What does riad mean? The Moroccan courtyard house explained
Walk through the narrow lanes of a Moroccan medina and you see only plain walls and doors. Behind some of them lies a riad: a house that turns its back on the street and opens onto a hidden garden.
The meaning of the word
Riad comes from the Arabic word for garden, ar-riyad. In Morocco it describes a traditional house or palace built around an interior courtyard, usually planted with trees and centred on a fountain.
How a riad is built
Rooms are arranged on two or three floors around the courtyard, with windows facing inwards instead of out to the street. The courtyard brings light, air and coolness into the home and gives the family privacy.
Traditional riads are decorated with zellige tilework, carved cedar wood, sculpted plaster and tadelakt, a polished lime plaster. Orange and lemon trees, jasmine and roses are classic plantings, so the courtyard is often perfumed by the garden itself.
Why we called the brand RÎAD
The name RÎAD is inspired by that inner courtyard: a private oasis where light, calm and fragrance meet. It is the feeling we build our perfumes around — quiet, timeless luxury that does not need to shout to be noticed.
A riad looks modest from outside and reveals its beauty only when you step in. We like to think our perfumes work the same way: close to the skin, unfolding slowly, noticed by those near you.
