Meet Meyranne Loum-Martin, Owner of the Jnane Tamsna, Marrakech

The Story behind the Moroccan inspiration

“My husband and I (Dr. Gary Martin, an ethnobotanist and founder of the Global Diversity Foundation) bought land in the Palmeraie in 2000, and we opened the Jnane Tamsna in 2001. We built it from scratch; there was nothing there. I’ve done everything in the property, every inch, from the architecture to the interior design.” She continues with a smile.  “A few kilometers away from the center of Marrakech, the terrain expends over three hectares. We have an extraordinary garden: the 635-century-old palm trees are one of the main reason why we fell in love with the area. It’s not only an incredibly dense Palmeraie, but it also has a unique topography, as it’s not completely flat.”

How to achieve the Moroccan Interior look?

“Morocco is a fascinating country. I am made of multiple origins myself (Meryanne was born in Cote’ d’Ivoire to a Senegalese diplomat father and West Indian lawyer mother. She spent her early childhood in Cote D’Ivoire, Ghana, London and Moscow before settling in Paris), and Morocco historically embodies the crossroad of influences. I think that’s the reason why foreigners feel so welcome here. The first house I did in Morocco was in 1986, and I’ve since then built strong relationships with local artisans. What I enjoy is that here, everything is possible: You draw sketches in the morning, and the next day the ironworker comes up with the model. There are infinite ways to be creative. Morrocan craft allows you to create unlimited bridge and bounds: freedom to create your own satellites.”

Meryanne Loum-Martins, What is your favourite object?  

“I like the lamps which I adorn with horn and leather bracelets, and I love the photophores. I find unique glass and work metal around it. The handmaid textile which I transform in plaids and shoes, and handbags and cushions, which I’ve sourced in West Africa. I am obsessed with customization: I like transformings things. It characterizes most of what I do. Its finding things that inspire me in the middle of a chaotic souk – having a vision of sorts.”

What advice do you have to those who want to incorporate Moroccan crafts in a home?  

“Moroccan objects can integrate well in a house in Chelsea, an apartment in Paris or a flat in downtown New York. When objects are impressive on their own, autonomously, they can go anywhere. Some objects, outside of their original context can lose their interest, but it’s not what we do here. We want them ethnic and unique, but that can never be out of context.”