Chiaroscuro Showroom

View from our #yurt at #treebonesresort. Just south of #bigsur. #pacificocean #beautifulsunsets #travel #travelphotography #loveinstagramfilters

Any building can be made a palace with the right framing!

The three edges resembling steps on the corners of the home is traditional  to Southern Moroccan architecture. 

A BURST of color caught me off guard at a roadside bathroom by Boumalne Dades. It reminded why people gravitate towards Morocco and all things Moroccan. An element of beauty, surprise and detail occurs at every corner.

A Southwest Dream in Agua Dulce, California.

I love to be reminded of the diverse style our world has to offer. Annette Stuckey and her late husband, Doug Stuckey, built their home and personified it with southwestern and native American influences. The Stuckey’s selected items that were in tune with the lifestyle and heritage their family cherished. These two photos offer only a glimpse into the myriad of treasures they’ve collected. With a great natural sense of composition, Annette Stuckey expertly curated her own home to tell the story of who she is and where she came from. It couldn’t be more beautiful.

~ Priscilla

Photographs by Priscilla Cordoba

Years ago, when my dear friend Irina described the color of dirt and sunsets in Morocco, I imagined something special. However, I didn’t know that the earth in any given location provided both the material and natural color palette for construction. Except for a few modern codes and conveniences, this basic principal remains the same in 2014. Another fascinating cultural difference is to leave up the ruins of a multi-century old kasbah and build a brand new one at its door steps. I’m so thankful for this tradition and the eye-candy it provided. I couldn’t keep my eyes off of the landscapes in Southern Morocco while in route to the Merzouga Dunes in the Sahara Desert. 

Above: Ruins of a multi-century old kasbah likely owned at one time by a prominent family of the Berber tribe. In typical fashion, built on a high vantage point for easier self defense.

Below: On the left side, ruins of a kasbah surrounded by homes that are currently occupied. The natural irrigation gives the locals water, an ability to farm and green palms for shade.

Below: In Merzouga, the sun begins to set over the dunes as the Berber locals show us out-of-towners their traditional way of life.

Below: The tented camp sits humbly at the feet of the magnificent dunes.

Below: A mixture of locals and tourists make their way back from the dunes or towards the dunes in anticipation of the sunset.

Below: A smart group heads into the sunset on camels for a perfect African twilight in a country with many Arabic influences, not to mention French! 

Below: Yours truly in the morning at 6AM waiting for the sun to rise.

Below: A study in quick shifting temperatures.

Below: Pure magic…

 Below: The dunes remind me of an ocean with waves that went as far as the eye can see. 

Below: Zen.... 

Below: My husband and I ran across these tracks and thought one of the animals to be a desert cat - of which there are many in Morocco! However, our Berber guide told us they were the prints of a desert mouse and a fox. They met in the dark and had a quick scuffle. 

Below: Shadows and curves. 

Below: My husband, Shawn takes a little trek for an opposite view. He is the small speck in the middle on the furthest dune.

Below: The shadow of our little group: Shawn and I on our two camels, and our guide. 

Below: Hooked on the quiet serenity of the sandscape!

Below: Shawn of Arabia.

Below: On our way back to Marrakech, we drove by many beautiful kasbahs and villages.

Below: Just outside of Dades Gorges, several villages surround a naturally occurring oasis. 

Below: A sprawling kasbah ruin blends into the mountainside. The palmeraie in foreground glistens with life. 

Below: The Dades Gorges, complete with rock climbers, running water and chiaroscuro on the live canvas.

Below: A kasbah ruin behind a deep green farmland. The contrast between red dry earth and green due to natural irrigation is magnificent.

Below: We actually came up this road to enjoy an afternoon of mint tea on top of the hill.

Below: The town of Boumalne Dades. Our hotel on the hill in the background ‘Xaluca Dades’ was beautifully furnished with African antiques from all over the continent. It provided the best view from their balcony suite. 

Below: In Ouarzazate, Morocco (film capital of the country).

Below: At the film location site of ‘Kingdom of Heaven’. Shawn in the foreground, car and driver in the background. 

Below: The city of Ouarzazate allowed the film crew to leave up the facade of their ‘Kingdom of Heaven’ set as it was built per their regulations and materials. 

Below: The fortified city of Ait Ben Haddou remains a glorious presence between the Sahara and Marrakech. Our local guide grew up in the old part of the town without electricity and now lives just outside of its walls in the new town. Like most other Moroccans, he spoke 4 languages and put us westerners to shame. It was amazing to hear the history of this city dating back to the 17th century. Once a major stop for caravans after their 40 night trail from Timbuktu, Mali, the local people now welcome tourists and show business. A long list of movies and television shows have shot here, including Lawrence of Arabia, Gladiator and Game of Thrones.

It is protected by UNESCO as a world heritage site.  

Below: Two camels I ran across just outside of Ait Ben Haddou.

Below: The glorious purple sunset just outside of Marrakech upon our return from Southern Morocco. 

All photos taken with my Canon Rebel T3

~ Priscilla

A good friend let me take a few photos of the home he shares with his husband. He knew I’d be a sucker for it! Here’s a sneak peak of my favorite room in the abode. 

Above: The pièce de résistance of the home is the dining room. I couldn’t take my eyes away. It is a beautiful composition of design, light, simplicity and love. 

Above: Apologies to my friend (who shall remain nameless), but such a luscious bedroom deserves a shout out! A toast to you both for having exquisite taste. 

and it doesn’t take much when a home is exposed to the outdoors in the manner of the Edris House. It was designed in 1954 by architect E Stewart Williams and open to discriminating modern architecture aficionado’s during Modernism week in Palm Springs. I was drawn there like a fly with my camera to volunteer and attend the many splendid events.

Above: The living room shows off the classic mid-century stone wall fireplace.

Below: The true star here is the desert landscape and valley that surrounds the house. 

The exhibitionist at hand is the desert, perfectly framed outside each of the windows. What makes this house so attractive is the ability to have such a wide aspect view from the intimate environment of a home. The body of the home is mostly made up of douglas fir wood and its warmth beckons you inside to enjoy the view from its haven. The local stone work integrates the indoors with the outdoors.

Mid-century homes and furniture are sexy! Great angles means great framing- producing a beautiful or unique point of interest. In this case, Williams not only uses the house to contrast with the desert, he made sure they complemented each other as well.

Harmony abounds in every inch of the property. Williams leaves nothing to chance as he connects each of the living spaces by laying them out to flow seamlessly throughout the house.

Above: The master suite of the house includes an open bathroom (tub, shower and toilet live behind the wall on the left in the foreground) and an office at the far end. 

Below: The crafty Williams also designed the built-in bathroom sink with sliding mirror cabinets that doubles as a dresser.

Since we are taking a peek into the master bedroom, it should be noted that such an open floor plan where the bathroom is literally inside the bedroom was considered risque for 1954. 

Above: Custom bedframe designed by E Williams Stewart. 

Below: Floor to ceiling windows separate the bedroom from the private patio.

There is so much more to this historical and spectacular home, but this was only a tease. After all, it is inhabited and we can only be thankful that the doors were open for a brief but blissful moment!