Product Description

Perched atop the African continent where East meets West, Morocco has been a destination for Europeans and Americans since before the turn of the last century. With its intoxicating mix of Berber, Arab, Spanish, and French Art Deco styles influencing and informing both homes and hotels, this country may be the birthplace of fusion. And as new waves of travelers succumb to Morocco’s charms and make it their home, they have added their own styles to the mix, respecting the roots of Moroccan design, yet altering it in subtle ways.

In New Moroccan Style, author Susan Sully reveals four emerging trends in this world of design: Delirium, Fusion, Minimalism, and Repose. Each represents a different aesthetic—whether it be the clean, elegant lines of Minimalism or the mingling, sinuous Asian and Islamic notes in Fusion—yet all are distinctly Moroccan. In chapters replete with gorgeous photographs by Jean Cazals, Sully takes readers on an unprecedented tour through private homes, stylish resorts, and intimate guest houses—many never before published.

We visit Dar Tamsna, outside Marrakech, the epitome of Moroccan fusion, and a riad, or courtyard dwelling, that is a meditation in gray and white. Orientalism reigns in a villa in a date palm grove and an old stone house outside of Essaouira has been transformed into a sensually rustic retreat. Sully catalogs both traditional crafts and contemporary arts to show readers how to introduce the beauty and spirit of Morocco into their home décor—as Gogo Ferguson has in her Martha’s Vineyard house.

Entertainment is as much a part of the Moroccan experience as the glorious rugs and intricate furnishings. Complementing the various houses are twenty-five recipes and tips for entertaining Moroccan-style, as well as a comprehensive source guide for travelers and shoppers.

A treasure trove of ideas and images, New Moroccan Style is a treat for the eyes, palate, and imagination, brought to light by a fresh new voice in design.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #624217 in Books
• Published on: 2003-10-14
• Released on: 2003-10-14
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 224 pages

From Publishers Weekly
A specialist in regional design, Sully (Savannah Style; Charleston Style) turns her attention from the American South to Northern Africa in this lavishly illustrated and impressively informative guide to "new" Moroccan style. Though the country's architectural and cultural traditions have influenced Europeans and Americans since the late 19th century, Sully points out that "new Moroccan style" is different from its predecessors in that the "revival is finding explosive expression and avid consumption right on Moroccan soil." Thus, almost all of Cazals' full-color photographs are shot in Marrakech, Fez and Essaouira. Each chapter of the book is devoted to a public building (such as the red leather and dark wood nightclub Comptoir Darna) or a private home (such as the minimalist, earth-toned abode of German Ambassador Herwig Bartels). And Sully's text explains how each location exemplifies or modifies the Morocco's characteristic mix of Berber, Arab, Spanish and French Art Deco styles. Smaller sections describe new trends in textiles, ceramics, glasswork, and furniture. Overall, this is a lovely book-a good choice for anyone interested in learning more about the history and application of a complex design tradition.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Inside Flap
Perched atop the African continent where East meets West, Morocco has been a destination for Europeans and Americans since before the turn of the last century. With its intoxicating mix of Berber, Arab, Spanish, and French Art Deco styles influencing and informing both homes and hotels, this country may be the birthplace of fusion. And as new waves of travelers succumb to Morocco?s charms and make it their home, they have added their own styles to the mix, respecting the roots of Moroccan design, yet altering it in subtle ways.

In New Moroccan Style, author Susan Sully reveals four emerging trends in this world of design: Delirium, Fusion, Minimalism, and Repose. Each represents a different aesthetic?whether it be the clean, elegant lines of Minimalism or the mingling, sinuous Asian and Islamic notes in Fusion?yet all are distinctly Moroccan. In chapters replete with gorgeous photographs by Jean Cazals, Sully takes readers on an unprecedented tour through private homes, stylish resorts, and intimate guest houses?many never before published.

We visit Dar Tamsna, outside Marrakech, the epitome of Moroccan fusion, and a riad, or courtyard dwelling, that is a meditation in gray and white. Orientalism reigns in a villa in a date palm grove and an old stone house outside of Essaouira has been transformed into a sensually rustic retreat. Sully catalogs both traditional crafts and contemporary arts to show readers how to introduce the beauty and spirit of Morocco into their home décor?as Gogo Ferguson has in her Martha?s Vineyard house.

Entertainment is as much a part of the Moroccan experience as the glorious rugs and intricate furnishings. Complementing the various houses are twenty-five recipes and tips for entertaining Moroccan-style, as well as a comprehensive source guide for travelers and shoppers.

A treasure trove of ideas and images, New Moroccan Style is a treat for the eyes, palate, and imagination, brought to light by a fresh new voice in design.

About the Author
SUSAN SULLY is the author of Savannah Style and Charleston Style, which was featured in House Beautiful and other major magazines, as well as on The Christopher Lowell Show. A graduate of Yale University with a degree in art history, she lectures frequently on the subject of regional design and has contributed articles on architecture, decorative arts, and lifestyles to the New York Times, Southern Accents, Coastal Living, and Art and Antiques. She lives in Charleston, South Carolina.

JEAN CAZALS has contributed to more than thirty cookbooks and his work has appeared regularly in Elle, Food Illustrated, GQ, Vogue Entertainment and Travel, and many other publications.

MERYANNE LOUM-MARTIN is the proprietor of several resort properties and a home design boutique, gallery, and restaurant in Marrakech.

Customer Reviews

Good, but not great...
I confess that I was a bit disappointed by this book. I was hoping for a book about sumptuous Moroccan decorating and living the Moroccan lifestyle. This book really only barely touches on that. The actual focus of the book is concentrated on a few hotels and restaurants located in Morocco but owned mostly by people foreign to Morocco, with the addition of a few homes of wealthy people in the United States who have been somewhat influenced by Moroccan style. This book contains no pictures of the interiors of homes of the average Moroccan citizen at all.

Also, the decorating style advocated in this book is one of an overall Contemporary style with Moroccan influences. In the case of this book, "New" Moroccan Style equals an almost Asian minimalist approach with a few Moroccan handicrafts thrown in. If you're looking for a book with pictures featuring the more well-known "More is better!" Moroccan decorating approach, with layer on top of layer of textile and color, you are bound to be as disappointed as I was. The decorating style featured in this book is very restrained compared to most other books on Moroccan style that I have encountered.

I still give the book four stars overall for content and information. For what the book actually is, it's not a bad book at all. It just isn't exactly what you'd expect it to be, either. The text discussing the origins of Moroccan style, from the Berber influence to Andalusian style, is especially informative. The recipes included in the book, along with pictures, are also a nice bonus.

Gorgeous!
This is such a great book! Spare yet sensual interiors, there are ideas for interiors in here that everyone can do. Moroccan interior design is not based on lots of money, or elaborate settings, but rather arranging things you have in unexpected ways - decide what's pleasing to you, and get bold with color!