Sedari (built-in salon seating), a door or a cupboard: before you agree with the carpenter, tell him clearly the shape, size, type of wood and finish. Send photos of the space with measurements, and ask for a drawing and a written price that separates the frame, the decoration and the fitting.
At the first meeting
Tell the maâlem (master craftsman) what you want: sedari, a door, a cupboard, a kitchen, a table or just a repair. Say whether you want a new frame, carving, painting, inlay, or only a change of decoration. Photos of the space with measurements say more than a style name that changes from one souk to another.
With the carpenter and the upholsterer
Sedari can run along one wall, sit in a corner, or wrap around the walls in a U shape, raised on a wooden base or low to the floor. Ask for a drawing showing the base, the back, storage underneath if you want it, and the mattresses and cushions the upholsterer will make.
Before you choose the wood
Moroccan woodworkers use thuya, cedar, oak, walnut, acacia and lemon wood, among others; painted, carved and inlaid wood each have their own look. Not every wood suits every job. Ask what the frame is made of, what is only veneer or decoration, and whether the wood can handle the damp in that room.
On a sample or at the workshop
Geometric or floral carving, painting, gilding, metal thread and inlay give a piece its character. Check whether the carving is deep and even, whether the edges are crisp, whether the doors open and close well and whether the piece stands straight. Decoration pleases the eye, but the frame is what lasts.
When the maâlem or the shopkeeper says it
"Mario classique", "B couliss"... these are names you hear in the souk, and each workshop understands them its own way. So don't rely on the name alone. Say clearly what you want: a cupboard with ordinary hinged doors, with sliding doors, or something else. Then ask for a photo or a drawing with the measurements, the type of wood and the finish. If the doors slide, check that the price includes the rail, the fitting and the upkeep.
Among the professionals on Hdaya
See the carpenter's work with your own eyes, ask who will actually make the piece, and send photos of the space with measurements. The photo shows what you want, and a written agreement makes everything clear from the start.
A good place to start
Gather measurements and photos, choose the type of wood, the finish and how the door opens, then ask for a written price that separates the frame, the decoration, transport and fitting.
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See them all on Hdaya
When a family prepares for a wedding or moves into a new house, the carpenter is always there: the salon sedari, the bedroom door, the kitchen cupboard. What he makes stays with you for years, which is why you look for a maâlem who understands your taste and builds a sound frame.
Woodwork in Morocco is varied: some craftsmen carve, some paint and decorate, some inlay. Every family and every city has its own taste, and no single style is the only right one. What matters is knowing what you want and seeing the maâlem's work with your own eyes.
The Moroccan salon starts with the carpenter and finishes with the upholsterer. If you are preparing a salon, see also The Upholsterer and the Moroccan Salon. And for the whole house, see Zellige Beldi and Moroccan Carved Plaster.
On Hdaya you find carpenters from your city with their work shown in photos: send them photos of the space with measurements, and the conversation starts there.
Carved wood has patterns cut into it, painted wood has colour or decoration on the surface, and inlaid wood has other pieces or materials set into it. Ask the maâlem to write down in the price exactly what he will do.
Ask what the frame is made of, what is only a finish or veneer, and how he will allow for damp and for how the space is used.
Don't rely on the name alone. Say clearly what you want, and ask for a photo or a drawing with the details in writing.
Procedures change. If something here is out of date, tell us and we will check it again.