Exploring the Souks of Marrakesh

Ceramic Plates at a SoukJanet Ramin - Combine a light fever, sensory overload, and the feeling of Alice descending into a deep rabbit hole, and you may begin to understand what it’s like to step into the souks of Marrakesh. The rainbow of colors attracts you; the mysterious food scents entice you; the persistent calls of the vendors tempt you; and the allure of the unknown pulls you in. What could possibly be inside these traditional market places?

Medina of MarrakeshIn Marrakesh, a city deep in the deserts of Morocco, the main commercial hub dating back to ancient times was found in the souks - markets massed together in a warren of twisting, narrow alleyways filled with shops selling food, clothing, household items, and the stuff of life. The Marrakesh souks begin off their main square, the Djemaa al Fna, or the Meeting Place of the Dead. In the old days, executions were held in this public square, serving as both entertainment as well as a warning. 

I knew that the souks were numerous and confusing so I consulted many maps of Marrakesh and all I found were illustrations of spaghetti-style streets – most without names. Obviously this called for a leap of faith - or a deranged brain - so I just plunged right in. After the blazing desert sun, the canopy-covered souks felt like a cool embracing cave. Immediately I was assaulted with the scents of olives, dates, and spices. I wandered aimlessly from stall to stall, deeper and deeper into the alleyways, called derbs.

Babouches at a SoukI started to notice a pattern – each stall displayed usually only one type of product but in infinite varieties ... and these stalls tended to stick together. One alley was lined with mostly souks selling the Moroccan babouches – or leather slippers. Another side was lined with clothing, selling the traditional djellabas or flowing robes. 

Tagines at a SoukMy personal interest, of course, was interior design so I headed for the souks with household furnishings. Plenty of souks were lined with ceramic plates and cookware. A typical Moroccan dish is lamb stew and they’re usually cooked in a tagine, a ceramic cooking vessel in the shape of a cone placed over a deep, round dish. The designs for the tagines and serving platters were quite spectacular; some had elaborate metal work superimposed on the sides, such as the hamsa or hand of Fatima – see photo above. Moroccans also love to serve tea, so there were plenty of stalls selling silver teapots and the small jewel-toned tea glasses.

I was also determined to find a Moroccan lamp.

Click to read more ...

Traveling to Great Bookstores for Interior Design Titles

Janet Ramin - For many students, it’s back to school time. In keeping with the school rush, we’re tripping off to explore some great bookstores. A true interior designer always has an arsenal of inspirational design books at his or her fingertips - but where does one go to find good design books? An automatic answer, of course, is Amazon. But if you don’t really know what you’re looking for or if you don’t have a title or author, any book website could turn difficult to use. You may actually want to browse through some bookshelves for some guiding lights. 

Here are some of my favorite bookstores to browse around on a lazy afternoon. In New York, we have Strand Books, Potterton Books, and McNally Jackson. Opened in 1927, the Strand (see photo below) is the oldest remaining independent bookseller in NYC. The Strand boasts 18 miles of books and is a favorite among booklovers. Potterton Books is located in the famous design showroom center - the D&D Building - and concentrates exclusively on books for the interior design industry. They also have a branch in the Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles. 

Up in Boston, Ars Libri in the South End offers the largest stock in rare and out-of-print art books as well as books on architecture and the decorative arts. In Washington, DC, Kramer Books rule. In Philadelphia, the AIA (American Institute of Architects) Bookstore has a wide selection on architecture, interiors, landscaping, and furniture design. Down South, there are several branches of Books and Books in south Florida. 

In the Midwest, the Chicago Architecture Foundation not only has a bookstore but they also offer tours of the city, exhibits, and gallery talks. 

If you're on the west coast, meander through Powell’s Books in Portland, Oregon, William Stout Architectural Books in San Francisco, and Builders Booksource in Berkeley, California. The last two deal exclusively in the design fields. In Los Angeles, there are two design & architecture bookstores: Hennessey + Ingalls and Arcana, both in sunny Santa Monica. 

Besides book dealers, there are also publishers with their own brick-and-mortar bookstores. Assouline Publishers (see top photo) have a wide variety of art and design books, and they have stores in the Crystals, Las Vegas; Costa Mesa in southern California; New York; London; and Paris. Taschen Publishing also has retail stores in Miami, Los Angeles, New York, and several in Europe. Rizzoli Publications (see photo below) produces many art, fashion, and design books, and they have a store in Manhattan. 

These are just a sample of the bookstores well-stocked in art and design titles. If you have any recommendations from your hometown, feel free to share your suggestions with our readers below!

Posted with permission of the Sheffield School, New York, NY. Sheffield began as an Interior Design school in 1985, and then expanded our course offerings to train people in other design-related fields, including Feng Shui, Wedding and Event Planning, and Jewelry Design. With thousands of active students and more than 50,000 graduates, Sheffield has trained more design professionals than any school in the world.

• Request a free Sheffield School catalog describing our distance education courses.
• Subscribe to the Sheffield Designer newsletter.