Moroccan and Middle Eastern style are hot, hot, hot; my Berber post from last fall continues to generate pageviews and I’ve had quite a few search visits recently from people looking for Moorish design ideas. So naturally, when I heard that Toronto’s inimitable Door Store had received a container loaded with architectural salvage and furnishings from Egypt, I hit the ground running.
Funny thing is, if you Google “Egyptian decor” all you get are faux Pharaohs, sphinxs and of course, King Tuts, as if ancient kitsch was the only expression of this vibrant culture.
The lattice doors, screens and window frames, above, are as decorative as they are practical for a hot, dessert country like Egypt. The mirror frames, above left, are $125 each (eight available), the three-panel privacy screen, above centre, is $450 and the red lattice door with black and gold embellishment is $450 (two available). Click through for more amazing stuff.
The ornate counter, above, was salvaged from a Cairo department store and could be re-purposed as a kitchen island or bathroom vanity ($2,400 for a pair). The mother of pearl inlay mirror, below left (approximately 18″), is $100 and the decorative hanging shelf, below right, is $225.
The neoclassical movement came into full flower during Napoleon’s reign in the early 1800s and many of the decorative motifs were borrowed from ancient Egypt; the carved wooden bench frame, below, is the essence of the style and authentic to boot ($1,800).
Egyptians also love their gilt and the Door Store shipment contained several items like the rococo mirror frames for just $20 each and the Louis XVI-style plant stands with marble tops ($575 pair).
And of course, there were loads of old doors and iron work in the shipment, most of them featuring Islamic motifs like the stars and minarets in the examples below. This particular shipment from Egypt was somewhat fraught; to read about the saga, visit the Door Store’s new blog.
October 11th, 2009 at 8:14 am
wow, amazing stuff, Egyptian decor is awesome