Morocco # English board

Salam Alaykum and Ramadan Moubarak !!

I have a question for you guys ! And please try to be honest with me !

I am getting married inshallah in a few months. So my fiancé and I .. we are in the middle of THE ULTIMATE furniture and cookware war !! It is stressful, but funny! I am kind of exploring him! ok ok .. I will be brief!

We had a discussion about whether buy SOFA or SEDARI ... I know it is soo silly ! He says, we better not buy a sofa, cause if someone will come to visit us, he will have nowhere to sleep ! But I am against that !It is an 8 inch square appartement and I have to think about guests ! Most of us, we have in our homes (fe lbelad) sitting rooms that we've never used. In my parents home, we have "Sala" that we didn't use since my sister's birth .. 17years ago !! and I am against that!
Am I being selfish ??? I just think it is totally absurd to live "permanently" for others ... And spend money on things that I will use once in a while ! I hate clutter and I am no rich !

I think it isn't the right msgboard ... But I do miss english And I have RESPECT for your opinions guys !!!

Salam

Not a silly question, a lot of Moroccans are faced with the same dilemma : keeping a moroccan structure in the decoration or being practical.
We used to have huge unused living rooms with sedaris because people visited each other a lot, since we're a family oriented people, but the old habits are withering away slowly and so is the space of our housing.
The rational answer would be to go with sofas, more comfortable and less maintenance to worry about.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/02/2008 04:55 by chelhman.

Well, thank you so much for writing back !!!

I still remember when mom wanted to clean the "house" she had to wait the weekend and call 2 other women to help her to clean that "living room" WE NEVER USED and WE HAVE TO KEEP FOR A LIFETIME because it costs a fortune !!!

Waiting for more answers !!!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/02/2008 05:18 by niatouh.

I rather have sedari with modern touch and lot of bright colors

Its a Sedari for me for a simple raison its very pratical , i use it every day plus when i have visitors they sleep on it + its seats more than a Sofa
So my choice is for a metal frame Sedari ( fer forge) & an OK standard matress + plus you have the option of washing the covers & changing colours ect no so obvious with a leather sofa for exemple

I like this question because I have a leather sofa (five recliners). I have spent lots of money on them but I hate them hopefully we will get some Moroccan area after the extention of the bangalow.
My mum always made comments on my sofas she always said it seems like sitting on a potty. I agree with Atlas, it is more practicale to have our traditional sitting room and use it. Coming back from work I would love to streach in front os the tele for a bit. I am talking about (beete laglasse not sala)
In the end you have to compromise with each other (but he is right ) good luck.

sofas gather dirt kind of quicker than "sdari"

i would go with the later with a modernist touch, it feels different to stand

Hi there! if you have asked me this question 3 years ago i would have said absolutely sofa! I do like sofas and i enjoy sitting and lying on mine. It's wide and comfy and i like sinking in it and being envelopped in its deep red velvety Moroccan terracota colour (that's what the advert said when we bought it ) but no matter how good your sofa is, they all lose their firmness and go a bit soggy after a while...and if you have a special fabric you're condemned to not wash it at home because it might require special treatment and ironing so you'll end up paying for its cleaning at least once a year.
I am now contemplating furnishing my dining room Moroccan style. I currently have a table with chairs which is fine but we only use it when we have guests around for a meal. I have seen stunning models of Moroccan salons with wooden or metallic frames and tables that go with and I'd love to get one if only i had a mean of transporting it to the UK. Only advise is to go for a good mattress which is large and comfy as i noticed the ones back home tend to be hard and narrow, so it's ok to sit on them but not comfortable for lying etc...

sorry I have forgotten to ask my mum about any delivery man. the last block brought her ingraved sdader and "la ponge doulidoule" for about £100 I personally don't like laponge is too soft for my liking.
Last time I have spoken to her about transport she said the guy was giving it up and settling back in Meknes/ Fes. He was a diamond and a blessing to lots of Moroccan in London. I am sure they are other trust worthy doing the sanme thing in London.

No worries adds. £100 for all that, that's more that i could bargain for!!

My aunt introduced me to a guy who does the same things using a van and he asked for £30/kg!!!!
i'd rather hire a ferry, load it fully with stuff and sail it myself to Morocco.

Minnie

£30/kg !!!! is he on drugs ! i will get you contact for some one doing it for £3/kg & from Morocco should be cheaper specialy if you getting a lots
I payed £300 for mine ( 3 pieces of 2 metres each + a table ) heavy as the frame are metal & the Sedari is a proper one not Dolidol ,make sure you have your Sedari made at least 70 cm & once you take lamkhada it shoud be ok to lay on .
the other option is to get them from Belgium i have seing Dolidol shop in Bruxelles & the transport will be cheaper but you will pay more specialy now the £ is too weak

Atlas, yes most likely the guy was deranged! i was also shocked.
£300 is quite reasonable for what you got! yes please get me some contacts if you have some. I also would like to send some stuff from here to Morocco...

if i may ask, how much (roughly) did it cost you to buy your salon in Morocco?

Minnie ,

I had mine made but its few years back 6 years if not more i had a friend in Safi make the Frames & the Sedari & i bought the tlamet (covers) from Derb Omar in Casa the 3 sedaris + a 90 cm wide table with zalij on the top & a metal frame cost me 8000 dhs & do not recall how much we paid for the covers Sorry

I should be able to take some pics let you have a look ,or even better why don't come & have Iftar with us & you will try them

Thanks for the invitation Atlas you are very kind! i would if i didn't leave so far

but for now pics should be fine, sounds like you have exactly the type of living room i wanted to have.

Hi Niatouh

Ever heard of sofa-bed. It's very practical. You use it as sofa on daytime and as a comfortable bed at night time.

Sorry I have better info now the guy charges £2.50 per kg and delivers to London Casa and ves ver sa. In the £100; she had some olive oil delivered too plus spices.
He lives in Meknes and can pick up from other cities on his way.
Personally I am going to buy just the faces ingraved of the sedari there and make the rest here it will work out cheaper and easier to be transported.
I like lamdareb filled with wool or what they call ( sofa lahramya); it vwery cheap in UK why bring it all the way from Morocco and pay extra?

Sebou3
I used to have sofa-bed and was the most uncomfortable thing to seleep on..