Rosemary is a textural haven and contemporary Moroccan escape
After the devastation of the recent Moroccan earthquake, Rosemary is a miracle not taken lightly; step inside local artist Laurence Leenaert's contemporary riad in Marrakech
The September 2023 earthquake devastated Marrakech, but left Rosemary, a new riad about to launch, relatively unscathed; owner Laurence Leenaert doesn’t take this miracle lightly. ‘We had two friends staying at the riad when the earthquake happened. Many vases fell and broke, but the structure didn’t sustain any damage,’ says the Marrakech-based Belgian artist.
The fact that Rosemary was literally due to open that week is even more remarkable. ‘The timing doesn’t help but we can’t do anything against nature. Marrakech is a city that lives mainly thanks to tourism, and we can only encourage visitors to come to Marrakech to support its economy.’
Not that one ever needs a reason to visit Marrakech, but Rosemary certainly is a balm for the senses. Located next to Palais Bahia, the oldest neighbourhood in the Medina, the five-room riad was five years in the making after its previous owner, a Frenchwoman called Rose-Marie, convinced Leenaert and her husband Ayoub to buy her three-storey manse – which had been renovated by the Belgian architect Quentin Wilbaux who’d been appointed by Unesco to map the Medina in the 1990s.
Journey through Rosemary: a contemporary riad
Following the traditional silhouette of a riad – sheltered rooms and loggias spilling out onto a central patio anchored by the arching branches of a 40-year-old Jacaranda – Rosemary, named after the previous owner, is a thoroughly contemporary reimagining of a Moroccan fantasy, Leenaert tapping over 40 local artisans to rework the interiors with bespoke furnishings and finishes such as zellij (or zellige) tiles and tadelakt, a natural lime-based plaster common to the area.
There is a compulsion to reach out to touch everything, whether a burl veneer wooden table with a terrazzo top, a carved cedar door, and a wrought-iron chair, or a carved sandstone table with a mosaic table top, and sandstone and goatskin lampshades.
Probably the best room in the house is the rooftop terrace. Here, shaded by the Jacaranda and looking out to evocative views of the tiled roofs of the neighbourhood and the nearby Medina, sun beds are laid out, alongside zellij-tiled tables all set for lunch.
From the kitchen, the in-house chef Touria sends out a moveable feast from a breakfast of Moroccan pancakes and homemade yoghurt, and avocado granola bowls, to dinners of fragrant beef tagine nuzzling caramelised pears.
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
For Leenaert, Rosemary is obviously a labour of love, more so now as Marrakech begins the long and difficult business of rebuilding. ‘Rosemary is the continuation of our interior brand, LRNCE, which comprises mostly handmade products,’ she says. ‘With Rosemary, we have pushed that concept into creating spaces where our guests can experience our lifestyle and art-de-vivre.’
And that, in our books, is reason enough to visit.
Daven Wu is the Singapore Editor at Wallpaper*. A former corporate lawyer, he has been covering Singapore and the neighbouring South-East Asian region since 1999, writing extensively about architecture, design, and travel for both the magazine and website. He is also the City Editor for the Phaidon Wallpaper* City Guide to Singapore.
-
Louis Fratino leans into queer cultural history in Italy
Louis Fratino’s 'Satura', on view at the Centro Pecci in Italy, engages with queer history, Italian landscapes and the body itself
By Sam Moore Published
-
A new book from the Modernist Society focuses on a golden age of British graphic design
‘Modernist Graphic Design in Britain 1945-1980’ looks at all the ways in which post-war graphic design shaped the nation, from new typography to poster art, book design and more
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
We tour Monaco’s Mareterra neighbourhood: where minimalist architecture and marine research meet
Mareterra, a contemporary enclave with designs by Renzo Piano offers homes, a new coastal promenade, a dynamic Alexander Calder sculpture and an atmospheric social hub extending the breezy, minimalist spirit of Larvotto Beach
By Harriet Thorpe Published
-
Inside Izza Marrakech: A new riad where art and bohemian luxury meet
Honouring the late Bill Willis’ hedonistic style, Izza Marrakech fuses traditional Moroccan craftsmanship with the best of contemporary art
By Ty Gaskins Published
-
DaDa Marrakech: where art, culture and cuisine converge
In the heart of Medina, DaDa Marrakech is a restaurant and art hub offering a multilevel culinary journey in touch with the city's rich past and vibrant future
By Ty Gaskins Published
-
The rebirth of Marrakech’s Pétanque Social Club
Pétanque Social Club is Marrakech’s hottest new hangout, by restaurateur Kamal Laftimi
By Nicola Chilton Published
-
At restored Marrakech riad Dar Al Dall, local authenticity meets contemporary flair
Dar All Dall, a newly renovated Marrakech riad from This Time Tomorrow, is a jewelled oasis full of local warmth and sophistication
By Tianna Williams Published
-
Serenade your soul at Farasha Farmhouse in Marrakech
Farasha Farmhouse is a serene escape hidden on the outer reaches of Marrakech
By Nicola Chilton Published
-
Spa experiences in superlative surroundings, to revitalise mind and body
These spa experiences offer the ultimate in wellness and relaxation in serene settings around the world
By Sofia de la Cruz Published
-
10 colourful hotels to inspire your 2024 escapes
10 colourful hotels to discover in 2024, from dream-like mountain retreats to design-led city escapes, selected by Wallpaper* travel editor Sofia de la Cruz
By Sofia de la Cruz Published
-
Villa Mabrouka is a peaceful retreat in Yves Saint Laurent’s former Tangiers home
Jasper Conran's Villa Mabrouka transforms Yves Saint Laurent’s former 1940s home in Tangiers into a cosseting and elegant 12-room hotel
By Lauren Ho Published