I’ve always had a bit of a soft spot for Moroccan decor. Ever since an ill-fated adventure with a dear friend, in which we traveled to Tangiers specifically to nab her an authentic Moroccan lantern, I’ve been captivated. So I’ve been thrilled to see Morocco becoming more mainstream in recent years. For the most part, Moroccan style is all about bold, bright colors – which are beautiful, but can be hard to incorporate. Lately, I’ve been spotting Souk rugs in all sorts of beautiful homes – all imported, and thus ungodly expensive, of course. The beauty of a Souk rug is that it’s Old World with a thoroughly modern vibe. I love the simple white and grey palette, the classic lattice pattern, and the way it has of tying together absolutely any other color combinations it comes across. Image credit: Red Thread Souk

The problem, of course, was accessibility. I’ve long admired a Moroccan blogger’s online shop of vintage Souk rugs, but never dared to even ask the price – particularly taking into account shipping, which must be astronomical when we’re talking about crossing continents.

So, imagine my thrill when I saw that West Elm shared my love and started carrying souk rugs online! No import fees, no sketchy trips to Africa…just a quick jaunt to one of my favorite shops.

Of course, the flip side of all this genius is the worry that they’ll lose some of their “specialness” now that they’re going mainstream. What do you think? Would you give a souk a chance, or do you think finding them at West Elm means they’re on their way out?