House Hunting in Morocco: A Modern Riad-Style House Outside Marrakesh

A Six-Bedroom House Outside Marrakesh

$2.51 MILLION (26 MILLION MOROCCAN DIRHAM)

This Moorish-style, six-bedroom home sits on two gated acres in the Palmeraie, a 54-square-mile palm grove on the outskirts of Marrakesh, in western Morocco.

The expanded 7,535-square-foot house, as well as an adjacent tower-style guesthouse, are styled in the salmon-pink hue that lent Marrakesh its moniker as the “red city,” derived from the clay used for its ramparts and buildings going back to the 12th century.

The original house, built in 1995 by the award-winning architect Elie Mouyal, had the charm of a traditional Moroccan riad, with small rooms off courtyards and walls finished using Tadelakt, a seamless surfacing technique, said Mehdi Amar, associate director of Barnes International Realty Marrakesh. When the house changed hands 16 years ago, the new owner hired Mr. Mouyal to add two new, larger primary bedroom suites connected by a new living room, and the guesthouse with a rooftop deck.

The result is more space, expansive windows and “a very nice mix of exceptional artisanal craftsmanship” with “modern and luxurious amenities,” Mr. Amar said. Air-conditioning runs throughout, with central heating in the new sections. Most furnishings are included in the sale.

Design flourishes abound: Entrance doors are intricately carved wood. Floors are tiled, some with complex patterns. The original primary bedroom has hand-painted tiles between wood beams, while ceilings in the new bedrooms and a new breakfast room have soaring arches with decorative brick or swirling clay layers. Several fireplaces have pointed arch surrounds. Original doorways have keyhole arches.

Flowering hibiscus climb columns around the central courtyard. Inside, the original living room ceiling has wood beams interspersed with patterned clay squares and is illuminated by twin lantern-style chandeliers. Colorful inlaid tile forms a mat in front of a fireplace with a brick surround. The dining room has palm-wood ceiling beams and opens through an arched door to a dining terrace and an English garden.

Beyond a butler’s pantry is a traditional Moroccan kitchen — “very simple; it is not a modern one,” Mr. Amar said.

Each new bedroom has floor-to-ceiling glass doors leading to private walled gardens. One has a mauvish floor tiled with burgundy trim to match the accents in a sisal rug and brown marble tub surround and counter. The other has a green bathroom with a handcrafted mosaic-tiled tub and…