it seems there is a gentle shift in the interiors world away from the sleek pastel hues of purist nordic design towards a more relaxed, rough around the edges fusion of boho styling with a scandinavian simplicity at heart.
beni ourain rugs have certainly seen a surge of popularity over the past few years and fit perfectly with this desire for a softer, more tactile aesthetic. i’ve been lusting after one for ages now, having seen them piled high and wide in the casbahs during my trips to tangier, casablanca and rabat in recent years, but having travelled with a just cabin luggage allowance each time, i wasn’t able to bring one home with me (nor was i confident enough to enter in the pre-requisite haggling in the market place!)
while it seems almost every high street store back home is churning out their own version of the trend, i’ve struggled to find one that was just right and stood up to the quality and design of those i’d spotted on my moroccan adventures. until, that is, ethical rug company sukhi popped up on my radar.
H A P P I N E S S
sukhi, which means “happy” in nepali, is a social enterprise that partners directly with artisans in nepal, turkey, india, and morocco. their signature beni ourain rugs are handcrafted by nomadic berber tribes deep in morocco’s rugged atlas mountains, using a specific breed of sheep renowned for its rich, high quality wool. the thick and warm wool creates the deep shaggy pile rug that’s characteristic of the beni ourain style, adorned with signature dark brown lines in geometric shapes that tell stories from each weaver’s life or reference natural events, from birth and fertility to rural life.
given the skill and craftsmanship that goes into every beni ourain rug, its great to hear that sukhi pay their craftspeople earn 2-3 times the average wage in their region, and also allow them the flexibility to work from home and spend better quality time with their families.
B O H O
i’ve been trying to add some of the bohemian spirit to my own home since i fell for the style during my recent stay at casa cook, and my new malika rug – made by artisan meghighda – has been the perfect place to start!
i love the fact that the rug operates both as statement design piece and neutral accent in my room, with the soft cream woollen texture adding warmth and patina to the décor, while the intriguing tribal symbols offer playful nod towards more exotic climes, stirring up memories of literary pilgrimages and moroccan mint tea sipped from glass beakers, gazing out across the strait of gibraltar…
and that’s what this embracing of a laid-back modern bohemian style means for me; curating an interior that reflects the adventures of my life.
my new sukhi rug now has pride of place next to my bed, so my toes can fully appreciate the soft indulgent sensation of being run through the wool each morning as i stretch myself out to wake – pure bliss i can tell you!
if moroccan rugs aren’t your cup of tea, then sukhi also have a beautiful selection of nepalese felt ball, turkish patchwork and indian felted woollen yarn rugs that share the same high degree of tradition and craftsmanship. so friends, have any rugs from the sukhi website caught your eye yet?
[icon name=”handshake-o” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] my sukhi beni ourain rug was kindly gifted to me for purpose of this review, but all thoughts and bedroom photography are my own. all morocco photography © sukhi.
8 Responses
The12 rugs are beautiful, as is your bedroom. I love the wall colour! :)
(I have no idea where the 12 came from – haha! )
This is the perfect spot for that rug. Your lucky, lucky toes!
Beautiful styling, I’ve got mine by my bed too and it is SO nice to put the feet on in the morning, bliss! X
It looks beautiful. In fact, your whole bedroom looks amazing. I have never ending internal debate going on about carpet or wooden floors in the bedroom and rugs like this have me edging toward wood because then I could layer them across the floor and still step on to something lovely and warm in the morning.
I love the rug. I’m totally embracing the boho/patchwork styles at the moment. Great post X
I love the stile. I have a small carpet next to my bed and every morning i am happy that i don’t stand directly on the cold wood.! Your carpet is really beautiful but mine is more oriental. Nearly like this one :
Kate, thank you for the post and the love! We will soon publish a video on Sukhi website here http://www.sukhirugs.com/ to showcase the impact these wool rugs have on the lives of our artisans in Morocco. Check the Morocco page soon :)