I recently had the pleasure of taking a trip to Morocco. Amongst many adventures, I visited Jardin Majorelle, home to Yves Saint Laurent and toured the gardens and exterior of what may be the most beautiful villa I’ve ever laid eyes on. The vibrant, rich color schemes, and the seamless integration of landscape was a visual delight deeply that inspired me and I will never forget this truly rich and incredible experience.
The Jardin Majorelle in Marrakech was a lifelong labor of love for French painter Jaques Majorelle and took over 40 years to complete. The gardens feature enchanting shady lanes, meandering streams, exotic plants that sugar the air with fragrance, and pools filled with blooming water lilies and lotus flowers. Tucked away in the garden lies a vibrant cobalt and golden yellow villa, the cubist masterpiece of Paul Sinor, built in 1931. Majorelle is said to have perceived the exterior shade of blue when visiting the Atlas mountains. The building embodies Moorish charm, with a hint of Art Deco influence.
Majorelle eventually opened the garden up to the public in the 1947 to help with monumental cost of the upkeep of the gardens, to which he was devoted entirely. After his passing in 1962, the garden remained open to the public but gradually fell into a state of disrepair and was slated to be demolished and replaced by a hotel complex. In 1980, Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berge purchased the property and began the process of a full restoration, including adding over 200 different plant species to the garden, and transforming Majorelle’s painting studio into a museum dedicated to Berber culture. Today, the museum is one of the most visited attractions in Marrakech.
If you ever make it to Marrakech, it’s an absolute must-see! Whether you’re an artist, a designer, or just a connoisseur of beautiful things, I have no doubt you’ll be just as inspired as I was.
