My big souvenirs from my Morocco trip were two rugs. They are different from each other, different from the rest of my décor—much busier than anything else in my apartment and with pops of color. I was attracted to them by a similar compulsion that attracts me to the works of Jackson Pollack in a white museum gallery, order within chaos within a larger order. They are also hand-woven antiques with slight asymmetries that add to their charm. Computers aren’t very good at recreating those slight imperfections, at least not yet, so that makes the human touch stand out even more. 

One of the rugs is a long runner. It fits nicely in the hallway connecting the entry to my apartment with the main living space. I enjoy its yellows and blacks and greens and reds and crazy interwoven patterns each time I return as there is so much going on that I see something new each time and so it still hasn’t become familiar. Having it has also produced a side of benefit of me taking off dirty shoes at the door so that my whole living space stays that little bit cleaner. 

The other, roughly 7×10 feet, is even more special. It’s also older and was much more expensive, but as my maternal grandmother loved to quip money only makes you happy when you spend it (not that I fully agree with that statement, but there have been many more times in my life when I’ve regretted not purchasing things when I travel than times when I’ve regretted making such purchases). It is reds and blues and different patterns in rectangles of threes and multiple focal points as well with different textures for the borders. I won’t attempt a detailed visual description because, selfishly, doing that might strip some of the magic for me. 

One day, it will be a floor centerpiece in my home office/study. As I sit here writing this, however, the floor of my office is largely taken up by the bed in what is also my guest bedroom. That presents a slight conundrum. The rug is currently straddling different spaces in the main living area so that I can enjoy it, but it doesn’t quite fit there. I don’t think there will be a solution to this dilemma while I’m living in this apartment, but that won’t be forever even though I have no present intention to move.