Beni Ouarain
Sat, 20 Aug 2011 12 Comments 
Once upon a time there was a woman, let's call her Jo, who fell in love with a carpet. A big, hairy brute of a rug. It was a love that dare not speak its name because the rug was way out of her reach. So she sat and she daydreamed and she saved her pennies and she daydreamed. Then her path crossed that of Cassie Karinsky. The fates smiled. Cassie wove her magical Moroccan (via Sydney) spell and the beni ourain was hers at last.
You'll remember Cassie from my post about her interiors and styling business in Morocco, Muskelil. You would have seen her name again on DTI when I went to Sydney recently. She's the manager of Linda Gregoriou's aladdin's cave of a shop Pure and General. Like a temptress on the rocks she lured me in with tales of rugs so soft and thick, lush and heavy that I couldn't resist. And when I set eyes on the brute I was smitten utterly and irrevocably. Cassie is soon to start a new business here in Australia and you'll see it on DTI when she does but if all things Moroccan send your heart aflutter then she is definitely your woman. She'll work with her contacts over there and find your dream piece. You can email her here.
OK down to the facts. The new love of my life is 400cm by 210cm. Weighs 30kg. Matches Mickey's fur perfectly and is so thick that it feels like walking on a mattress. It covers a large swath of my living room floor hiding the ugly "terracotta" tiles and brightens the room right up. I promise that the furniture won't sit around the edges like that houndstooth chair appears to be now. I needed a big unobstructed picture of my new love. No shots of the room yet because half the furniture isn't here, the walls aren't painted yet and well it just looks shocking ;) Painter starts prepping the walls this week after the plasterer finishes just a few more spots. I can't believe that it was the beginning of June when I announced to the world that the painting was about to begin ... and now it finally is at the end of August. One thing this new old house has taught me is patience. You might remember that I am painting the living room in a dark brown Murabond paint. The beni ourain will lighten the room and be rich enough to balance the wall colour.
And now for a gratuitous gif of Mickey and the brute. Just because I'm so obsessed with both!
Reader Comments (12)
WOW, completely stunning! I love the full lusciousness of it!
And gorgeous colours, it does match your pup!
xx
callie
Beautiful! And the rug looks very happy there, being adored by you.
No doubt if it could write, it would write an equally lovey-dovey note about you. :)
Best wishes with the painting, A
p.s. I enjoy how Mickey can raise one eyebrow. Fantastic.
OMG that rug is TO DIE FOR. I'm so glad you managed to get one. I can live vicariously through you as I will never EVER be able to own one with cats (who insist on aiming for carpets when they barf). Mickey seems to approve. SMART POOCH. :-)
Beautiful rug. Beautiful dog.
Wow. Wow.Wow. Love it, Jo. If it feels as good as it looks, you must be overjoyed!. xx
Some brutes at the door turn out to be romantic heroes and it would be wrong to resist. Seems very right and proper you should have a longed-for rug. It's gorgeous too. 'Specially with dark walls.
I shall name him Brutus and will be sending the wedding invites out soon. Can a woman marry a rug? Have to divorce my husband first before we two can be one. Time to stoke the fire. I have a rug to go lie on ;)
Love the rug... love Mickey... and love that houndstooth chair!
Dearest Jo, Just Devine...you and Brutus are a match made in heaven... I just LOVE it, I mean, him. ( Met the other half of the wonderful Ipswich Es Traders on the weekend. Such a lovely, lovely chap, thanks so much you are the best!! ) xx Katherine
I think you & Brutus will be very happy together!
Melanie it's one piece of a Grant Featherston Numero V11 set. You can see more of it here in my old office. Very 70s retro. I think I will be using it as single chairs not a modular.
Katherine you have to come up and roll around on Brutus. OOOOOOOH my god!
Hey Camilla!
Lovely lovely rug, and I am so glad there is one more fan of these gorgeous carpets in the world!
Joanna