The Beni Ourain Moroccan rug of dreams

Beni Ourain Moroccan rugs seem to be everywhere at the moment, all the top high street and online brands seem to be doing versions of them and after seeing them in numerous beautiful homes, I’ve long wanted one of my own. But, I can’t exactly jet off to Morocco at the click of my fingers just for a rug, nor can I really be bothered with all that bartering. So I was super excited when Sukhi rugs got in touch, offering to send me the real deal – one of their signature Beni Ourain rugs handcrafted in Morocco.

Beni Ourain rugs are traditionally made by nomadic Berber tribes deep in Morocco’s rugged Atlas Mountains using a specific breed of sheep renowned for its rich, high quality wool. Thick and warm, the wool creates a deep shaggy pile rug that’s 100% undyed. Signature dark brown lines and geometric shapes on the white or cream background tell stories from each weaver’s life or reference natural events, from birth and fertility to rural life.

I chose the Naima rug with its zig-zag lines, which is now on sale for £178 – a really good price for a type of rug that can be super expensive (a similar rug for example from West Elm starts at £499). Sukhi (the word means “happy” in Nepali) is a social enterprise that partners directly with artisans in Nepal, Turkey, India, and Morocco. As there are no middlemen, customers can receive up to a 60% off typical retail prices.

But it is not just the customer that benefits, Sukhi allows artisans to earn about 2-3 times the average regional pay and work from the comfort of their own home (you can watch a video about the artisans here). Each rug is made on request, with the Naima rug taking up to 12 weeks to make by hand.

I’ve placed my Naima rug by my bedside – it’s lovely to have a soft, squishy surface to put your bare toes on in the morning. It’s beautifully crafted and even came with a little tag saying which person had made it. Mine was made by Zhairo.

I love how it gives a bit of liveliness and embellishment to the room, without compromising on my paired-back minimalist style – it’s just the right amount of pattern for me! It makes my side of bed much more welcoming and finishes that corner off nicely, with the striped cushions and a woven basket (from H&M) for gathering and storing books and magazines. Now I might find myself sitting having my coffee on the rug instead of in bed it’s so soft!

What do you think? Do you like this style of rug?

Thank you to Sukhi rugs for gifting the rug for the purposes of this post. All images my own.