An evening stroll in the souqs through oriental carpet patterns

Visiting Cario’s local street markets is a must-do for anyone exploring Egypt’s capital. They are full of life and soul, authenticity, and mystical allure. Several markets – or souqs as they are known to locals – can be found within the city. From the famous Khan El Khalili in the historic part of Cairo to the El Azbakeya Wall and Wekalet El Balah, there’s plenty to explore. Each bazaar has an undeniably chaotic feel, with stalls selling mismatched second-hand items, antiques, and hand-crafted pieces. The markets are bursting with different colors, textures, and oriental carpet patterns. A truly invigorating sight.

While on our travels, we took an evening stroll through Cairo’s local markets. As the sun went down, we found the bazaars became even more alive. Our eyes became lost between the eclectic mix of goods for sale. Our noses were met by the aromas of spices and burning incense. And stained glass lamps and Egyptian lanterns lined the streets, illuminating our way. This lively experience and authentic glimpse into Egyptian life offered us inspiration for our latest mood board.

To start, we selected the Doha Recolored carpet by Ege Carpets. The design is rhythmic and repetitive, and oriental carpet patterns like this seemed to fit with the authenticity of the souqs. When recoloring the carpet we selected a sandy tone reminiscent of the sandstone buildings lining Cario’s streets. Just as these buildings serve as the backdrop for the local markets, this carpet makes the perfect backdrop for our mood board.

On top, we have placed several bright and mismatched materials, including Amulet by Sonnhild Kestler and Arabesque by Alexander Girard. Both textiles feature repetitive patterning to tie in with the oriental carpet patterns. However, this time the patterns are much more intricate, colorful, and playful. They add life and movement to our mood board, drawing on the constant ebb and flow of people walking the streets. Their varied shapes and colors resemble the diversity of the antiques and crafts for sale. Combined with several other textures – including Zellige Tiles and Like No Udder – we incorporated all the materials seen at the market as one.

Having visited the markets in the evening, light also plays into our mood board. We included two Egyptian lanterns in the design, and an incredible material by Cascade Architectural called Fabricoil Aluminum. This coiled wire fabric provides texture while reacting beautifully to light. Other materials used include Sainte Croix by Haussmann Natural Stone, Triad by Carnegie, and Osmosis by Wolf-Gordon. Each brings its own unique and busy patterns, colors, and textures for a chaotic twist.

If you want to create a personalized carpet easily, try our Talk Carpet easy recolor program. It allows you to select different colors for our oriental carpet patterns or any of our other designs. You have the choice out of nine different carpet substrates to make the product suit your budget and durability requirements. Instantly visualize your creation using our handy online recolor tool and order samples shipped to you within 5 business days. Your carpet will then be shipped out to you within three weeks. Contact our team for help or more information today.