Claudio Bravo's Marrakech Home Meets Crosby, Stills & Nash

I don’t know if the painter Claudio Bravo ever met singer-songwriter-musician Graham Nash, who wrote the late 1960s hit, “Marrakesh Express.” But it's Nash's song that chugs through my brain, like the train from Casablanca to Marrakech he sings of, every time I look at these photos of Bravo’s recently reimagined Marrakech riad.

More likely (though a far cry from fact), it was the reverse. The song, written in 1966 and released in 1969, could be what inspired Bravo to ditch the concrete jungle of New York City in 1972 for the splendors of the Mediterranean sun on Africa’s northern coast.

Bravo eventually owned three homes in Morocco, and this four-bedroom, single-story one in Marrakech became his winter abode. When the painter died in 2011, he bequeathed it and much of its contents to a friend. It's new caretaker called on Sardar Design Studio of New York to refresh the place as a getaway for her family while maintaining its stature as a museum home. The results are beyond stunning, as you will see.

Bravo was a hyperrealist painter, so I think he would’ve appreciated Nash leaving the first-class section of the train to mingle with the common folk and their animals, as the song describes. In fact, this 18th-century home is reached via twisting streets and alleyways, tucked amid merchant shops and artisan stalls. So it seems only fitting (to me anyway) for Nash’s lyrics to narrate our tour. If you’re a boho child of the late 1960s, like me, you surely remember the tune and can, at the very least, hum along.

All on board that train!

Simon Upton photo

A 19th-century-style bronze knocker and a plethora of nailheads greet you at the front door. Inside, a Syrian bridal chest and mirror inlaid with mother-of-pearl catch the sun from the courtyard around which the home is built.

Looking at the world through the sunset in your eyes

Simon Upton photo

A Berber blanket hangs above the living room sofa, a brazier (foreground left) doubles as a side table, and a banquet dish and stand serve as coffee table.

Trying to make the train through clear Moroccan skies

Simon Upton photo

At the other end of the living room, a Kurdish kilim covers a table. The daybed and star-shaped side table are Syrian, while the rugs are Moroccan.

Ducks and pigs and chickens call
Animal carpet wall to wall

American ladies five foot tall in blue

Simon Upton photo

The dining room light fixture is an antique mosque lamp, an Uzbek suzani serves as tablecloth, and the chairs are camel-bone veneer.

Sweeping cobwebs from the edges of my mind

Simon Upton photo

The richly inlaid furniture in this cozy corner of Bravo’s former studio is also Syrian. The Andalusian-style plaster frieze is custom-made. Most of Bravo’s art went to family members when he died, but the lithographs displayed here came with the house.

Had to get away to see what we could find

Simon Upton photo

A Spanish colonial desk, 19th-century Moroccan globes and box, a collection of antique Mamluk mosque lamps, Émile Gallé vases, and more Syrian pieces decorate the study.

Hope the days that lie ahead 

Simon Upton photo

In Bravo’s former bedroom, the headboard is draped with a wool blanket and the bed with a Berber wedding blanket. The chest is antique Moroccan, and the Tuareg carpet is made of woven leather and palm fronds.

Bring us back to where they've led

Simon Upton photo

The Green Bedroom is my favorite room in the house. The bedspread is Gujarati mirrorwork embroidery, the chest is 19th-century Moroccan, and the desk and chair are bone inlay.

Listen not to what's been said to you

Simon Upton photo

In another bedroom, embroidered pillows from Fez and Rabat gather on an antique Spanish bed. The chair is Indian, while the table and chest of drawers are Syrian.

Would you know we're riding on the Marrakesh Express?

Would you know we're riding on the Marrakesh Express?

All on board that train!

Simon Upton photo

And yes, the house comes with its own hammam—in Valencian marble, no less.

I've been saving all my money just to take you there

Simon Upton photo

I could do for a soak here, especially after that dusty train ride.

I smell the garden in your hair

Simon Upton photo

Or here. I’m not particular, but I am wondering about the view from these tubs.

Take the train from Casablanca going south

Simon Upton photo

I hear it’s spectacular, so let’s take a closer look.

Blowing smoke rings from 

the corners of my my, my my, my mouth

Simon Upton photo

Mandarin-orange trees underplanted with white roses grace the courtyard. Part of the “refresh” involved deepening the courtyard pool, which features a 19th-century Indian fountain, to allow for swimming. Street sounds drift over the courtyard walls, as do the Islamic calls to prayer.

Colored cottons hang in air

Charming cobras in the square

Striped djellebas we can wear at home

Simon Upton photo

This patio furniture is Indian marble, while the lantern is Moroccan. What else?

Don't you know we're riding on the Marrakesh Express?
Don't you know we're riding on the Marrakesh Express?
They're taking me to Marrakesh.
All on board that train!
All on board that train!

If you want more, which, of course, you KNOW you do…

Self-portrait of Claudio Bravo painting in his djellaba

• Read Liza Foreman’s 2016 AD interview with Ahmad Sardar-Afkhami, who headed up the home’s restoration, and continue your photo tour of the home HERE.
• Check out decorative art from the homes and studio of Claudio Bravo from a past auction HERE and HERE. 
• Click on the play button in the video below to watch and listen as a mature Crosby, Stills & Nash perform “Marrakesh Express.” Then, as it plays, go back and look through this home again. You can even sing along!

• If touring this home gives you a hankering for Morocco, you're in luck! Bravo's main home—a palace in Tangiers—is for sale. Follow the link to the realtor's listing. His third home at Taroudant is a museum you can tour when you visit and, in the meantime, virtually. You'll find additional photographs of it on Trip Advisor. 
• Check out the (affiliate) links at the bottom of this page to learn more about the group Crosby, Stills & Nash; the painter, Claudio Bravo; and how to get the Moroccan look in your boho home.
• Shop (and follow!) both my Etsy and ebay stores for vintage finds, a few of my boho DIYs, and next-to-new surplus home decor. New merchandise gets added daily, so check both places often.
• Sign up to have BoHo Home posts sent to your inbox using the subscription link in the sidebar (top right). Or follow with Bloglovin, a social-media platform that allows you to set up an account and access all the blogs you want to read in one place.
• Find additional content from BoHo Home on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest, Instagram, Google+, and Houzz, and give me a follow EVERYWHERE!! The more the merrier!

                         

Take a ‘Page’ from the Boho Home How-To Manual

I’m absolutely smitten with the portfolio of interior stylist and photographer Carley Page. Her boho home wonderlands are like something straight out of the summer of love.

Take the living room in the above photo, for starters. Don’t you just adore that curvy sofa? I lived through the 1960s and 70s, and the olive green I remember never looked so luscious. And what I wouldn’t give to go on safari for that cute elephant table/plant stand!

Carley Page Interiors

This bedroom is another case in point. Its layered area rugs and mega-tassel throw put me in a Moroccan frame of mind. How about you?

Can’t go on an actual safari? Just spend an hour or two here…

Carley Page Interiors

Carley Page Interiors

Carley Page Interiors

Stairway to Heaven, right?

Wait-wait! There’s more!

Carley Page Interiors

So this would be minimal boho? Whatever you call it, I love it. Dig that cool fireplace!

Carley Page Interiors

Global, boho, vintage, and sophisticated all in one. Love the layering on the bed!

Carley Page Interiors

And this sleek and glamorous mix of classic midcentury modern and Moroccan knocks it out of the casbah!

Carley Page Interiors

Oh my oh my oh my oh my!! What a delicious combination—quilts and chintz meet Moroccan and vintage!

Carley Page Interiors

Here’s more vintage midcentury mixed with Moroccan. LOVE that sofa. And this room proves rugs are made for walls as well as floors.

Carley Page Interiors

I love the mix of casual and elegant in this bedroom. Those straightforward nightstands with the mismatched lamps really set off the vintage bed and bench. But the piece de resistance is that sweet pillow with the chinoiserie vase and flowers!

Carley Page Interiors

I wish my bookshelves looked this styled. I also wish my cacti grew that big! Actually, I'd be happy if they grew at all. Before they died, that is. But that's what comes of trying to grow them in the Midwest. Even outdoors in summer they languish.

Carley Page Interiors

Honestly, though, if this were MY foyer and MY settee, I’d stop worrying about dead cacti and never move from this spot. NEVER. And I'd langush BIG TIME. Langush my life away...

Want more? Of COURSE you do!

Carley Page Interiors

• Take in ALL of Carley’s portfolio. (Pretend you have a spot like the one above to curl up in with your laptop, tablet or phone.)
• Then when you're done oohing and aahing, hop on over to shop for your own boho and vintage items at my Etsy and ebay stores. While you’re there, give me a follow and check back often because I’m always adding new finds.
• Sign up to have BoHo Home posts sent to your inbox using the subscription link in the sidebar (top right). Or follow with Bloglovin, a social-media platform that allows you to set up an account and access all the blogs you want to read in one place.
• Find additional content from BoHo Home on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest, Instagram, Google+, and Houzz, and give me a follow EVERYWHERE!! The more bohoho, the better!

Dig this designer’s blueless beach getaway

Designer Schuyler Samperton’s 650-square-foot Miami Beach getaway may be blueless, but it certainly isn’t clueless. The small space is styled for maximum function. 

But why no blue? “I avoided it,” she admits. “I aimed for a color scheme that didn’t scream beach. I wanted something more electric and alive: pinks, oranges and greens.”

And she got it, but there’s a secret to decorating bright in a small space. “Close quarters doesn’t mean shying away from bright colors, but they do need to remain consistent from room to room. The palette is a mood elevator, cheerful and energizing. It’s like walking into a candy store.”

And I’ve been bingeing on it ever since my June 2017 issue of House Beautiful arrived. See for yourself…

Annie Schlechter photo

Love that pop of lime green in the entryway console. Notice how the space catches items needed coming and going to the beach AND looks beautiful, both at once.

Annie Schlechter photo

The dining room wallpaper, usually a no-no in rentals, is removable and cost less than $200. Samperton scored the dining table and chairs from the auction site Everything but the House (ebth.com).

Annie Schlechter photo

I do love the midcentury architectural backs on those dining room chairs—like a work of art in themselves!

Annie Schlechter photo

Here’s a lesson in mirror use: Make sure it has something to reflect. This one keeps all those fun colors dancing! 

Annie Schlechter photo

Samperton chose a vintage rug as a headboard stand-in to save space. That makes sense to me because that particular rug is just too pretty to walk on. 

Annie Schlechter photo

Another mirror doing its reflecting job—be still my heart!

Annie Schlechter photo

A 19th century English armoire houses Samperton’s colorful beach wardrobe.

//////Annie Schlechter photo

And, of course, there’s a quiet corner to sip your morning coffee. Samperton used flatweave rugs throughout the apartment because they’re easy to get the sand out of. I love the layered look here with stripes and diamonds.

Want more? You’re in luck!

Annie Schlechter photo

• Check out Samperton’s debut collection of linen textiles, which share the same beachy feel as her apartment (and sneak in a little blue), at Hollywood at Home. 
• Read all about Samperton’s apartment and get more tips for decorating your own small space in David A. Keeps’ article in the June 2017 House Beautiful, “Living the Lush Life.” 
• Contine your tour of this space on the House Beautiful website.
• Shop (and follow!) my new Etsy store, BoHo Home By Susan, for vintage finds and a few of my boho DIYs. I have vintage and home décor items for sale on ebay too! New merchandise gets added daily, so check both places often. You might even want to make it easy on yourself and give me a follow in each spot, K?
• And by all means, don't miss a day of BoHo Home. Sign up to have posts sent to your inbox using the subscription link in the sidebar (top right). Or follow with Bloglovin, a social-media platform that allows you to set up an account and access all the blogs you want to read in one place. 
• Find additional content from BoHo Home on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest, Instagram, Google+, and Houzz, and give me a follow EVERYWHERE!! The more the merrier!

Rainbow fireworks home decor for boho Independence Day

Lisa Romerein photo / HGTV

What better way to celebrate Independence Day here in the USA than with a house that screams FIRECRACKER!

Owner Terri Shanahan is hard-pressed to choose just one favorite color, and her house celebrates her dilema “I recently saw a quote that said, ‘My favorite color is rainbow.’ That pretty much sums me up,” she says. “I love so many colors. Why stop at one or two?” 

Why indeed?

Lisa Romerein photo / HGTV

When Terri and husband Bob bought this Dutch colonial revival home in Camas, WA, in 2014, she chose 10 Pantone color chips to fuel her decorating plans, then carried them with her as she shopped.

Lisa Romerein photo / HGTV

A blogger and antiques dealer, Terri refused to be limited by the mirrored closet doors flanking the front door in her entryway. In what display space there was, she hung Nama Rococo wallpaper that in reflection amplifies the cozy, crazy crayon feel.

Lisa Romerein photo / HGTV

As much as Terri loves a shock of color, even she has her limits. “I don’t love bright furniture against bright walls,” she says. So every wall in her house is painted white, which makes the colors of everything else pop, just like fireworks.

The gold armchair is a thrift store find, and the Dash & Albert rug ties all the colors together.

My favorite part of this room is that 12-foot-long (!!) pine china cupboard, where Terri displays her collection of glass and ceramics, organized so smartly by—what else?—COLOR. It’s all like an expertly color-blocked outfit, isn’t it? So coherent and cohesive and BRIGHT.

Lisa Romerein photo / HGTV

Terri unified the pine table and antique chairs in her dining room, bought separately, by painting all the same shade of white as the walls, which adds to the drama created by the custom fireworks light fixture. 

By the time she moved to this house, she’d been collecting the candy-colored glass globes for more than a decade, so she hired a lighting designer to combine them into one knockout fixture. The painting on the right, under plexiglass, is an artist’s palette she found in the trash.

Lisa Romerein photo / HGTV

Bob and Terri are grandparents of six, two of who live nearby and four others who visit often. Grandson Jake, age 5, is pictured with the couple above. 

Bob and Terri had the entire kitchen gutted and redone in white (no surprise there) because, she explains, “White shows off my fun dishes, glasses and food better than any color would.”

Betcha can’t argue with that.

Lisa Romerein photo / HGTV

Granddaughter Kennedy, age 8, paints with Terri in the breakfast room, also known as the craft room. The original-to-the-home picture rail on the wall behind them provides the perfect display space for grandmother-grandchild collaborations.

Lisa Romerein photo / HGTV

The Shanahan’s daughter, Lynsey, painted the art that hangs on the wall in the colorful master bedroom against another backdrop of mostly white. The colorful blocked-color afghan folded at the foot of the bed is vintage.

Lisa Romerein photo / HGTV

Terri always wanted a multi-hued tile floor and spent more than five years sorting through boxes of scrap tile at salvage stores to collect enough for the guest bathroom. Bob and she arranged the tiles themselves, to get the pattern and color distribution just the way they wanted them, then hired a professional to install them. Daughter Lynsey also painted the Rothko-like color-blocked canvases flanking the mirror.

Lisa Romerein photo / HGTV

The Shanahans spend as much time as possible outdoors, weather permitting, where white again serves to unify patio furniture in a hodge-podge of styles. Terri thought the tree trunk need some glad rags, too, so she wrapped it in colorful yarn. 

In addition to their two grandchildren, the Shanahans are pictured above with son Luke and daughter-in-law Ember.

How (and where) to get Terri’s signature rainbow-firecracker look...

HGTV Magazine

If you want more…

• Continue your tour of the Shanahan’s fireworks house on the HGTV website. 
• Shop (and follow!) my new Etsy store, BoHo Home By Susan, for vintage finds and a few of my boho DIYs. I have vintage and home décor items for sale on ebay too! New merchandise gets added daily, so check both places often. You might even want to make it easy on yourself and give me a follow in each spot, K? 
• And by all means, don't miss a day of BoHo Home. Sign up to have posts sent to your inbox using the subscription link in the sidebar (top right). Or follow with Bloglovin, a social-media platform that allows you to set up an account and access all the blogs you want to read in one place. 
• Find additional content from BoHo Home on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest, Instagram, Google+, and Houzz, and give me a follow EVERYWHERE!! The more the merrier!
• If you liked this home tour, you might want to consider a subscription to HGTV Magazine, where I first found it. Follow the (affiliate) link below for best pricing. The other magazines listed are also favorites of mine, and each one has three to four tours at the back of every issue.
• But first and foremost, have a very happy and SAFE Fourth of July!