Eccentric and cosmopolitan: Yves Saint Laurent’s Tangier home turned hotel
Decorative Spanish lebrillos hang in this sumptuous Yves Saint Laurent home-turned-hotel
Why did Yves Saint Laurent fall in love with Morocco?
Perhaps it’s not the exotic that he found but the familiar. Born and raised on the other side of the border, in Algeria, he was accustomed to the African sun, the lively birdsong, the snow-peaked Atlas high above. More than a journey of discovery, that first trip to Morocco in 1966 was perhaps, remembering.
After living in Marrakech for several years, he eventually purchased a home in Tangier where he would spend the hotter summer months. While Villa Mabrouka, or The House of Luck, is undoubtedly Moroccan in its décor, it reflects the cosmpolitan influences of its former owner.
As recounted in the Secret Paradises of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé, “the theme was an eccentric 1950s Englishman who had come to live in Tangier.”
“Yves wanted chintz and one color per room: a blue room, a yellow, and so on. It was like decorating a house for characters out of a play by Tennessee Williams.”
This eclectic mix of influences are at play in the spacious sitting room above where English references and Mediterranean heritage, mostly Moroccan and Spain, meld.
Our Rama Traditional Spanish Lebrillo comes in green and in blue. Our devoted artisans make and paint each piece by hand.
In keeping with traditional Fajalauza motifs, our lebrillos feature the flora of the Andalusian landscape and geometric motifs descended from the Nasrid era.
The Rama lebrillo features a large pomegranate flower in the center. Curving branches bearing smaller blooms form a wreath covering the entire base of the vessel. An undulating pattern covers the walls of the bowl from base to rim.
Once a venerable household washing basin, this flat-bottomed bowl now serves a decorative purpose in many homes and gardens. Intricate in its design and unique in shape, the lebrillo is often displayed along with another flat-bottomed vessel, the fuente semillana.
Loving the Rama design? Mix and match with Ramita.
Lebrillo Wall Mounts for hanging available here.
Production Lead Time: Kindly note, while we do hold some stock, many of our items are made to order. If out of stock, the production lead time is 4-6 weeks. For updates on current availability, please contact hello@casapletorica.com.
The wicker chairs — practical in a hot climate — are decked out in William Morris’ seaweed print. Underfoot, rush mats delineate the sitting area. Perhaps most interesting to our eye is the large Spanish lebrillo wall display spread throughout the room. Mostly done in the Rama and Gavilla styles, these large green decorative bowls capture the visitor’s attention immediately.
Through the multifoil arched doorway, we spy a black and white checkered hallway.
Moorish tile on both sides of the border
One of the quintessential Hispano-Arab elements that has defined Moroccan and Spanish architecture is terracotta tile. Brought over from West Asia, tiling was first used to decorate religious buildings like the famed Kutubiya Mosque in Marrakech and royal residences as in the Alhambra.
Here, classic black and white checkerboard tile lay in sharp contrast to the green paneling on the walls. Filled with lush palms, the hallway feels like a quick stroll through a tiny jungle.
Ubiquitous in southern Spain and throughout the Maghreb, glazed ceramic tile comes in both minimalist monochrome and complex polychromatic designs. Used in flooring, wainscot, baseboard, window seats or stairs, ceramic tiles temper the hot temperatures in these parts.
Besides, colorful tile immediately feels elegant. Take this bathroom in the the newly renovated Villa Mabrouka.
Panels of small 7cm tiles in black, green and yellow cover the wall and exterior of the marble-rimmed tub. Though the basic element is a simple terracotta block, color and composition deliver great visual interest in an otherwise sparsely decorated space.
Endlessly versatile, the ceramic square tile is at home in a classic checkerboard pattern or mixed into a gingham style. It an elegant show in a window pane motif and a cheeky detail in any assymetrical grid.
For more inspiration, check the article on tiles here.
Our solid green hand-painted ceramic tile is suited for interior and exterior decorations. Handmade in Spain, these tiles feature intricate patterns reminiscent of traditional Hispano-Arab designs.
Perfect for kitchen backsplash, kitchen floors, bathroom walls, patio floors, stairs and fireplaces.
Minimum order: Square meter or Lineal meter
20 × 20 cm: 25 pieces
15 × 15 cm: 45 pieces
10 × 10 cm: 100 pieces
7 × 7 cm: 14 pieces (1 lineal meter)
5 × 5 cm: 20 pieces (1 lineal meter)
Colors available: We offer about 18 different colors including our traditional blue, green, purple, and yellow. To order a different color other than the one listed, please get in touch.
Production Lead Time: Kindly note, while we do hold some stock, many of our items are made to order. If out of stock, the production lead time is 4-6 weeks. For updates on current availability, please contact hello@casapletorica.com.
Our solid orange hand-painted ceramic tile is suited for interior and exterior decorations. Handmade in Spain, these tiles feature intricate patterns reminiscent of traditional Hispano-Arab designs.
Perfect for kitchen backsplash, kitchen floors, bathroom walls, patio floors, stairs and fireplaces.
Minimum order: Square meter or Lineal meter
20 × 20 cm: 25 pieces
15 × 15 cm: 45 pieces
10 × 10 cm: 100 pieces
7 × 7 cm: 14 pieces (1 lineal meter)
5 × 5 cm: 20 pieces (1 lineal meter)
Colors available: We offer about 18 different colors including our traditional blue, green, purple, and yellow. To order a different color other than the one listed, please get in touch.
Production Lead Time: Kindly note, while we do hold some stock, many of our items are made to order. If out of stock, the production lead time is 4-6 weeks. For updates on current availability, please contact hello@casapletorica.com.
See our traditional Spanish tiles for more. For more lebrillo designs, custom size or color, please get in touch.
