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.
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.
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
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.
-
David Brown Automotive transforms original Mini into a high-end, high-spec EV
The DBA Mini eMastered: luxury motoring is rarely so altruistic and joyful
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
OPPO celebrated smartphone photography excellence at Paris Photo 2023
Smartphone giant OPPO announced the next steps in smartphone photography during its Paris Photo showcase
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Hermès blasts off to ’the silky way’ for breathtaking London event
Behind-the-scenes of Hermès’ ‘Brides de Galaxy’ in London yesterday evening, a jaw-dropping event celebrating the carré silk scarf and its instantly recognisable prints
By Jack Moss 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
-
The Fairmont Royal Palm is a tranquil oasis in the heart of Marrakech
The Fairmont Royal Palm hotel showcases the sensory delights of Marrakech
By Melina Keays Published
-
Mövenpick Hotel Mansour Eddahbi — Marrakech, Morocco
By Emma O'Kelly Last updated
-
Banyan Tree Tamouda Bay — Fnideq, Morocco
By Daven Wu Last updated
-
Sofitel — M’Diq, Morocco
By Jake Cigainero Last updated
-
Mandarin Oriental — Marrakech, Morocco
By Rooksana Hossenally Last updated
-
Hyatt Place — Taghazout Bay, Morocco
By David Paw Last updated
-
Riad Goloboy — Marrakech, Morocco
By Rooksana Hossenally Last updated