by photography, so often I come here and have the jealous beetle crawling in my tummy.

I would kill to be there taking photos.

[Passementerie]

Oh I love Moroccan doors. I was soooo disappointed when ours was a plain modern door without any embellisment or excitement!

[Persephone]

You're right - color is the best Prozac around.

[Maria]

This reminds me of our trip to India. COLOR everywhere. And then we got back to the midwest. What is with that?

I have rediscovered your blog. I will have to come back more often...very very inspirational. Can I be you?

[Gillian]

Hello missy! NOw you are singing my tune! HOw much? Could you email me?
Thanks!
Love the doors!

[Sondra Daly]

I too am interested in the Wedding blanket.
I know each is unique but is there a variety of colors? Price?
I love your site and someday hope to visit the Peacock Pavilions.
Sondra

[Yoli]

Maryam, I feel sometimes that you look at the world the same way I do. I love those pictures, I love the color and the benign decay of those doors. I am going to check the blanket and then tell me how much is the damage for one of them.

[Yoli]

I was floored, that was breathtaking. It must be prohibitively expensive. I still must ask, so please email me if you can.

[lara dunston]

Now Maryam, you know I am a fan of the painted door - like you - did you see my recent posts on doors? If not, take a look. Here's one: http://cooltravelguide.blogspot.com/2008/03/old-doors-taverna-that-understands-its.html But now you've inspired me to do a new post on doors... like you I've been obsessed with colourful, faded, peeling-painted doors, and the whole time I forgot about the amazing steel doors in Oman and the Emirates with their twisted metal camels and falcons and flags! I must do a post! Thank you for your inspiration once again!

[Annie]

I think I must be dead and gone to heaven :-).
Old doors and windows are a great love of mine.
I think we must be soul sisters :-).
My show is this weekend and if (when) I sell
an expensive painting I am so buying a wedding blanket!

[Annie]

P.S. If I sell the most expensive painting I am booking a flight! :-).

[Heather]

I think the color of a door says so much about a person. I love a bright front door and don't see too many around here (New England) - other than the typical red. But then recently a house down the street got a painting and the front door became..... magenta/fushia. Everyone was talking about it. Talking about it like it wasn't allowed or something. I thought the reactions were interesting.

We bought a house with a boring maroon front door (white house). I am trying to decide what color to paint it!

Heather

[Paris Parfait]

Wonderful images, Maryam!

[Elizabeth schmid]

You managed to find some pretty metal ones.
Yes, the blue and pink is so pretty.
Go to my NY blog to see how GRAY everything is here right now!
Missing Marrakech.

[lila]

I love photos of doors (and windows). Yes to bright colors...especially in sunny locations!

[tangobaby]

I think the Haight-Ashbury Victorian hourse are the San Francisco versions of those Moroccan homes' lovely and vibrant colors. Hey, that's inspired me for a future post about my little world! Thanks!

[tangobaby]

Sorry, I meant *houses*. ;-)

[barbara]

I have lots of pictures osf doors, windows and washing on the line taken in Spain a couple of years ago. Somehow they seem so much more exotic than our local doors. P.S. I have my slippers on while I type;)

[olga]

Everyone became boring because it is considered refined and dignified to be repressed (at least in European/British culture, which went to America). It is considered good taste to be toned down and conservative and not garish and loud, like, you know, those other/poor people. The poor, short, lumpy, immigrant, dark people.

So here it is: the white masses are chromaphobic (not to mention judgmental) and the rest of the world welcomes color and vibrancy.

Keep those bright pictures coming! I especially like "incorrect" juxtapositions of bright with brighter.

[maia]

Beautiful. There's something so symbolic and mystical about doors. I think they should always be beautiful painted.

[Nicole Block at NicEvents]

I TOTALLY have a photo of that last door from my trip to Marrakesh! So funny!!

We took about a thousand photos of just doors and color. You're right, they totally understand its naturally drugging qualities!

[Felicity]

I personally think that the doors that look like this have so much more character then the awful things we have here... it is 1,000,000 times nicer then my front door... take care

[erinn]

Yes, I think I will be making a trip, no architectural pilgrammage, to Morocco before I die.

[Wavy]

This makes me want to come to Morocco. I would like to stroll about and see all the wonderful sights you bring us. Thank you!

[Tinsie]

Awww these colours are lovely! So so beautiful.

One day I'll come to Morocco just to absorb all the colour.