Mashrabiya

Light enough to be moved easily, yet substantial enough to hold up to every day use, mashrabiya screens create privacy zones within an interior while allowing a free flow of air through the space.

When used in Turkish homes, mashrabiya are usually made from hand-carved wood. For the Salt Spring Island cottage, three types of woven cane make a variation suited for the Pacific coastline setting. One of the owners and a local craftsman hand-built the screens by stretching commercial rolls of imported cane material over custom wood frames. It's best to select a tighter-woven cane for mashrabiya used to screen private areas, such as the sleeping and dressing alcoves. For storage areas, cane with large openings improves ventilation.