What are traditional Moroccan colours?

With its vibrant shades, intricate patterns and distinctive colours, Moroccan styling is always on-trend. Moroccan furnishings feature eye-catching designs that are a great way to liven up everything from minimalist spaces to eclectic styles, relaxed outdoor settings and more.

But which colours are essential for Moroccan styling, and how should you add them to your home?

In this blog, we’ll explore the six main traditional Moroccan colours and their distinct cultural meanings over time. Read on!

Why is colour important in Moroccan styling?

Image: Pexels

One of the main ways to incorporate Moroccan styling into your space is by mimicking its vibrant, distinctive colour palette. Colour is used to express various emotions and cultural meanings in Morocco — for instance, Morocco’s unique flag is made up of two primary colours, green and red, which carry deep cultural connotations in the region.

Moroccan colours evoke images of exotic spices, vibrant personalities and natural, lived-in textures — which is the perfect way to make any room stand out. Because of its emphasis on rich, upbeat shades, most colours in Morocco have positive meanings rather than negative ones.

Keep reading for our full breakdown of traditional Moroccan colours and their meanings.

Moroccan blues

Blue is one of the most popular colours in Moroccan styling and is often used to break up the warm, vibrant shades of yellow and red that dominate Moroccan rugs, furniture and accessories. In Moroccan culture, blue is an important colour that ties into the region's beautiful oceans.

Traditional meanings:

• Tranquillity
• Peace of mind
• Introspection

We recommend blue if you want to add mosaic designs to your space, such as tables, tablecloths or rugs. Decor and furnishing that emphasise the colour blue typically combine dark and light shades of blue with bold splashes of white, black and even a vibrant hint of pink or orange to create an exciting yet soothing feeling.

Moroccan greens

Green is an important colour in Morocco and is prominently featured on the country’s flag. Green carries positive connotations of peace and wisdom and can be incorporated into a number of different furnishings to liven up your space.

Traditional meanings:

• Hope
• Love
• Joy
• Wisdom

Like most traditional Moroccan colours, green is frequently combined with contrasting colours like yellow, off-white and black, as seen above with our stylish Aperto rug. Green furnishings are good for adding an upbeat, natural feeling to indoor settings — plus, they perfectly complement your indoor plants!

Moroccan reds

Like green, red is a powerful colour in Morocco because of its placement on the Moroccan flag. Red is also seen as symbolic of the bravery, courage and determination of Prophet Muhammed and his followers, giving it an important cultural meaning in the region.

Traditional meanings:

• Bravery
• Strength
• Courage
• Determination

In Western cultures, red is seen as a confrontational colour and is generally used sparingly to avoid overwhelming a space. Moroccan reds are typically lighter and less saturated than the crimsons and deep reds used in the West. This gives them a softer (but still attention-grabbing) look that complements any creams, tans and warm whites in your space.

Moroccan yellows

Yellow evokes Morocco's rolling sand dunes and beautiful, intense sunsets. Moroccan styling uses deep, rich shades of yellow closer to ochre, gold or orange. Westerners associate Moroccan yellows with the delicious spices and flavours of the region, giving the colour and exotic feel that is perfect for livening up your space or adding some extra flair to a patterned design.

Traditional meanings:

• Finality
• Acceptance
• The passage of time

While yellow is traditionally a vibrant, upbeat shade, yellow is a sombre colour in Moroccan culture that carries associations with the passing of time, finality and closure. This gives yellow a soothing, comforting feel that is used throughout most types of Moroccan furnishings.

Moroccan whites

Moroccan styling focuses on vibrant colours like blue, yellow and red, so white isn’t typically seen as one of the central traditional Moroccan colours. However, this versatile shade is a vital addition to the Moroccan colour palette and carries a rich history in the region.

Traditional meanings:

• Wisdom
• Honour
• Purity
• Inner or outer light

White is traditionally worn by Moroccans during celebrations and mourning ceremonies according to the teachings of the Prophet Muhammed, who instructed both the living and the dead to be shrouded in white during these times.

White can be used in Moroccan styling to create stunning, distinctive pieces like the Havana Moroccan rug featured above. However, white is mainly used to break up busy, vibrant patterns to stop them from overpowering the space.

Moroccan blacks

Similar to Western cultures, black is viewed as a mature, dignified colour in Morocco and carries connotations of age and masculinity in the region. Much like white, black is generally overlooked as a traditional Moroccan colour but is an important addition to vibrant furnishings with busy patterns like Moroccan rugs.

Traditional meanings:

• Age
• Maturity
• Masculinity

While black is used sparingly alongside more vibrant colours, solid black rugs like our Ciro Moroccan Rug are a huge hit with Western decors. The calm, dignified charcoal black combines a soft grey pattern to create a restrained but distinct look, perfect for minimalist and contemporary decors.

Liven up your home with our range of rugs featuring traditional Moroccan colours!

Whether you’re looking for fun eclectic styling, chic Bohemian decor or adding a splash of colour to your minimalist home, traditional Moroccan colours are a great way to tie your space together.

Add a vibrant Moroccan touch to your home with our range of gorgeous, affordable Moroccan rugs! At Rug.com.au, we stock Australia’s best range of colourful, versatile rugs perfect for a range of styles and settings. Plus, you can save while you shop with free shipping on all orders over $300!

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