House shopping in Africa
-
A
Spinners Web
Works with workshops and self-help groups around the country. It's a bit like a handicrafts version of Ikea, with goods displayed the way they might look in Western living rooms, but there's some classy stuff on offer including carpets, wall hangings, ceramics, wooden bowls, baskets and clothing.
reviewed
-
B
Yahya
These fabulous filigree lamps take the play of light to the next level: flip the switch and beams of light wink and flirt all around the room. Pity those geometric chandeliers aren't more portable, but the lozenge-shaped wall sconces and egg-shaped table lanterns add instant intrigue to dark corners. Shipping can be arranged, but insurance from Morocco isn't yet available from most shipping services - better to buy a bag and carry it on.
reviewed
-
C
Mustapha Blaoui
The next best thing to taking your riad home would be to take home all those fabulous furnishings - and with Mustapha Blaoui's generous shipping policy and stock of everything from hand-embroidered coverlets to inlaid rolltop desks, that's actually possible. Some items are imported from India, so if you want to bring home a Marrakshi specialty, just ask the easygoing staff to point you toward the locally produced goods.
reviewed
-
D
Chay Abdelhadi
If you wish a genie would add some magic to your home décor - poof! - here's your dream pouf, in a range of shapes, colours and prices. The traditional round ones come embroidered, embossed and gilded, and the funky square ones are available outstitched, high-gloss and in rich natural shades. Prices vary by leather quality; the best is thick, durable and carefully tanned so the dye won't fade or rub off.
reviewed
-
E
Antiquité Nejjarine
Samir Bousfiha's shop bulges with antiques - large pieces of furniture, doors and even whole painted ceilings, as well as smaller items like wooden writing boards at around DH1000 for an original, or around DH600 for a copy. For more portable souvenirs, check out the wide range of silver jewellery: thick bangles, old fibulas (brooches) and necklaces. Old silver is Dh15 per gram.
reviewed
-
F
Ministero Del Gusto
You may have to elbow David Bowie and Iman out of the way to snap up that Moroccan Pop Art painting. Stop by to ogle the Gaudí-gone-Berber décor, and score custom-designed accessories such as hand-carved lemonwood cutlery plus vintage finds - including some killer vintage party dresses on the mezzanine. Call ahead, or you might find the place closed for a fashion mag photo shoot.
reviewed
-
G
Coin Berbere
A trio of shops can be found here at the junction of Talaa Kebira and Derb el-Horra, all owned by the Bouzidi-Idrissi family. The largest stocks seriously good antique ceramics, embroidery, doors and furniture. Across the street is a carpet shop with antique and new carpets made by various Berber tribes, and next door to that is good jewellery, mostly silver and coral.
reviewed
-
H
Au Petit Bazar Du Bon Acceuil
This treasure-house is worth a visit. It stocks old and modern jewellery including some seriously good Berber pieces such as fibulas and pendants, old carpets and traditional clothing, objets d'art, embroidery, ceramics, glassware and metalware. Upstairs are good pieces of wooden furniture. Women by themselves may not feel comfortable shopping here.
reviewed
-
I
Beit Sherif
Zaki Sherif is responsible for the décor of some of Cairo's trendiest bars. Here he recreates his Ottoman dreams, mixing old furniture and objets d'art with his own designs and artfully displaying the result on three floors of an attractive old house. The glass-and-brass light shades are lovely, as are the richly embroidered cushions.
reviewed
-
J
L'Orientaliste
The eternal European fascination with the other side of the Mediterranean is encouraged by this boutique, packed to overflowing with enough Arabesque accessories to equip your own harem: a Deco-decadent tea service, vintage lithographs, chip-carved ebony frames, and L'Orientaliste's signature fragrances in amber, jasmine and mimosa.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
K
Chez Boutbi Nadia
Nadia is one of the few women shopkeepers in the medina. Her small shop sells traditional Fassi ceramics at excellent prices (tiny tajines for salt and pepper around DH15; plates from around DH35) and it's the best place for that tajine so you can cook Moroccan-style at home (tajine for three servings Dh40, for six servings Dh50).
reviewed
-
L
Au Coin Du Bois
Worth visiting if only to see a beautiful example of a Fassi house, this shop stocks large pieces of furniture which they'll arrange to ship home for you. There are tables, doors and windows, cupboards and chairs - some antique and some not. An old carved door will set you back some around DH4500, a carved and painted box Dh1700.
reviewed
-
M
L'art Traditionnel
Pierced brass, sometimes with opaque or coloured Iraqi glass, is used for all the lanterns here: an ostrich-egg size costs around DH900, a small lantern around DH1400 and one with glass inserts around DH1200. There are also carved wooden chests, tables and old doors. The shop is contracted to Medina Express for easy shipping.
reviewed
-
N
Carpet Bazaar - Ben Zeglam Shop
This is one shop that stands out in terms of quality, price and range for Libyan (mostly Berber) items, such as pottery, Tuareg jewellery, knives and boxes, flat-weave kilim cushions and larger rugs. The owner, Ahmeda Zeglam, is a delight and epitomises the old-style civility that characterises so many Libyan shopkeepers.
reviewed
-
Clementina Ceramics & A.R.T. Gallery
There's a continuously changing display of one-off works by Clementina van der Walt and other artists here, as well as a full selection of Clementina's distinctive tableware, hand-painted in bright overglaze colours. Attached is the relaxed Café des Arts where you can take tea in a courtyard overlooking the bay.
reviewed
-
O
Galerie Nejarine
Ahmed specialises in reproductions of old ceramics, so while a 40-year-old bowl in his shop costs around DH650, the reproductions are around DH250. He also has small bowls, resin and bronze candleholders and two-seater rectangular pouffes. He's contracted to Medina Express so shipping things home is safe and easy.
reviewed
-
P
Artisant El Koutoubia
Mood lighting is a Moroccan specialty, and here you have it: turquoise tadelakt (polished plaster) table lamps to brighten end tables, wall sconces for dramatic entrances, and grand pierced-metal chandeliers to add dazzle to dining. Shipping is tricky, but Aziza will pack purchases for your flight home.
reviewed
-
Q
Mademoiselle Ibtissam's Original Design
With handcrafted table accessories this glamorous, you could order takeaway and still wow your guests: rocket ship-red tagine presentation dishes, linen tablecloths with playful pompoms, twin mini-tagines for salt and pepper, tasselled silk napkin holders and more. The fixed prices are already a bargain.
reviewed
-
R
Brassware Shop
There are several small metalwork shops in this area. Ali Benjelloun has some good Hand of Fatima doorknockers in the shape of a hand, as well as a flat stylised version. There's another shop (54 Talaa Kebira) that has shiny silver-plated teapots and orange flower water shakers and incense burners.
reviewed
-
S
Creation Chez Lamine
You can't take a hammam home with you, but you can give your bath a Marrakshi makeover with Chez Lamine's tasselled tadelakt toothbrush holders and hammered tin mirrors. Most tinware and tadelakt items are for decorative use; for kitchenware, ask which pieces are safe for food.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
T
Chez Azzedine
For small gifts, this place has all the trimmings. Passimenterie is the art of trim, including tassels, braiding and ingenious knotting, and here the Moroccan tradition is turned into snazzy silk necklaces, knotted key rings, and grand curtain ties finished with two-foot-long tassels.
reviewed
-
U
Maison Bleue
It's worth visiting this shop just to see the magnificent small house it's in, complete with balconies, painted ceilings and intricate plasterwork, occupied by the family who run the place. There's a veritable treasure trove of plates, dishes, bowls and more in the traditional designs of Fez.
reviewed
-
V
Tissage Berbere
Koko's shop is chock full of lamps, carpets, blankets and hendiras. His speciality is making pouffes to order out of the softest goatskin (non-smelly) with your choice of kilim inserts - old or new. He also has some ready-made, and at around DH350 for the large ones, they're a steal.
reviewed
-
W
Chez La Famille Berbère
Khalid and Zouhaïr pride themselves on their metalwork lamps; a wall sconce in wrought iron and copper is around DH60. They also have a wide range of ceramics, small pieces of wooden furniture (a collapsible carved cedarwood table inlaid with brass is around DH600), and decorated tea glasses.
reviewed
-
Bab El-Khemis Market
Wonder where riads get all those old wooden doors, funky 1960s lawn chairs and Art Deco stained-glass windows? Follow the stampede of riad owners early Thursday morning to outside Bab el-Khemis (Thursday Gate), where a weekly market surfaces architectural salvage and other finds.
reviewed