My Marrakesh

Marrakesh: and a tale of a tiny little film for Marrakesh by Design

Produced by Griyo TV and Music

PS I'm in the US.  Would love to meet you.  Here's my schedule.

PPS  My book is shipping!  Eeek!  So very excited (and a little nervous...).  If you do pick it up, I'd be so grateful for your review.  

Marrakesh: and a tale of Spring cleaning

I was thinking that Spring is the time for many things.  Like Spring cleaning.  It's a time to get out our brooms and tackle the debris under the bed and couch.  A time to open the closets and toss the faded¸ dingy, and unused.  

But more than our homes, Spring cleaning should tackle the dust balls that reside in the corners of our minds.  Those dark and wintery ideas that hold us down.  The thoughts that are old, crumpled, and unnecessary like, I’ll never get there,  or she’s so much luckier, or no matter what I do  I will always be overweight.  These thoughts should be tossed in the bin, along with the stained shirt and the broken appliance.

Spring is also the time to get rid of the Only Ifs that keep us tethered and constrained, like If only I had more time, If only I had more money, If only I had more skills. Because really, Only Ifs are just excuses in disguise blocking our path to where we want to go. 

Spring, yes Spring, is the time for possibilities.  And new growth. 

Images of the white rose gardens at Peacock Pavilions in Marrakesh.

PS My book tour for Marrakesh by Design starts tomorrow!  More on that soon but I'll be at the International Fair for Books and Press in Geneva from Wednesday-Friday, April 25-27.  Morocco is the guest of honor and will have its own Moroccan Pavilion.  If you are nearby please come say hello!

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Marrakesh: and a tale of my home in Elle Decor. Part 1

I'm an accidental stylist.  I don't follow rules.  I mix with abandon. I don't worry decisions. I buy only things that I love.  

My home at Peacock Pavilions in Marrakesh, Morocco is in the April Elle Decor.  My architect husband Chris Redecke and I designed, built and decorated it from scratch (with love).  

Take a peek at a few images.

My livingroom. The carpet is from my shop, Red Thread Souk.  My husband designed the Indonesian-inspired couch, and it is upholstered with vintage Moroccan and Malian textiles, and European velvet. I designed the lantern with an ikat fabric.  The Frank Gehry wiggle chairs are dressed with old belts from Rajasthan.  The antique campaign chair is decorated with record beads from Ghana and a vintage carpet bag from Iran.  The Peacock mirror is Indian.  Standing on the back of the couch are African statues and old Koranic book plates. The little round hollow table is vintage Moroccan and filled with my collection of antique Egyptian hand door knockers.

My hallway.  The hallway is polished cement and is inset with light wells, lit from below.  We commissioned the star lanterns in the souks.

My terrace.  The floor is covered with Moroccan cement tile.  We had the Moroccan zillij tile table made  by a Moroccan artisan.  

My guestroom. The wall was done in collaboration with Melanie Royals of Modello Designs and a group of kind Peacock Painters.  The curtains were made by Corinne Bensimon with saris I brought back from Bangladesh.  The carpet is vintage Moroccan Tazenarght.  On the bed is an old kantha quilt with a hand embroidered running stich.  The cushions are decorated with the embroidery of Rabat.  The two small chairs have cushions made out of African mud cloth.  The stools were purchased in Mali.

The Elle Decor April issue is devoted to international homes -- some of them jawdroppingly beautiful. I am in love with the ones from Spain and London, in particular.

Photography by Simon Upton; Photos courtesy of ELLE DECOR

Produced by Elle Decor Design Director Anita Sarisidi

Marrakesh: and a tale of meetings, departures and Peacock Pavilions

Being the tiniest of tiny hoteliers in Marrakesh is a special business. I always wanted Peacock Pavilions to be the kind of place where people would think back to when they stayed with us and it would evoke a feeling of something that was, well, warm and good, like a friend's exotic home, with stylish rooms and happy food.  That years later they would start off occasional sentences with..........You remember when we were at Peacock Pavilions and.......  That their time here in the olive grove would be imprinted somehow, tangible...like one of those little stars in that silken pouch. Like something you could touch, feel and remember.  

 

 

Every single day is a work in progress at Peacock Pavilions.  Neither architect husband Chris nor I have any background in this business but we try to make up for it with care, attention and quirky detail. It's hard to explain what it feels like when I learn of people's experiences staying with us. When I see their pictures and I read their words, it wells up in me, like a shy kind of pleasure.  

 

 

 

The images of Peacock Pavilions above are by photographer Amanda Gilligan of this lovely blog.  Amanda recently co-led with Susannah Conway and the bejeweled Jen Altman a photography retreat at our place.  They have a forthcoming Polaroid book, called Instant Love.  I so loved reading Jen's post  (with a Moroccan recipe!) about Morocco and Peacock Pavilions on her blog. And I was more than touched to read retreat participant Helen's memories of Peacock Pavilions on her blog.  So so sweet.  And do see this Moroccan recipe that the beauteous Heidi Swanson of 101cookbooks fame came up with. Easy and delicious!

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PS I was interviewed in Indigare:-)  If you feel like it, take a hop over and see!

PPS Check out this Huffington Post Marrakesh style round up (Merci Huffington Post!) :-) 

PPPS Along with my very favorite Moroccan chef who has this amazing cookbook out,  I recently wrapped a Moroccan entertainment feature for Food & Wine Magazine.  It'll be on the magazine stands down the road.  Many thanks to their whole crew, including the adorable writer Gisela Williams, incredible photographer Lisa Linder, and talented stylist Susie Theodorou.  

PPPPS  Gorgeous new stock of Moroccan wedding blankets and Moroccan Beni Ouarain carpets in Red Thread Souk.  Take a look here and grab them while they're hot!

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