Beni Ourain
Raw, natural wool and geometric minimalism from the Middle Atlas — the rug that became an icon of modern interiors.
04Five styles
Azilal rug — abstract art, woven by hand
- Handwoven
- Made to order
- One of a kind
- 100% wool
Azilal takes its name from the mountainous province of the same name in the High Atlas, where Berber women wove rugs for their own use — as a blanket, bedding, or protection from the chill of stone houses. Like Beni Ourain, it's built on dense, natural sheep's wool in pale, creamy tones, but its temperament is different: instead of restrained geometry, Azilal's ground carries loose, painterly lines, zigzags and blocks of colour that follow no fixed grid. Each weaver composed her pattern intuitively, drawing on tribal symbolism as much as her own imagination, which is why art critics have long compared Azilal to painterly abstraction — the kind of freedom we associate with Paul Klee or Joan Miró, only set down in thread rather than paint. It's a rug where craft meets pure expression, with no two pieces alike even within the same village. At Common Thread, we consider Azilal one of the most personal choices in our range — because while the pattern always keeps the character of the style, its layout and colour can be as individual as you want them to be.
Style record
- Pattern and palette
- The Azilal ground usually stays natural — cream or ecru — against which a loose play of coloured lines unfolds: reds, pinks, yellows, oranges and navy, drawn irregularly and with energy. Unlike Boujaad, where colour dominates the entire surface, in Azilal the natural wool remains the main character, and the coloured accents read like a freehand drawing laid over it.
- In your home
- Azilal today is a favourite of designers looking for something between a rug and a work of art — treated as a collectible textile piece, not boho decoration. It thrives in a bright, gallery-like interior, where its loose drawing can breathe against white walls and natural wood, but it also works as an unexpected counterpoint in a raw, concrete space. This is a rug for interiors meant to tell a story, not just look good in a photograph.
- Wool and material
- We weave the base from natural, undyed sheep's wool, and dye the coloured elements of the pattern separately before they reach the loom. This keeps the texture dense and soft, while the coloured accents stand out clearly against the pale ground.
- What you choose
- You decide how densely the coloured accents sit against the natural ground — from a few sparing lines to a dense, expressive composition. You also choose which colours dominate the pattern.
How it works
- 01
Consultation
We arrange a short video call to get to know your room, its dimensions and what you want from your rug. This is when we choose a style together — from raw Beni Ourain to vivid Boujaad — as the starting point for your design.
- 02
Design and swatches
From the consultation, we prepare an initial design and post you physical swatches of wool and dyed thread. You feel the material, check the colours in your own home's light, and only then approve the direction of the design.
- 03
Wool and colour
We settle on the final colour palette, knot density and wool weight. At this stage, we refine every detail — from the shade of ecru to the depth of black in the pattern — before the design goes to the atelier.
- 04
Weaving and loom updates
Your rug is woven by hand in a partner atelier in the Atlas Mountains. Over the weeks it takes to weave, we send you photographs straight from the loom, so you can watch the design become a finished rug.
- 05
Approval and delivery
Once your rug comes off the loom, we send photos and video of the finished piece for your approval. Only once you've confirmed it do we arrange insured shipping to your address.
Common questions
Let's talk about your rug
Common Thread is more than a rug order — it's care at every stage, from first idea to rug unrolled in your living room. Before a single knot is tied on the loom, we get to know your room and what you want. Before the rug ever ships, you see it with your own eyes. This is what made-to-measure shopping looks like when it's taken seriously.
Other styles
Beni Mrirt
The premium sibling of Beni Ourain — a denser knot and finer wool for interiors where every detail counts.
Boujaad
Vivid colour and bold, asymmetric pattern woven by Berber women — a rug that reads like a piece of textile art.
Boucherouite
A colourful patchwork woven from reclaimed fibres — the most unpredictable and collectible of our styles.