Inspiration: Moroccan interior Design

Home Inspiration: Moroccan Interior design

I am just in love with this Photo. I spent a good hour looking for images that I could use to show off beautiful Moroccan seating alongside this one, and although there are some beauties, this one is so pretty, and as it encapsulates everything I love about Moroccan interior design so I decided it needed a post of its own!

These beautiful low level Moroccan seating areas are so stunning and are not too difficult or expensive to achieve. Some second hand Kilim floor cushions, an ottoman, large bushy houseplants and a tray table are all you need to be on your way to creating your own Moroccan inspired chill out area to sip on peppermint tea and browse World of Interiors magazine.

If redesigning your living room is out of the question but you would still love a little Moroccan beauty at home a couple of floor pillows and a Moroccan tea light holder would be great for a summer garden or to take to the park/beach...

For more ideas on how to achieve 'the look' visit my guide here

The image above is of a Bed and Breakfast called  The White Nyle in Antwerp.. click here for Links

Amara Blog Awards: Best Design Inspiration Blog Nomination

Hey guys. Some lovely kind soul out there has nominated Moon to Moon for an Amara Interiors design award in the 'Best Design Inspiration Blog' category. I am really pleased to be nominated and would love to be short-listed. Moon to Moon is not a professional blog and I have no interior design training so I am thrilled to be up against some big names in British Interior Blogging.

 If you have 1 minute to vote for Moon to Moon I would be eternally grateful. There is no long-winded sign in or sign-up needed just your name and email address.

Cheers

Gabi 

Teapigs Matcha Review and Giveaway...

teapigs Matcha Late made with the teapigs Matcha Kit and home made Raw Brownies

I am a big tea drinker. When I was pregnant it wasn't the lack of alcohol or yummy cheeses I found hard to live without, it was a proper cuppa! I found decaffeinated tea really, really depressing. Don't get me wrong I love my herbal teas too but there is nothing quite like a Green Tea or an cup of Earl Grey...

Therefore I have been super psyched about trying out teapigs Matcha and have been whizzing up a Matcha late or two every day for the last couple of weeks. I used Almond Milk and a dash of Agave Nectar to sweeten it up, however normal milk and honey/sugar would work just as well....

So what is Matcha?

"Matcha is 100% natural, organic green tea leaves which have been carefully ground down to form a fine powder.  

It has been drunk in Japan as part of the tea ceremony for almost 900 years, and is used by Buddhist monks to keep them alert, awake and focused during long days of meditation.  Until recently, virtually all matcha has been consumed within Japan, where it's particularly popular among students who are cramming for exams."
So what did I think?
The Matcha was seriously yummy and like I said I have been having a couple a day. I really want to try out some recipes, especially the Matcha martini :)
The flavour was similar to green tea but a ot more earthy therefore if you are not a seasoned Green tea drinker I would suggest you sweeten it to begin with. The greatest surprise was that even my partner liked it, which considering it is green (he wont go near my spirulina smoothies) was a miracle.

The GiveAway
If like me you are eager to give Matcha ago and would like to be in with the chance of winning a teapigs Matcha Kit featuring:

*30g tea of matcha green tea  
*electric hand held whisk  
*shot glass  

 then all you have to do is...

.......Leave a comment below telling us which Matcha Recipe you would like to try... Simple!!

Extra entries will be given for shares on facebook, twitter and Pinterest. 

The winner will be announced on Wednesday 1st October
Good Luck

P.s ..... I know this is a cheeky shot but as I have your attention, if you have 2 seconds to vote for Moon to Moonin the Amara Blog awards i would be most grateful.... Vote here

The Modern Matcha Kit from teapigs

Closet: Vintage Indian Gauze dresses...

Closet Style: Vintage Indian Gauze dresses and Afghan treasures

Closet: Arranged by colour

Indian Gauze, Lace and plenty of texture

Bohemian and Vintage finds

Hmong, Indian and other beautiful textiles from across the world

Vintage Indian Gauze dresses from India: Phool, Peacock and Anokhi

I have always been obsessed with clothes, I guess it runs in the family. My aunt was a Biba and  Ossie Clark 'in-house model' and my mum is a big time clothing gal. Although I used to be adventurous with my clothes some where along the line I started wearing a lot of black and it is a comfort place I am making the move to get out of.

Although I like more unusual clothing I always wonder if I could pull it off, and black is so lovely and safe! Last week I took the plunge and purchased myself a beautiful Vintage Indian Gauze shirt and a waistcoat from Blooming Dreamer and was so thrilled I am hooked, in fact I have just ordered a vintage Phool dress too :)

Closets do look so much prettier in Colour.. don't you agree?

The Home of.. Writer Amy

This former water tower home is truly gorgeous isn't it? It is the home of Free people writer Amy, her partner Lauren and gorgeous little boy Myles.

Every aspect of this bohemian home is just perfect in my eyes. I love that this is a converted water tower yet it seems to be so homey and like it was just meant to be. Full of earthy organic textiles collected from the couples travels and surrounded by trees and overlooking a vineyard.. bliss!

To see the full set of photos and to read an interview follow the link here

A house built in Turkish Caves...

Laura Prusoff and Nurettin Mantar's House built into Caves in Turkey

After watching Indiana Jones when I was younger I fell in love with Petra, and following a visit to a cave Monsetry in Cyrpress I became obsessed with the idea of living in a cave, well a house in a cave.

This little dream of mine is actually the reality for Laura Prusoff and Nurettin Mantar who live in this beautiful Cave  house in Turkey. It really is so beautiful isn't it? Although they have built a modern front to the property the cozy cave dwelling is still beautiful and the old cave walls are still visible.

A splash of Colour: Hot Pink

Decorating with colour: A splash of Hot pink

Hot Pink Textiles including Hmong from Thailand

A splash of Color: Hot pink

I gotta be honest I am not really a pink kinda gal, just like Vanilla Candles, I find pink sickly and a bit over powering. However just a splash of hot pink to an otherwise muted colour palate actually looks pretty darn cool and with it's exotic feel may even help fight off those cold weather blues :)

6 Dreamy Attic Bedrooms....

attic room of my dreams

Attic bedroom with a great view

Attic Bedroom: I love the natural wood and the chandelier combination

Tiny Attic room made into one large bed

awesome romantic attic room

As the nights start to draw in and the temperature begins to nosedive there is only one thing on my mind... hibernation! and there is noting more cozy than a wooden beam ceiling, a large cozy blanket and candlelight.

The top picture is my all time favorite room and I think was the inspiration for starting Moon to Moon all those Moons ago. Wouldn't you just love to lie there and look at the stars?

Treehouses: Free Spirit Spheres

The Melody Sphere at Free Spirit Spheres Vancouver Island

How great are these Globe tree houses? They are called Free Spirit Spheres and are  set among the tall trees of the west coast rainforest of Vancouver Island, Canada. What makes these beautiful Sphere treehouses even better is that they are also holiday lets :)

"The motion in a sphere is a slow gentle rocking when the wind blows. The rope tethers are almost vertical which lets the treetops move considerably while hardly moving the sphere at all. The sphere movement is a muted average of the movement of the 3 treetops. When another body inside a sphere shifts his/her weight the motion is abrupt. This is because the mass of the sphere is low. "

... sounds heavenly doesn't it?

Rainbow Kimono: Rainbow Wall Hanging

Rainbow Kimono: Handmade Fiber Rainbow Wall Hanging

I am so pleased to see fibre and textile art becoming popular again as I am a big fan. Macrame, weaving's and tapestries are back and seem to be making their way into main stream Interior design. Although for the budget conscious I can see why a high street copy may be a more afordable option there are still some great vintage pieces out there to be snapped up but for me, when/if my purse allows it has to be this beautiful Handmade Fiber Rainbow Wall Hanging by April Rose aka Rainbow Kimono. It is just so happy and bright. Perfect for me and little Alex...

To see more of Rainbow Kimonos beautiful creations visit Aprils website Here
And to see more fiber art featured on Moon to Moon visit here

Film Interiors: Love and Other Drugs..

Nothing wrong with a bit of rom-com cheese... especially if the Bohemian decor is as good as this. Anne Hathaway and Jake Gyllenhall in Love and Other Drugs

Okay so I have never seen this film and it looks like a sickly Rom-Com, (not that there is anything wrong with that Along came Polly is one of my favorite films but shh!) but isn't this apartment cool?

I re-pinned a picture of it on Pinterest that had no description and a lovely person told me that it was Anne Hathaway's apartment in the film 'Love and Other Drugs'. The thing I always love about these film sets is that as run down and bohemian as this place is, I bet there is no way that Anne's character could ever afford a place like this in the city.

To see more of my favorite interiors including Amelie's apartment and the Aunts house from Practical magic click here

New Moon: The Bolga Basket...Toy Storage Solutions...

Bolga Baskets from Ghana are perfect for Toy baskets

African Baskets as toy storage

Bolga Basket as Toy storage

Bolga baskets in Beatrice Valenzuelas home

When looking for toy storage for Alex's nursery I really wanted to stay clear of big plastic boxes. Although Plastic boxes are practacal and easy to stack I wanted something a little more interesting and tactile.. and to be honest, that looked good too.

My Bolga Basket storage for Alex's Nursery

Bolga baskets seemed to fit the bill perfectly...Fun, easy to move, ethical and with no sharp or hard edges.... . Individually made in Bolgatanga in northern Ghana Bolga baskets are available in a wide mixture of bright colours and come in various sizes. Not only are they really handy for toys now but but they are perfect for shopping or storing firewood/fruit and vegetables when Alex is not so little anymore.

Bolga Baskets are available from many outlets online but please ensure you are buying from a fairtrade source. Basket basket here in the UK are a small ethical family run business and sell a great range of Bolgas... check them out here