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MOROCCAN TADELAKT
Luxurious and elegant wall finish
We
discovered Tadelakt twenty
years ago in
Morocco
where
we lived for many years.
We
learned this ancient technique from skilled Moroccan Mahlems (artists)
and became Tadelakt Artists. For nearly ten years, we applied this marvelous
art in Morocco's prestigious palaces and residences from upscale resorts
in Marrakesh
 and Agadir, to historic riads and the Hassan II Mosque, the
largest Mosque in the world.
Tadelakt has existed since the middle ages. It was created by the Romans
 and was originally used to waterproof cisterns which were used to
collect drinking water and later on it was used in Hammams, or oriental
steam baths.
Tadelakt is
a Moroccan wall treatment that combines lime sand, and natural
colorings. It is polished to a high sheen by rubbing for hours with smooth stones and hand soap. Traditionally the Tadelakt
technique was applied by Berbers who passed on their knowledge from
generation to generation. Workers in Tadelakt
are respected in Morocco
for their technical and artistic skills.
Tadelakt is known as the Stucco Lustro in the Italian tradition of
elegant luxurious wall finishes. It is a real pleasure for those who
love natural smoothness and is addictive. Its smooth and luminous
surface exudes a hard to describe fascination which almost nobody can
escape. The way tme material is applied produces a fascinating slightly
wavy, living, shiny surface. The color tone of
Tadelakt is not regular like in normal pigmented render, but depends
on the application. Where the material is a bit compressed, a darker
color tone will result. The surface of
Tadelakt seems to change in color tones depending on the lighting
conditions. Over the years it becomes veined and develops fine cracks,
like marble.
Today, in Interior Design the popularity of
Tadelakt is reaching its
height. Foreign designers order
Tadelakt to
be made in their own color and shapes and use it on walls,
in tables, fireplaces…
The color palette was initially inspired by the colors found in the
country’s infinite
variety of wildflowers. Tadelakt
walls in oxblood, rust, gray, tan, ochre and yellow are especially
popular in Marrakesh
.
In the late 70’s, the American
Designer Bill Willis, from Mississipi, rethought the use of Tadelakt
when he restored his own property in
Marrakesh ,
Morocco. His design introduced contemporary
adaptations of traditional
Tadelakt.
For Interior Designers,
Tadelakt ranges in colors from subtle to vibrant
It ranges in color from dark
mahogany brown to subtle
buff, from striking red to subtle earth tones, or brilliant saffron.
Moroccans have relied on the
decoration of walls, ceilings, and floors to “furnish” a house.
Incorporating this historic Moroccan render
in your Interior Design Project gives the ability to create a fresh and
sophisticated mix of Hispano-Moorish and Western design.
Applying
Tadelakt to walls lends a
dramatic dimension to a room. It is an exhilarating combination of vivid
sensuality and intense spirituality.
T adelakt is known as the
Stucco Lustro in the Italian tradition of elegant luxurious wall
finishes. It is a real pleasure for those who love natural smoothness
and is addictive. Its smooth and luminous surface exudes a hard
to describe fascination which almost nobody can escape. The way the
material is applied produces a fascinating slightly wavy, living, shiny
surface. The color tone of
Tadelakt is not regular like in normal pigmented render, but
depends on the application. Where the material is a bit compressed, a
darker color tone will result. The surface of
Tadelakt seems to change in color tones depending on the lighting
conditions. Over the years it becomes veined and develops fine cracks,
like marble.
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