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The Baba Souk Loft – Office Corner Redesign

We’ve been struggling with our loft space ever since we moved our Baba Souk office to the East end of Montreal a few years ago into a 800 sq. ft loft. What we realized is that as much as we love the loft life (high ceiling, lots of light and white brick walls) making a loft space functional is not as easy as we thought. We realized over time that the key is to determine space usage. And we really needed to reserve space for two functional desks. The challenge was to make it efficient while making sure we we’re taking up as little space as possible.

We were also SO lucky to be working on this little redesign in collaboration with Home Depot, not only did they provide all the materials but let’s be honest – the best part – they answered our millions of questions. I personally dread going to large surface hardware stores. It seems I never find what I’m looking for, I’m never exactly sure what to pick and why! Oh why! It seems like nobody’s working there when you’re looking for help!? :S Customer service is super important to our brand and Home Depot was the obvious choice. There’s always someone there dressed in orange to help you out when you feel like crying in the middle of the aisle 22. So here’s what it looks like now 🙂

baba souk loft montreal

I had so much fun though, working on this little office corner redesign with Camille Picard and Tinka of Solve My Space. Camille is all about making things extra pretty and Tinka is an organization maven.

Spot our favorite Baba Souk accessories: Magic Eye Mirror, Basket With Tassel, Plant Hanger, Wall hanging, Moon Mirror, Pink Vase, Hamper Basket)

Our original inspiration came during our last trip to Marrakech. Camille and I were visiting the cutest yoga studio, THEYOGiINME and felt immediately inspired. We just adored the color palette, the pink and yellow, the mix of French design combined with Moroccan crafts.

the yogi in me marrakech

Camille’s signature design style usually include a bold wallpaper. We sourced high and low to find the perfect wallpaper. We wanted a bit of tropical but something that reminded us of Marrakech, agaves, oranges, olives, luscious leaves, pottery and that peachy pink we love so much. And then after hours of web browsing, we had to face reality, we would NEVER find that perfect wallpaper. We still were not willing to compromise (we may or may not be a little stubborn?) Anyways, we decided we would have to design it.

We decided to work with graphic designer Catherine Lavoie because we felt her style was exactly what we were looking for, graphic and colorful with a little Scandinavian edge.

The sketching started and I had so much fun playing “artistic director” with Catherine because she got what we wanted very quickly. After a few rounds of sketching, we had the Aha! moment as soon as we saw this pattern. It was love at first sight.

baba souk loft montreal

baba souk loft

Here’s a little mood board we made when we received the wallpaper. Plants, macrame from our latest collab, pink paint swatches, our original THEYOGiINME inspiration picture and Moroccan rattan lamps we brought back for the office.

The tricky part was that we didn’t have gyprock walls to install the wallpaper, our loft walls are made of bricks. That’s where Home Depot was such a game changer. We needed a wood structure, gyprock sheets, paint, screws etc… We were able to find everything thanks to their empathetic employees guiding us throughout our project.  Here are some before and after shots. Many thanks to Camille’s dad who put everything together like a champ! He even made a custom desk for us.

baba souk loft montreal

(Camille left, Stephanie, Julia on the right)

before and after

baba souk loft montreal

baba souk loft montreal

baba souk montreal office loft reveal
Picture: Lalor Photographie

I’m so pleased with the final result! Julia (my right hand) and I finally have an inspiring office corner to share. It really makes a difference when you work in a space you love. I know personally, it does bring joy every morning. Now let’s see if we’ll be able to keep it this cute and tidy… 😉

Resources:
Design: Camille Picard
Office organization: Solve My Space.
Materials: Home Depot
Pink chairs: Structube
Wallpaper design: Catherine Lavoie
Custom wallpaper: WYNIL
All the cute accessories: Baba Souk

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Beautiful Moroccan Ceramics & Homemade Beetroot Hummus

We’ve teamed up with our friend Emilie Murmure (a talented local food stylist, photographer and cook) to share our fave potluck party recipe! What to bring to your next party? This delish and gorgeous beetroot hummus. Its color is fascinating and how yummy does it look served in our Moroccan ceramic bowls?! Scroll down for the recipe.

moroccans ceramis beetroot hummus

I’ve been saying this for a while – and my friends are probably annoyed – but, I swear Moroccan ceramics make everything look even more delicious. Click right here to see our entire collection.  (We carry these gorgeous Moroccan bowls in a range of color)

Ingredients

  • 3 small beets
  • 2 cups of cooked and rinsed chickpeas (320g)
  • Juice from one lemon
  • 2 tablespoons of tahini
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 teaspoon of sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon of Espelette pepper

Garnish

  • Granulated feta cheese
  • Small cucumber slices
  • 1/4 cup of chopped pistachios *optional
  • 2 tablespoons of fresh dill *optional

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven at 400°F
  • Wrap up each beet in aluminum paper. Put in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until fully cooked. Let them cool down.
  • With the help of a mixer or a robot, blend the chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini, garlic cloves, salt, paprika, and espelette pepper.
  • When the beets have cooled down, peel them and cut them into small pieces. Add them to the mixer and mix everything together. You can add one spoon of olive oil if needed.
  • Serve (in your beautiful Moroccan bowl 😉 and add your garnish.
  • Complete with your favorite crackers and raw veggies

moroccans ceramis beetroot hummus

Tips from Emilie

– You can keep your hummus refrigerated up to 5-6 days but there’s nothing like eating it right away. This recipe is approved by all my friends, enjoy!

Pictures and recipe: Emilie Murmure
Vous pouvez trouver la version française de cette recette juste ici

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How To Fill Your Moroccan Pouf – 3 Ways

The question we get asked the most often is: “How do I fill my Moroccan Pouf?” Well, today we are finally going to share all of our tips to make your pouf round, plump and beautiful, just like in our pictures. Before I share these 3 different methods to fill up your pouf, let me tell you what the most common mistake is. People just don’t fill up their poufs enough!

moroccan pouf tan leather ottoman canada

This is our classic Tan Leather Pouf with white stitchings and embroidery. You can grab one right here

Note: For those of you who dread filling up a pouf, don’t worry!! There’s a zipper at the bottom of the pouf which makes it pretty easy to fill up. Shipping a pouf with filling would cost a fortune, so in order to maintain our prices, we prefer to guide you through the process to make your experience easier.

nude leather pouf natural leather ottoman

Featured is our Natural Leather Moroccan Pouf. It’s undyed and made out of natural leather, it has a beautiful nude pink shade.

  1. Fill your Moroccan pouf with polyester stuffing (or pillow filling).

This is probably the easiest way to fill your pouf. I recommend using two 20 ounce bags (or 3 lbs.) of polyester stuffing*. (Just like this one) You can probably find some at your local fabric store.

*This is for a standard pouf size of approximately 21″ in diameter and 12″ high, like our classic poufs.

Important: This type of stuffing will fill up your pouf nicely, however, it won’t make it stiff enough for you to sit comfortably, Use polyester stuffing if you plan to use your pouf only as a decor element, if it is only to be used by a child, or if it is only to be used to kick up your feet. In these cases, 2 bags of poly-fill would work perfectly.

 

  1. Fill your Moroccan pouf with unused clothing and textiles you can find around your home.

This is my favorite method even if it requires you to do a little decluttering in your closets and find all those perfect textiles to make your pouf heavy and plump.

Look around the house for unused textiles such as:

  • Old jeans you’re no longer wearing
  • Sweaters
  • Old kids clothing
  • Pillows you’re no longer using
  • Bath towels you’re no longer using
  • Get bonus points if you have an old duvet you don’t know what to do with!

I admit it takes a little effort and you need a lot of items to completely fill up your pouf, but doesn’t it feel good to declutter and give another life to unused stuff? This is the best filling method if you’re planning to use your pouf as a low seating option.These different textiles will make your pouf heavy and steady enough to sit on it.

Tip: You’ve used every old pair of jeans, all the unused towels and pillows you have around the house and your pouf is still missing a bit of volume? You can add a bit of polyester stuffing to make it very round. To get that beautiful round pouf shape, you need to fill it up to the max!

vegan leather moroccan pouf gold

Our gold Moroccan pouf is a great vegan option! It’s made out of resistant vegan gold leather. It looks magic in all sorts of decor, from the living room to the nursery.

  1. Fill your Moroccan pouf using IKEA FJADRAR feather pillows.

Our favorite IKEA pillows of all time are FJADRAR inserts filled with duck feathers. They are super cozy and plump and the price/quality ratio is spot on. There are two sizes and the bigger 26″ inserts work best to fill a Moroccan pouf.

You’ll need three 26″ FJADRAR* IKEA feather pillows to make your pouf heavy enough to sit on. Three inserts will make your pouf round and well filled. It’s a bit pricier than using polyester stuffing, but it makes the pouf more comfortable and it’s a no-brainer since pretty much everyone has an IKEA store nearby.

*Important: Make sure you pick up the inserts filled with feathers and not the cheaper ones that are filled with polyester. The polyester ones won’t work for this purpose.

moroccan pouf shipping from canada

There you go! I hope one of these 3 methods will suit your needs and help you master the art of properly filling up your Moroccan pouf! I’m leaving you with these final words:

“The more you fill your pouf, the better it’ll look! “

PS: These recommendations are for a standard size Moroccan pouf of approximately 21″ in diameter and 12″ high.

Our Moroccan Poufs are fair trade products. We buy them directly from an artisan in Morocco and make sure to pay him fairly.

Shop our Moroccan Pouf collection right here.

Stephanie

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Moroccan Boucherouite Rugs – Our Faves For A Happy Kid’s Bedroom Decor

I have to admit it, Moroccan Boucherouite rugs are a personal fave. They are just the most interesting, the quirkiest and happiest pieces of textile you can encounter. My love for Moroccan Boucherouite rugs is endless but, let me explain why they are ideal for a kid’s room. These are my top 3 reasons (because yes, I have more than 3!)

Moroccan Boucherouite Rugs canada montreal babasouk

1. They’re easy to take care of

They are perfect for play. Let’s be real, kids are MESSY! They play with playdough, they spill juice and they often run into their rooms before removing their shoes. And you don’t want to freak out each time they do. Boucherouite rugs are made of recycled fabrics, they are usually multicolored and can dissimulate a few spills without anyone noticing. That being said, you need to be able to wash your rug and not spend a fortune each time. If your washing machine is big enough, you can wash your Boucheouite rug in it. (We recommend cold water, delicate cycle) Then you can let it dry in the sun. You can also wash it in your backyard using your hose and cold water detergent. Then again, let it fully dry out in the sun.

2. Moroccan Boucherouite Rugs create happy, creative decors

Their texture is intricate, babies love to discover their different textures and feel. Every different color you see in a Boucherouite rug is a different material. The reason is that they are made by hand, using fabric scraps from big clothing factories. In Morocco, there are lots of big clothing factories and they sell their scraps by the kilo. Isn’t it the coolest way to recycle fabric scraps? I see them as an abstract or naive piece of art. The multitude of colors bring joy to any bedroom decor and we definitely want happy vibes in our children’s bedrooms.

Moroccan Boucherouite Rugs ships from canada Baba Souk

3. They age well

It’s a fact, the more a Boucherouite rug looks worn out or old, the more it’s worth in Morocco. I personally love both new and vintage Boucherouite rugs but the French LOVE Boucherouite rugs when they look used and antique so I have no shame in saying they look better with time. Boucherouite rugs were not intended to be sold as they were mostly used by the Berber themselves in their own homes, as modest resistant domestic carpets. But in the 90’s, French designers began to fall in love with them.

I love to think that a Moroccan rug is something you keep for a lifetime and can easily imagine how a Boucheouite rug would be used in a kid’s room and then transition to another space of a home over time. I can imagine someone saying something like ” Yeah isn’t it cool? My mom bought this Moroccan rug for me when I was a kid, It’s been moving everywhere with me since I’m 4 years old!” That would make me happy.

I personally pick each and every rug we sell in Morocco sorting through piles and piles of rugs. Shop our collection of Moroccan Boucherouite rugs right here.

-Stephanie

PS: These are our current favorite accessories for a kid bedroom. Find all the links below.

These are our current favorite accessories for a kid bedroom, Baba Souk

1. Pompom Garlands, 2. Macrame Garland, 3. Wall hanging, 4. Cloud Brass Mirror, 5. Gold Moroccan Pouf, 6. Yellow Moroccan basket, 7. Pink Moroccan basket, 8. Yes Ma’am Screenprint Poster, 9. The Cloud Throw, 10. Boucherouite Moroccan Pillows, 11. The cat crochet.

*We also LOVE the little house bed featured in our pictures, I know I’ll get tons of questions about it, here’s the link, it’s from Souris Mini 🙂

Moroccan Boucherouite Rugs - Our Faves For A Happy Kid's Bedroom Decor

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Our latest Collab With Macrame Wall Artist – Boho Montreal

This new collaboration with Karèle, the local macrame artist behind Boho Montreal, really resonates with our mission. Shining the spotlight on talented artists and creating exclusive products with them is something that’s very dear to my heart and it’s really at the core of Baba Souk. I remember creating Baba Souk for this specific reason back in 2012! I’ve always had so much respect and admiration for artists and artisans. I hope you’ll love this macrame wall hanging collection we’ve created just for you. We had our clients in mind while creating these pieces, big-hearted ladies with a soft side for everything handmade, pretty textures and beautiful colors.

macrame wall hanging weaving canada montreal
(you can shop the entire collection right here)

As I am always so interested in the story behind an artist’s journey, I’ve prepared a little interview with Karèle. I hope you’ll love it. Scroll down to read everything!

macrame wall hanging weaving canada montreal

1. What’s the story behind your becoming a Macrame artist?

I remember during my teen years being frustrated by the fact that I wasn’t allowed to personalize my bedroom decor, my mother was very conservative. When I left my parents’ house, I was looking forward to decorating my entire apartment. And of course I was really inspired by Pinterest. I would restore antiques and go thrifting to find the best vintage pieces, I was looking for objects that spoke to my style and had a story.

As far as I can remember, I was always drawn to a picture perfect decor and about 4 years ago, while scrolling through Pinterest, my heart skipped a beat when for the first time I saw a California style wall hanging appear on my screen. As much as I wanted one, I couldn’t find macrame wall hangings here in Montreal and so I thought I should try to make some. I had a feeling it would be a huge trend. My goal was to develop my own aesthetic and create the wall hangings that I would love to see in my own decor.

macrame weaving wall hangings montreal canada baba souk

(Moroccan rug, Pink cactus silk pillow, Moroccan pouf in light tan leather, XL storage basket)

2. Did you always know you would be an artist?

I always knew I would be a leader, I felt like I had the entrepreneurial vibe under my skin and I thought I would be rich! Ha! I’m far from being rich, I’m juggling with my own business and managing a restaurant at the same time. I’ve studied Visaul Arts and Fashion Design, I’m very crafty. I’m all about the DIY lifestyle. However, I love the adrenaline that comes with working at the restaurant and I love the contrast with the very meditative art of making macrame and wall hangings.

macrame weaving wall hangings montreal canada baba souk

(This large macrame Karèle created for our collab is just stunning! Shop it right here)

3. What do you love most about doing what you do?

I love that I don’t have to do the same job full time. I work on my business from Monday to Wednesday and I give macrame workshops sometimes on weekends. I’m not the kind of person who likes to do the same thing every day. I love to hop from one task to the other, I really enjoy working hard. I get bored when I have nothing to do, I’m a bit of a workaholic.

macrame weaving wall hangings montreal canada baba souk

(My personal fave! I’m in love with the color combination and the merge of macrame techniques and weaving makes them so pretty. Shop it right here!)

4. What piece of work are you most proud of?

I made a 12’x10′ macrame for a restaurant called Soup Soup here in Montreal. My biggest piece so far, 45 hours of making knots, blistered hands and a lot of tears.

5. What is your remedy for lack of inspiration?

That happens to me frequently. When I have a creative block, I go do something completely different, like accounting, let’s say.

6. Do you have a personal motto?

Take it one day at a time.

7. What is your biggest challenge as a business owner?

Giving myself a break once in a while. I’m not good at relaxing but sometimes, your body speaks for itself. I always stretch myself a bit too much.

8. Who is your favorite artist?

I really admire Montreal artist Allyson Rousseau, she makes beautiful weavings. I also really love Jessica Grenon, she’s a photographer I worked with for my professional pictures. Their styles really inspire me.

macrame weaving wall hangings montreal canada baba souk

9. What do you love the most and the least about working from home?

I love getting up early and going through emails, getting my paperwork done and even creating a few macrame hangings before my boyfriend gets up! Although I have to say, sometimes it can be hard to focus with my two dogs, the dishes to do, it’s tempting to tackle some domestic chores when I’m supposed to be working but I try to stay focused. I need to be very disciplined, to say the least.

10. What important lessons have you learned in your entrepreneurial journey?

It’s not easy and you need to always keep working on your craft. Create your business at your own pace and with your own cash flow.

macrame weaving wall hangings montreal canada baba souk

Thank you so much for sharing!
– Stephanie

 

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