Famille Summerbelle

A visit to Popham Design in Marrakech

If you think of cement tiles, no doubt you'll have one of Popham Design image saved in your Pinterest board (like mine on Floors) or in your Inspiration folder. Every single interior mag has been featuring stunning homes decorated with the highly colourful and bold patterns of Caitlin and Samuel Down-Sandes, the owners of the brand. They have revolutionised cement tile designs thanks to their vision and collaborative projects with international designers such as Claesson Koivisto Rune who designed the iconic Dandelion tile.

ZigZag and Do You tiles:

So when I knew we were going to Marrakech this Winter I immediately contacted their Head Office which is located at about 10mn car drive from the city center.

We were greeted by the lovely Mariam who proudly showed us around their beautiful showroom, with floor to ceiling examples of their most iconic designs.

Here is Lucien in his djellaba in front of the blue and white wall panel featuring the ZigZag pattern.

Pentagone design:


Splinter asymmetrical design:

Mariam offered to give us a tour of their nearby factory and ask the kids if they wanted to make their own tile. The answer was a cheerful YES! OUI!
Our first impression beyond the amazement of the fine craftsmanship was the smile and the warm welcome we received from the artisans. They were so happy to share their skills and knowledge of their craft with us. It felt like entering into a large friendly family.
The children were fascinated by the process of layering the pigments, marble powder and cement into the different sections of the moulds. Each tile is entirely made by hand by these skilled artisans.

ZigZag design with a different pattern layout.


Check out their Pinterest, Instagram and website for an overview of their huge collection and colours.

Eating in the Medina

Like in any City it's a bit of a gamble to eat in a restaurant unless you have a recommendation or done some little research.
Nomad was highly rated on many travel blogs. We went there twice for lunch during our stay. Both times we had an amazing time.
Nomad is set atop the Place des Epices (see the post below for more images). The entrance is only a discreet door set on the corner of the market so ask around if you cannot find it. As you walk you can smell the spices and flavours of the Moroccan dishes. The food was amazing, from starters to desserts!

On the first floor you'll find different rooms with confortable seatings and plenty of cushions to relax in while enjoying your meal. On a sunny day (like most days!) head straight upstairs to the rooftop for stunning views of the Medina and the Place des Epices. Straw hats with the name of the restaurant are at your disposal if the sun is too hot.

I had the most delicious shaved fennel and cauliflower salad, a vegetarian pastilla with roasted almonds and for dessert the hibiscus infused Panna Cotta. The Moroccan Affogato with expresso, cinnamon, cardamom over vanilla ice cream and toasted almonds was also a hit!
They also offer a very nice kids menu.

Family portrait while we were waiting for our lunch to be served!

Ophelia waiting for her fresh orange juice at the bar.

I would advice to book a table at Nomad as it can be very busy during the holidays.
Nomad - 1, Derb Aarjan. Marrakech Medina
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One the other side of the Place des Epices, is a nice little café and restaurant called Café des Epices. Owned by the same entrepreneur Kamal Laftimi who started Nomad and Le Jardin. This café is a great place to have a break for a morning coffee before exploring the Medina.
Café des Epices - 75 Rahba Lakdima, Marrakech Medina

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La Famille is such a nice place to relax and eat fresh food after walking the busy streets of the Medina.

The restaurant is located in an enclosed courtyard with lush banana, palm and olive trees. The vegetarian menu is quite small but very fresh and so tasty. I recommend the salads and the wonderful hand made cakes for dessert.
There is also a very cute shop selling ceramics, mirrors and cushions. Ophelia came back with a couple of ceramic vases to display on her desk at home.
If you are a big group there is a long table set under the palm trees and a large black board for the kids to draw.

The restaurant is not easy to find, only a very small signboard on an unassuming door indicates the entrance.
Book in advance!
La Famille - 42 Riad Zitoun Jdid, Marrakech

Marrakech in Winter with kids

It's never too late to wish you all a very Happy New Year! I would have liked to post this earlier but I was struck by the January blues and a bad cold on our return to Amsterdam!
We travelled to the beautiful city of Marrakech after Christmas to escape the harsh Winter weather.
It was 10 days of pure magic! We rented a house 30mn away from Marrakech with my cousin, her husband and their 2 children.
In retrospect it was a really good idea to be immersed in the Moroccan countryside with locals instead of staying in the crowded center of Marrakech. We would drive to Marrakech for the day and come back to our peaceful and spacious villa in the afternoon to relax by the pool in the leafy garden. A lovely Moroccan lady from the nearby village was here every day to prepare the most delicious tagines and couscous. It is very common to have a cook when you rent a house in Marrakech. I have to say it was a real treat to be looked after by such a pleasant lady.

Last time Simon and I came to Marrakech was about 15 years ago. We were back packing around Morocco for several weeks by buses, trains and taxis. We travelled to pretty much all the major Cities: Casablanca, Rabat, Fès, Ouarzazate, Marrakech and Essaouira and a long journey to see the desert. I was blown away by the beauty of the country and the friendliness if its inhabitants.

I was really happy to come back with our 3 children and rediscover Marrakech 15 years later. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised how much it has changed. First you land in a brand new airport and everything from customs to picking up your luggages was really smooth and easy.

Thanks to Google map we didn't get lost in the Medina this time! The children were so impressed to walk in the tiny alleys and to see so many stalls.
I had the souvenir of being constantly interpellate by sellers but this is no more the case. From time to time a smiling seller calls you but in a friendly way. Lucien had bought a brown djellaba to look like Luke Skywalker in Star Wars (his hero!). He had a lot of success walking in the souk!

Marché aux Epices:
a colourful square with many sellers of woven baskets, spices and rugs. Be prepared with a smile. Buying even the smallest thing in Morocco requires a lot of patience and negotiation. It's part of the game!

One of the many stalls selling dry fruits and nuts. I am amazed how they use space to a maximum. There is just one small hole for the man to stand. From there he can reach it all!

Lucien and Ophelia walking the streets of the Medina. They were in deep discussion about what they would become in the future ;-)

Hand made leather camels and hanging rugs at the Marché des Epices.

The famous Babouche, the Moroccan leather slippers in many shapes and colours. Some have hard soles to wear as day shoes.

Two men were playing chess on a bench on this hand drawn board. There is something beautiful about the pink of the plastic lids, the black of the board the this aged turquoise bench.