Imaginary vacations

Tips on how to bring home non-traditional souvenirs from your travels. I brought some treasured rugs home from Morocco on Maryam’s advice years ago. Let us know what you think! ~ JHill  M.Montague is a multifaceted hospitality + design brand, operating out of Morocco‘s Red City. The boutique hotel (Peacock Pavilions) mixes modern style with vintage-inspired decor, with obvious Moroccan influence. Full of clean lines, interesting patterns and neutrals palettes – founder Maryam Montague has a sharp eye for style. (You may know Montague from her blog, her photography is intoxicating.) Inside Peacock Pavilions. Those patterns… photo by Natalie Opocensky Moroccan rugs by the pool at Peacock Pavillions. photo by Natalie Opocensky Maryam Montague, photo by Vik M photography  I spent my honeymoon at this hotel-oasis in 2009, and was struck by her attention to detail, THIS black and gold wall and of course her amazing taste in textiles. (Staying at Peacock Pavilions still influences the way I decorate our modern Victorian in Boston). We asked Montague for her three best tips and tricks for buying Moroccan rugs…. 1)”I love vintage rugs and accept the wear that comes with them.  But check the back of a carpet to see if there has been any repairs.  Just because there has been a repair, is not a reason not to buy necessarily, but examine the front where the repair has been made and see if you are comfortable with what you see.” 2) “Wool rugs hold up better than cotton and are more valuable.  Check to see what the warp, weft and pile are made of. The warp is the backbone of a rug. Warp threads are strung from one end of the loom to the other and run the length of the rug. When the warp is cut, it forms the fringe on the ends of the...