Marrakesh by Design is a perfect pearl of a book; brilliant on the surface but also containing many layers of effort and experience accumulated over the years. The aim is to bring the beauties of the Moroccan decorative arts to an American audience so that they can be infused into American design in new and creative ways. The book includes a number of stunning examples from Marrakesh's chic expatriate community, whose riads and villas meld Moroccan tradition and modern flair.

As befits someone who has lived in Morocco many years, Maryam Montague is fluent in the vocabulary of Moroccan artisanry, whether it is the intricacies of plaster gep or the beauties of zellij mosaics or the merits of organic versus chemical dyes. Montague displays sensitivity toward the integrity of autochthonous art forms, knowledge about the importation of Persian and Arabic influences, and a talent for applying her knowledge to contemporary decor. Indeed, one of the unexpected pleasures of this book is its practical guides for do-it-yourself design projects and its catalog of merchants who deal in Moroccan decor.

In short, this is a book for the practical aesthete in search of a way to incorporate the elegance of Moroccan design into a Western setting. It is not a detailed treatise on Moroccan artisanship, nor is it a scholarly history of the Moroccan aesthetic. But for those who aspire to have a little bit of the glamor of cosmopolitan Marrakesh rub off on their own homes, Marrakesh by Design should be a welcome addition to their library.