Name: Olivier Van Reeth
Occupation: M.D. specializing in Sleeping Disorders
Location: Marrakech, Morocco
Size: 3000 sq.ft.
Years lived in: 8, owned. This is his holiday home, he usually spends his time between Brussels and Rome
When Oliver visited Marrakech 8 years ago, he instantly fell in love with the city and its people. Back then, Morocco was unexplored by the masses and buying property as a foreigner almost unheard of. But when Oliver bumped into a long-lost friend in Marrakech, (who owned an estate agency) it seemed like fate!
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He viewed several Riads for sale, none of them were in a good state and beyond repair at first glance, but his adventurous spirit and love for the country inspired the unlikely purchase. It took 2 years of blood sweat and tears, but once you manage to find this Riad hidden in the maze of tiny alleys, you realize — it was worth every drop! He successfully created calm amongst the madness of the Medina. He wisely kept the original features and worked around the traditional layout, as a result the house is the perfect haven, the courtyard and splash pool brings escape from the blistering heat and the roof terrace the perfect setting for breath-taking sunrises and sunsets. The traditional key-hole doors beautiful frames the uncluttered walls and adds a sense of mystery to every room. For the last 6 years , this have been Oliver's home away from home, but recently he decided to turn his hard work into a B&B while he explores the rest of the magical country.
AT Survey:
My/Our Style: Free mind, Non-Classical
Inspiration: The local markets
Favorite Element: The location
Biggest Challenge: The house was very run-down when I bought it
What Friends Say: Lively, Creative
Biggest Embarrassment: None
Proudest DIY: Everything is a DIY project in Morocco
Biggest Indulgence: Having a home in Marrakech
Favorite Sources: Local markets
Resources:
Everything in the house was bought in the local markets in the Medina.
Den/Living room:I worked with the indirect lighting & made it colorful and cosy. Everything are from the local markets.
Bedroom:I aimed to keep the sober light large space, enhanced the space with local artwork and furniture
Kitchen and dining/sitting room:A big traditional kitchen, "beldi" style. Everything I found in the markets
Thanks, Oliver!
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I think this is put up simply to make us all jealous. Well done! I wish I had a holiday home, and one as beautiful as this!
A link to his rental site would be useful. What a place to rest.
What an inspiration... I can name most of your plants, and the purple/olive/red thing is similar to what I've got going at my place. We must be on the same latitude. Except... my place is not nearly this cool!
the link for the guesthouse: http://www.darassoura.com
i love marrakesh so much, and this house is so wonderful. Amazing job!
Beautiful and simple at the same time. However, I kept thinking, "How would you keep a place like this clean?!"
This is my dream house!
*sigh*
Wow. My heart just melted.
When I was young, I decided my dream home would have a courtyard and small pool. Seeing this has made me ten times more motivated to make it happen. And I haven't even looked at the whole tour yet.
Yes, hi, I'd like to move in.
@soco: Squadrons of young girls scrubbing daily.
i love the use of plants in the courtyard. sigh.
Yeah, if only we had armies of slaves to keep such houses clean, comfortable and well-fed in medieval kitchens.
Damn women's lib...
I hate you. Not really good for you just jealous. I love this area and many of the homes are just beautiful. This is why I wish to live in Mexico in the near future for color, breezy open space..this place looks so much like my rental in San Miguel de Allende.
I spent 10 days in Morocco in 2006 and loved it. Very "European" and yet with all the things that make northern Africa so unique. This place is my dream home!
it's a lovely house, characteristic of the magreb fortress-in a-medina architecture. i had tajines in a restaurant very similar to this house.
but what a sweeping statement to say Morocco was "unexplored by the masses" 8 years ago?
i stayed at this riad a few years back. the owners are french and extremely nice...and the riad is gorgeous!!
http://www.riadorangeraie.com
i just told my bf about this place for our vacation wishlist.
exquisite taste--sigh
Oh, AT. Did you have to show us THIS while half of us are knee-deep in snow? Couldn't you at least have waited for a heat wave so we could say, sour grapes, that it looks awfully hot there?
Seriously -- that is one gorgeous house!
What a beautiful home! Simply stunning. I love the simplicity of it.
Kris
Actually, though this is nice, it is exactly the way all the riad B&B's are decorated there. I just got back from a 10 day trip in November and I stayed at three different riad's that all look this exact way. Nice enough, but very common for Marakech.
I do highly recommend a trip there as it is absolutely amazing all over Morocco!
Marvelously beautiful.
I.
As marvelously beautiful as this place is, I'm a little disappointed to find a 3,000 sq. ft. holiday home on AT. This looks like an Architectural Digest article.
I agree! It does look like it belongs in Arch Digest!
Is this for real?
I am in the wrong line of work.
effing gorgeous.
Sissy, Medical school? Most doctors in Europe are just government employees.
The downside of such amazing vacation homes (and this one is gorgeous) is that they so often end up ruining their own appeal. Wealthy Europeans and Americans have been buying up anything with a drop of charm in my city. The problem is not the usual effects of gentrification, but rather the creation of ghost towns. Whole neighborhoods become desolate much of the year. The appeal of sidewalk life, small neighborhood shops, artisan shops downstairs (things that American suburbia has obliterated) dissappear. The remaining year rounders, are left with empty schools, grocers out of business, and responsibility for fixing their neighbors' burst pipes and burgleries.
Nani, Live and let live.
You think that Africans don't get around and mess with European/Western lifestyles???? A little less jealousy and a little more thanks for knowing that this very beautiful building has been 'saved' for at least the next couple of generations is in order.
Owner: A thoroughly beautiful and stylish home. May it be enjoyed by many.
This is effing gourgeous! I want a home like this when I grow up.