FEATURE: the making of a Moroccan dream

730 565 Hamish Kilburn
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FEATURE: the making of a Moroccan dream

Hotel Designs explores how design firm KAI Interiors converted an authentic Moroccan building into a timeless hotel… 

The Dar Jasmine Boutique Hotel began as a dream in owner Yasmina Markouch’s mind when she began digging to make way for the building that now stands proudly in Chefchaouen, Morocco.

After hunting for the ideal designer, she finally found KAI Interiors and we came on board to bring her dream into reality.

Kai Interiors wanted to create an authentic, welcoming boutique hotel, led by traditional techniques, taking inspiration from Moroccan style and utilising local craftspeople to produce the majority of items and finishes. It needed to be authentic, but to have a contemporary twist, so it stands apart from the other hotels in the area.

The build and fit-out itself took four years to complete. A vast amount of the elements are bespoke and handcrafted. The design is a perfect combination of Moroccan culture and traditional techniques, with a modern European edge. It is colourful and rich, yet calming and inviting. It feels elegant and luxurious, yet still feels rustic and sympathetic to the local area and surroundings. The aesthetic of the hotel sets the tone, but it was imperative that everything was practical too.

Rich green planting and Jasmine flowers feature throughout the site, enhancing the natural light and the stunning view. We aimed to incorporate the view into the interior, and integrating the inside with natural surroundings was essential. One of the special elements about this hotel is the natural setting, featuring a wonderful roof terrace space perfect for yoga sessions and enjoying the view. One side overlooks the mountains, whilst the other looks down on the Chefchaouen city below, which is sprinkled with many variations of blue painted homes. The exterior of the hotel is painted in a very pale blue, in keeping with the theme of the city. Huge windows in the restaurant allow guests to view the city below and form a smooth transition into the natural setting outside.

The restaurant and bar space is an impactful statement with dark blue tadelakt walls, contrasted with the bright exotic fabric. The lighting is a mix of hand-carved pineapple wall lights and perforated bronze pendants, designed to create delicate shadows against the walls in the evenings. Internal furniture and joinery were made by one joiner, which brought a cohesive character to the space. A stand out piece is the bar frontage, which features hand carved palm leaves.

Image credit: KAI Interiors/The Dar Jasmine Hotel

Image credit: KAI Interiors/The Dar Jasmine Hotel

The communal spaces were designed to feel like a relaxing, home environment where guests feel comfortable to roam the grounds. It was requested that guests have the opportunity to enjoy peaceful moments within the space, so small nooks and hideaways were created throughout.

The hotel rooms are all inspired by different areas of the world; this is a hotel designed both to accommodate, but also inspire, travel. All of the tiles used within the hotel were hand cut and glazed to bespoke colours, then set into bespoke patterns and shapes. Striking elements of the hotel are the marble parquet flooring, which makes a strong statement on arrival, and the many Moroccan tiles which are celebrated from room to room. Vases and pots with hand painted patterns were made by local tribes in the mountains and brought down to the city, then positioned within the hotel.

KAI Interiors is one of the brands that has taken advantage of our Industry Support Package. To keep up to date with supplier news, click here. 

Main image credit: KAI Interiors/The Dar Jasmine Hotel

Hamish Kilburn / 14.07.2020

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