A Well-Designed Day in Fes, Morocco
Textile designer, sourcing consultant and founder of Artisan Project, Nina M. Alami lives in a patterned, colorful riad in the Old Medina of Fes with her husband, Mohamed and their kids. The mother of four, she’s also an “artist producing textiles with a community of cooperatives, and a lineage of craftsman; simultaneously sourcing, consulting, and overseeing production in Fes, the Middle Atlas and the Rif regions of Morocco.”
Nina has lived in Morocco for five years. Below, she shares her idea of a great day in her neighborhood.
A beautiful morning view from the doors of our bedroom. One of my favorite things about living in a riad (a traditional home with a courtyard garden) is the fact that the garden is in the center of the house.
Off to school! My three daughters walk ahead of me down our street to one of the main gates in the medina. Their school is in the New City or Ville Nouvelle which is about a 15-minute drive from our house. The medina of Fes is the largest pedestrian area in the world so you need to walk to one of the main gates in order to get to any motorized transport.
I feel fortunate that my studio is conveniently located only a few minutes away from my house. Here my lovely assistant @brahimezzayer is busy at work. Love the light in this centuries old traditional Dar!
You can truly lose yourself walking around the medina which consists of over 9,000 alleys and streets and has over 100 mosques.
There is so much inspiration everywhere you turn. Though I’ve lived here now for over five years I’m still discovering this medieval mecca!
The flicker of sunlight and the smiling face of a friend greet me as I walk into the beautiful entrance of Le Jardin des Biehn.
My favorite spot to lunch or have tea with a visiting client or friend is at the Fez Cafe located inside the magical gardens of Le Jardin des Biehn.
I often frequent the open market in Ain Izlayten for creative inspiration and treasure hunting.
On my way out of the medina, I walk through the gardens of Riad Tazi, which once belonged to one of the Pashas of Fes—can’t get over those intricately painted doors!
Before picking up the girls, I make at stop at the house of my in-laws located in the Ville Nouvelle. Typical of many modern homes in the New City, the main salon or sitting room, is often a tribute to tradition and quite formal.
See more of Nina’s patterned, colorful Moroccan home in her house tour.
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Our “well-designed day” neighborhood guides are a visual tour of what a great day looks like from the perspective of a local.
You’ve loved the peeks inside gorgeous homes from around the world, so we thought we’d ask house tour stars to share their other homes—the neighborhoods and cities they live in. These are the stylish, colorful, bold and fun spaces that these locals would visit if they were designing a great day of stopping at favorite spots (or lounging around at home!). You can follow on our Instagram as we post images from their well-designed day and read more about this series.