Marrakesh Express The style of Morocco, always exotic and suddenly trendy, has captured the imagination of interior designers. By Roger Grody A mericans have long been seduced by the exotic al-lure of Morocco, and they are increasingly eager to replicate the romance of places like Casablanca and Marrakesh in their own living rooms. Interior designers are graciously ac-commodating demand, incorporating Moroccan furniture, lanterns and objets d’art into their clients’ residences. “Moroccan design appeals to the exotic vision that Europeans and mosaik showroom Americans have of North Africa, and Morocco in particular,” says Fatiha Daoudi, co-others are far more subtle. owner of Mosaik, an upscale Moroccan home At Los Angeles’ Badia Design, one of the furnishings showroom in Los Angeles with a largest importers of Moroccan furnishings in celebrity clientele. Her husband, Yahya Daoudi, the nation, customers are confronted with an reports the country’s strong tradition of arti-extraordinary bazaar of Moroccan merchan-sanal craftsmanship is another draw, noting dise spread over 30,000 square feet. Room that even minor imperfections create the char-after room are filled with authentic Moroccan acter no mass-produced items possess. furniture, rugs and a dazzling array of lanterns, Chris Barrett, a Southern California inte-some approaching the size of small European rior designer who has authored a number of automobiles. An entire room is dedicated to dramatic North African-themed interiors, says authentic Fez tiles and hand-carved wood of Moroccan décor, “It’s fun, it’s romantic, it’s molding, another is packed with tagines, the exotic,” but insists it’s also versatile and acces-cone-shaped earthenware pots used to cook sible. “With Moroccan design and decoration so Morocco’s signature stews. prevalent now, everyone has the opportunity Badia co-owner Mohamed Tazi, whose to ‘visit’ Morocco without leaving their homes,” family has been exporting furnishings from she says. Some of Barrett’s rooms feature a fully Marrakesh for six generations, believes South-saturated palette and multiple patterns, while ern Californians are particularly receptive to 54 berkshirehathawayhs.com