Architecture and Design Library: Moroccan Style (Architecture & Design Library)

Steeped in traditional Islamic culture, Morocco is nonetheless a very modern country, and its homes reflect this dichotomy. One home sports a modern brass door flanked by two traditional lanterns. In another, a clean-lined wrought iron and glass dining set is placed in the middle of a palatial outdoor courtyard surrounded by carved white columns. Windows are most often covered with wooden or iron openwork grilles both to block out the bright sun and to add natural ornamentation from the resulting shadows.

The number of intricate patterns used in one room can be overwhelming to the Western eye, but when an elaborately tiled floor is tempered by a dusty saffron wall, the result is both elegance and austerity. A book for those who yearn for a month in Tangiers, Moroccan Style offers a tantalizing glimpse into the distinctive artistry of one of the world's oldest cultures. --Dana Van Nest