Marrakech & Peacock Pavilions: a tale of retreats & life expansion

When architect husband Chris and I set out to build Peacock Pavilions in Marrakech, we knew that we wanted it to be a special place.  Yes, we wanted it to be a stylish guesthouse where people could rest and recharge their batteries while nestled into a quiet olive grove.  And, yes, we wanted it to be the perfect springboard for jaunts to the souks and visits to the historic sights of Marrakech.

But we wanted more than that.  We  wanted Peacock Pavilions to be a place where individuals could tap into their own creativity and learn new skills -- a spot where people could actually expand their lives by not only seeing beauty on the outside but by creating beauty on the inside.

And so it was that we hoped that Peacock Pavilions might attract people with talent  -- like artists, photographers, poets, writers, potters, filmmakers, jewelers, and other creative spirits -- who would share their artistic vision and expertise with others.  And in this way, Peacock Pavilions would become a place of learning , forever embedded in the memory and history of real people.  People like you and me.  

We have been lucky enough to have had 3 different sets of peacock painters at Peacock Pavilions who came for retreats organized by the uber-talented Melanie of Royal Design Studio.  (These were such special experiences for me that I get downright teary thinking about them.)

And I am ever so excited to share that lovely Holly Becker from Decor8 fame is hosting a decorating/blogging retreat at Peacock Pavilions from October 16 to 23.  You can read all about it right here at Angela Ritchie's Ace Camps site.  I had so much fun making suggestions for special things to do  in Marrakech, in addition to all the amazing-ness that Holly will offer. (Holly's was the first blog I ever read and so it's all very meaningful to me.)

The Decor8 retreat is sure to be an *incredible* time.  If you would like to be a part of it.........HURRY.  There are only 3 slots left!  I would be so happy to see you here:-)

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PS Perhaps you (yes YOU or perhaps someone you know) might like to host a retreat in Marrakech at Peacock Pavilions?  Are you an artist/photographer/writer/designer?  Do you love to travel?  Would you like to share your talent?  Might exotic Morocco be on your list?  Hosting a retreat would pay for your trip and more!  I would love to work with you!  Drop me a line moroccanmaryam{at}yahoo {dot} com.  Don't just think about it -- make it happen:-)

Marrakech design inspiration: a tale of a rose-filled Moroccan dinner party

In the prettiest of all pretty houses in Marrakech, there was a dinner.

 
Imagine a fountain filled with Moroccan roses.......

 
Could it be any lovelier? 

 
    There were roses quite literally everywhere.

    Like here.

 
   And blooming plants in vintage Moroccan repousse pails........

 
 Girls in beautiful dresses sat on tufted velvet cushions....

 
at a table that was like pure magic.......

The hostess, a personal chef, prepared delicacies in the kitchen. 

Her beauty in a lace dress was dangerous - a bit like looking at the sun.

 
The dark evening.  Everything so delicious.

  
 
 No detail forgotten.

And at the end of the evening, far past midnight, a tiny boy came to say goodnight.  His father, a British photographer, looked on amused. 

 
 And by the light of a  Moroccan lantern...

 
in a courtyard with a rose-filled fountain, all crimson .........

 
 we bade farewell to the loveliest of all lovely evenings in Marrakech............

Marrakech: a tale of Moroccan interior design, bathroom-style, at Peacock Pavilions

Feeling blue?  Me too.  But maybe not in the way you'd expect:-)

Take a peek at the bathroom of the Room of the  Moorish Muse at Peacock Pavilions.  Ahem, continuing with the exuberantly Moroccan tiled theme........Because really, life is meant to be exuberant, no?

 
 Moroccan bamboo cement tiles by Popham Design, made with love in Marrakech by cool LA expat couple, Caitlin & Samuel Dowe-Sandes. 

PS More and more on Twitter these days.  Follow my exploits and odd musings by clicking here and clicking follow.

Marrakech: and an interior design tale of a Moroccan tent at Peacock Pavilions guest house

Anyone who knows me knows that I love hand embroidery. I've been collecting pieces for more than 20 years, and my passion for embroidery shows no sign of waning.  It's an obsessional kind of thing.

Morocco has an incredible embroidery tradition, and I was crazy about the idea of having a Moroccan dining/party tent at Peacock Pavilions inspired by old embroideries of the mysterious Moroccan city of Fes.  The original pieces of these Fes embroideries are, sadly, more than my wallet can bear.  But no matter.  I chose the color scheme and then I sent uber-talented designer Melanie Royals of Royal Design Studio some inspiration.  She whipped up several designs for me to choose from.  The one I selected is so lovely it makes me want to weep.

Here's a little glimpse.

I designed the Moroccan tent with architect husband Chris -- it took weeks to make!  Then Melanie designed a series of stencils that fit together like a gigantic puzzle.  Using the stencils, the designs would be painted on the interior of the tent.  The tent is double layered so that the painting is protected.

Here's a stencil:

And another stencil taped to the window of the tent.

 
I loved every single Peacock Painter whom Melanie brought on her trip to paint my Moroccan tent.  I am so grateful to Melanie and each of the painters (Nancy, Angela, Maggie, Lisa, Lulu).  These are women with beautiful souls and beautiful hands.  They will forever be a part of Peacock Pavilions.  *I will never forget them.*

Hard at work stenciling.....

 
Here's adorable Maggie.  And you can see part of the tent! 

 
I happened to have a velvet evening dress (Diane Von Furstenberg) that matched the tent (purely coincidental! incredible, no?).  I hung it in the corner of the tent for inspiration:-)

 
I think I may now be the owner of the prettiest tent in the world.... What do you think?

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PS There is a mention of Peacock Pavilions and this little blog in New York Magazine today!  Here and here. Thank you sweet writer Joshua Stein!

PPS And merci to all of you who ordered sultry slippers in my flash sale!  I will have a different flash sale next week.  So stay tuned!