Riad Al Dall – Design and Restoration

Marrakech, Morocco

 

Anyone visiting the Medina of Marrakech for the first time may initially feel overwhelmed: the dusty labyrinth of alleys, the chaos of traffic, the mules, the shouts of merchants, and the various smells can be a real sensory overload.

Our riad in the middle of the medina was designed to be an oasis of calm, inspired by traditional riads. The courtyard, with a fountain, old wooden doors, and characteristic arches, creates a calm atmosphere enhanced by warm, natural, and slightly faded tones.

The design of the bathroom is especially important for freshening up after hours in the narrow streets of the medina. The tricolor marble floors and the silver on the walls, sinks, and faucets add an elegant and luxurious touch.

In the spa area, purity dominates with white and silver tones, warm lights, and magical shadows.

Oriental ornaments and various Moroccan crafts adorn our riad, including ‘zellige’ mosaics on the six fireplaces, wood carvings on the Bou ceiling, and plasterwork in the spa.

We’ve simplified and modernized some of these traditional art forms, similar to what Bill Willis once did for YSL.

Most of the furniture is of European origin, but these have a connection with Marrakech.

The four-poster beds are made of brass, a material found throughout the medina. The motifs on the seat upholstery are Italian design but with an oriental touch. The tassels and fringes on the sofas and curtains are reminiscent of textiles from the bazaar.

Many of the furnishings are restored antiques from France and are reminiscent of the city’s colonial past. Custom-made furniture and lamps by talented Moroccan artisans complete the ambiance.

Each suite has its character. The open fireplace is the centerpiece whose colors and shapes radiate to the rest of the room’s elements.

Our interior design combines nostalgia and faded elegance, inspired by travelers’ adventures to Morocco around 1900 and the elegant hedonism of the 60s around YSL.

The ‘zellige’ mosaics, carvings, and handmade furniture reflect the fascination with Moroccan craftsmanship. At the same time, we satisfy the need for tranquility of Marrakech travelers by creating a harmonious environment that tastefully combines tradition and modernity.

Entrance Hall - Barcelona Apartment Interior Design - Redci8 Living

Color Palette

Pale Pink, Water Green, Chocolate Brown

Materials

Zellige (Morrocan tiles) Marble, Brass, Iron, Wood, Velvet.

Finishing Elements

Fabrics from Dedar, Basins from Bathco, bathtubs from Sanycces, and taps from Rovira and Axor.
Refurbished vintage furniture and bespoke furniture and lamps were designed by Recdi8.

Credits

Project Owner: This Time Tomorrow

Book a Stay at the Riad Al Dall with This Time Tomorrow

Architecture and project management: Trab

Interior design and product design: Recdi8

Photos by Marcela Grassi

IMAGE GALLERY

Take a look at our approach to this Marrakech Riad Design project for This Time Tomorrow.

ENTRANCE AND PATIO DESIGN

Entrance Foyer

Entrance Foyer with Zellige Floor Mosaic Ornament.

Painting by Pescheteau-Badin (1955)

Patio at Night

The patio at night with the MMUDDU Suite in the background.

Patio Fountain

Patio Fountain Made of White Marble and Water Green Zelige.

DINING AREA DESIGN

Dining Area

Dining Room with Bespoke Wooden Tables.

Aged Mirror Mosaic on the Right.

Dining Area Finishings

Black and white marble floor, bespoke textile ceiling lamps, and leather chairs from Eichholtz.

Dining Area Details

Detail of table and shelves with decorative objects.

LIVING ROOM DESIGN

Living Area

Wooden wall paneling inspired by Bill Willis.

Bespoke standing lamps.

Sofa upholstery with Dedar fabric ‘Sunday’ and cushion upholstery with Dedar fabric ‘Be Bop A Lula.’

Framed albumen prints from c1880 with depictions of ancient African monuments and group portraits.

Living Area Finishings

Fireplace with Zelige mosaic and swivel armchairs upholstered with Dedar fabric ‘Sunday.’

BOU DESIGN

Moroccan Tea Room

Bou

Zelige mosaic in white and earthy colors.

Bespoke pattern design by Recdi8.

Bench seat cushions upholstered with Dedar fabric ‘Sottosopra.’

Back cushions are upholstered with Dedar fabric, ‘Tiger Mountain’ and ‘Tiger Silk. ‘

Cushion fringes by Gancedo.

Local artisans crafted the wooden bench base and the carved wooden ceiling.

Bou Details

Design details of the Bou at Dar Al Dall.

SPA DESIGN

The Spa

Heated Massage bench made of Carrara marble.

Ceramic wall tiles by Cevica in an old silver finish were created for this project.

The curved Hammam bench is covered with a white Zellige Mosaic.

The Day beds ‘Zenith’  in the background are from Gloster.

All lamps were crafted by local artisans.

The Spa from the Patio

A view into the Spa from the patio.

Day beds ‘Zenith’  by Gloster.

Carved plaster decoration on the wall was made by local artisans.

MMUDDU SUITE

The Mmuddu Suite Details

Bright Yellow and Orange color shades.

Four-poster bed Ashabrass Baldaquin by Xam.

Fireplace with Zellige mosaic designed by Recdi8.

Sofa upholstery with Dedar fabric ‘Sunday.’

Small Cushions made of Dedar fabric Silkyway with fringes from Gancedo.

Swivel chair upholstered with Dedar fabric Be Bop A Lula.

Curtains made of linen by Gancedo.

The Mmuddu Suite Finishings

Black desk by Eichholtz.

Poof upholstered with Dedar fabric Vladimiro.

Coffee tables are made of glass, brass, and marble by Eichholtz.

Veranda in the Mmuddu Suite

Veranda from suite Mmuddu with rattan chairs from Eichholtz.

Patio View from the Mmuddu Suite

The view from Mmuddu Suite into the patio

The Bathroom in the Mmuddu Suite

Dark silver tiles were custom-produced by Cevica for this project.

Bathtub by Sanycces.

The floor is made of green, white, and black marble.

Silver basin by Bathco.

Tap by Rovira.

Wall lamp by Flos.

IFFUS SUITE

The Iffus Suite Details

Blue color shades.

Four-poster bed Ashabrass Baldaquin by Xam.

Headboard upholstered with Dedar fabric Fandango.

Bedding by Debiss Barcelona.

The fireplace Zellige pattern was bespoke designed by Recdi8 and made piece by piece by local artisans.

Black desk by Eichholtz.

Poof upholstered with Dedar fabric ‘Kievan.’

The refurbished vintage sofa was upholstered with Dedar fabric ‘Sunday.’

Refurbished lounge chair upholstered with Dedar fabric ‘Into The Forest.’

The Iffus Suite Finishings

Additional detailing of the Iffus Suite design.

The Iffus Suite Bathroom

Bespoke oval mirrors designed by Recdi8.

Hanging lamps by Lyfa.

Basins by Bathco, Taps by Rovira.

Towels by Debiss Barcelona.

Portal View of the Iffuss Suite Bathroom

The bathroom in the Iffus Suite as seen through the pointed arched door.

All lamps were crafted by local artisans.

IMING SUITE

The Iming Suite Details

Golden color shades.

Impressive original high ceiling, painted wood, and painted carved plaster.

Vintage wardrobe from Iran.

Headboard upholstered with Dedar fabric ‘Flimflam.’

The chaise lounge is upholstered with Casamance fabric, Metissage, and fringes by Gancedo.

The Iming Suite Finishings

Additional detailing of the Iming Suite design.

The Iming Suite Veranda

Veranda with vintage Pavo chair.

The Iming Suite Bathroom

Bathtub tray from Zara Home.

Bathroom accessories from Cristina Rubinetteria.

IZZIMED SUITE

The Izzimed Suite Details

Green and red color shades.

The lounge sofa was designed by Recdi8 and upholstered with Gancedo fabric Eros and fringes from Gancedo.

The vintage armchair was refurbished and upholstered with Dedar fabric ‘Sunday.’

Zellige mosaic on columns and fireplace designed by Recdi8.

The Izzimed Suite Finishings

Cushions made of Dedar fabric ‘Be Bob A Lula.’

Headboard upholstered with Dedar fabric ‘Flimflam.’

Bedding by Debiss Barcelona.

Standing lamp by Aromas del Campo.

The Izzimed Suite Patio View

View through the high glass windows into the patio area.

TAGUT SUITE

The Tagut Suite Details

Blue and orange color shades.

Fireplace Zellige and Bejmat pattern designed by Recdi8.

The refurbished vintage sofa and armchair were upholstered with Dedar fabrics ‘Sunday’ and ‘Patchwork.’

Headboard upholstered with Misia fabric ‘L’Imperiale.’

Bedside tables by Eichholtz.

Painting by French painter François Millon (1992)

The Tagut Suite Balcony

Armchairs from Eichholtz are upholstered with Misia fabric.

The Tagut Suite Finishing Details

Finishing details throughout the Tagut Suite.

ROOFTOP LOUNGE DESIGN

The Rooftop at Evening

Signal Lights by Faro.

Sunbeds and lounge chairs designed by Recdi8.

The Rooftop Lounge

Seat and back cushions are upholstered with Dedar outdoor fabric, ‘Libertino’ and ‘Mazarin.’

Wall lamps designed by Recdi8.

The Rooftop Lounge at Morning

Seat and back cushions are upholstered with Dedar outdoor fabric ‘Libertino’ and ‘Mazarin.’

Q & A With the Recdi8 Team

A Short Q&A with Team Recdi8 about the Dar Al Dall Marrakech Riad Design project for This Time Tomorrow.

Can you tell us about your approach and what attracted you to the project?

When we started working on this project, we were completely unaware of Moroccan culture. We were concerned and overwhelmed when we visited the city with the client for the first time.

We collaborated with This Time Tomorrow because we knew they would give us all the support we needed.

As we got into the project, our concern morphed into fascination and love for the colors, patterns, artisans, aromas, and kindness of the people. We visited cultural sites but also other Riads and Hotels in Marrakech for inspiration.

The spaces created by Bill Willis impressed us the most, and we followed his design philosophy: Draw inspiration from Moroccan tradition and art but design with a contemporary European mindset.

Where have most of the materials been sourced? Do any have historical significance or a story behind them?

We were surprised that it was hard to find high-quality textiles in Marrakech, and we imported all upholstered furniture and curtains from Italy, France, and Spain.

Which feature was the most challenging to restore and why?

While not specifically about restoration, the production of the dining room mirror wall was highly challenging.

The local artisan building the mirror piece thought producing a mosaic mirror piece like our design vision would be impossible. Still, we managed to push his creative boundaries, and now the artisan is also proud of the result. We wanted to create a dialogue between the dining room and the patio. The shapes of the mirror mosaic are inspired by the riad’s architecture and the palm trees.

Mostly, all upholstered sofas and armchairs are antique pieces. We restored them in Spain and renewed the upholstery with precious Italian fabrics from Dedar. All fabric patterns are contemporary designs but have an Arabic flair.

Are there any small or hidden details that guests staying at the riad wouldn't notice unless told about them?

The fireplace mosaics are partially inspired by tiles seen in the Alcazar of Sevilla. Thus, the fireplaces clearly represent the long cultural journey and mutual influence between North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula.

The grey and black dining and kitchen floor is inspired by a floor seen at the Swedish Institute in Paris (Institute Suédois) just because we liked its elegance.

The Bou is inspired by the Jean Leon Gerome painting Merchant of Cairo.

The bathroom design highlights the luxury of water, inspired by the light reflections of water drops in the 1001 Nights fantasies.

Which elements of the building are you personally most proud of?

The colors.

The public spaces feel like the warmth of human skin. Every suite has a singular color mood, all of which are elegant and happy.

Let's Build Something Together!

Address

Carrer Mèxic 19 local G

08004 BARCELONA

Email

Phone

+34 933 106 939