There’s a word in Arabic – ‘bled’ - that very roughly can mean 'the middle of nowhere'. When I think about finding our rugs and textiles, for me that sums up where I like go!

I’ve been in the Middle Atlas mountains, working my way up towards the eastern stretches of Morocco. It’s in these mountain areas that I like to look for old, authentic Moroccan Berber rugs. Most importantly, to find artistically demanding rugs from the more remote regions

I feel lucky that I speak not only Arabic but also the Berber language. These are two very different languages! I learnt Berber when I was a teenager living in rural Morocco. I also feel lucky that I enjoy the rough travel involved in getting out into the hills and forests. During this trip I’ve slept in a hut, in my car, under a tree and in a tent. And, it has been cold. However, the kind and unlimited hospitality that Berber families show me always makes these expeditions a deep pleasure

Rising demand means that each year it gets harder to find the best pieces. The availability is limited, particularly the gorgeous, characteristic thick creamy Beni Ouarain rugs. This year I’ve also widened our collection to include more coloured rugs – pink, aubergine, mauve, tangerine, red, brown – and I hope you’ll love what I’ve found

We wash and repair the rugs, and usually we can let them dry in the mountain air. This takes time, but this suits me just fine as I can sit and drink a tea and eat a tagine in the shade of the trees. Nothing beats a tagine cooked slowly on smoldering embers!

It seems to me that it's a bit of a magical journey, from the Berber villages to your homes. Bringing such an independent style and depth of colour, tradition and design. I'll keep on going back to the 'bled', and I hope that what I find can in turn find a lovely second home

Some new pieces should be on the site in February! I'll keep you posted.

In the Middle of Nowhere