< PreviousTRENDS The 50 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/Culture/Interiors Winter 2023 The season of entertaining is upon us and with it come pressing questions: How do I compose a tablescape that exudes poetic abundance rather than chaos? What are the shortcuts to visual cohesion? How can I ensure a night of seamless conversation and leave my guests feeling truly special? Four design tastemakers reveal their styling secrets. SET THE TONE “A theme or colour code that refl ects the occasion should underlie everything,” explains Nour Abdo Nsouli, founder of Dubai-based tablescape company, By Nour With Love. “Th is establishes cohesion and guides adornments and material pairings.” Seasonal elements are a simple yet powerful shortcut to conveying the sentiments of the occasion. “Th ink pumpkins for autumn, pinecones for winter, or seashells for summer,” she says. A SUMPTUOUS MATERIAL PALETTE SIGNALS SOPHISTICATION “Our tables should narrate a story of craftsmanship and creativity, where organic materials meet classic elegance,” suggests Elad Yifrach, founder of L’Objet. “Th is year, I’ve been drawn to organic fi nishes and the warmth of wood – a timeless choice.” THE POWER OF THREE “Consider the table linen as your base,” suggests Louisa Preskett Mobbs, Director of the luxury homeware brand, Maison Margaux. “Th en, employ the power of three – placemat, dining plate, and top plate. Stack these elements before your guests sit down for maximum impact. You can remove them as you plate the food.” MOMENTS OF MAXIMALISM Embrace the trending more-is-more aesthetic this winter. “Indulge yourself and your guests by adding as many accessories as you can,” suggests Louisa. Th e key to capturing the spirit of elevated abundance rather than chaos is selective placement. Take larger pieces as your focal point before introducing smaller items as accent details. “I like to match napkins to table linen for a powerful pattern-on-pattern eff ect,” she says. CLASSIC WITH A CONTEMPORARY TWIST For Elad, the most captivating winter tables balance a sense of the classic and the understated with a twist – a touch of the unexpected whimsy that his brand is best known for. Th is is best achieved through the introduction of unexpected elements that express quality and character in equal measure: “Take our Linen Sateen tablecloths and napkins boasting psychedelic ’70s-inspired patterns, for example, they off er a delightful surprise during a season where light may be scarce,” he says. EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED Martina Mondadori, one of the founders of Cabana Magazine, skilfully combines far-fl ung cultural and visual codes in her tablescapes: “During winter, I embrace classic fl orals – think red berries and deep greens scattered along the centre of the table,” she shares. Martina contrasts these references with unexpected material and texture combinations, such as straw placemats and vintage china inherited from her father: “I place all of this atop Cabana’s Skyros tablecloth, which drew inspiration from an antique Greek textile at Th e Benaki Museum in Athens. It features a red and green geometrical motif that’s ideal for the festive season.” PLAY WITH PROPORTIONS Establish tension and dynamism on the dining table through proportion play. Flickering candles at a variety of heights extend a sense of depth and romance to the room. “Remember to take into account the height and shape of your fl oral arrangements,” says Nour. “Th e centrepiece and decorative elements should never obstruct conversation or the guests’ view.” TAILORED TOUCHES Personalisation makes ideal mementoes: “Make your guests feel extra special with a handwritten place card, keepsake, or personalised note that they can take home at the end of the night,” suggests Nour. Don’t underestimate the fi nishing touches. “Scented elements like candles or fresh herbs infuse the living space with the spirit of the season.” “E M P L O Y T H E PO W E R O F TH R E E – PL A C E M A T , DI NI N G PL A T E , A N D TO P P L A T E ” Lou i sa Presk et t HBI_059_48-53_TableScaping_13088174.indd 5005/12/2023 11:0551 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/Culture/Interiors Summer 2023 XOX OXOXOOXOXOX XOXOOO XOXOX OXO XOXO XOXO XOXO XOXO XOX XO XOX OXOX OXOXOOXO XOX OXOXOOXOXOX XOXOOO XOXOX OXO XOXO XOXO XOXO XOXO XOX XO XOX OXOX OXOXOOXO Delicate motifs adorn this tablecloth from Giacomo’s collaboration with Cabana, displaying soft allure HBI_059_48-53_TableScaping_13088174.indd 5105/12/2023 11:06TRENDS The La DoubleJ dinnerware infuses whimsy and excitement through bold patterns and playful imagery HBI_059_48-53_TableScaping_13088174.indd 5205/12/2023 11:0653 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/Culture/Interiors Winter 2023 “O U R T A B L E S S H O U L D NA R R A T E A S T O R Y O F CR A F T S M A N S HIP A N D CR E A T I V I T Y ” El a d Y i f r a c h HBI_059_48-53_TableScaping_13088174.indd 5305/12/2023 11:0654 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/Culture/Interiors Winter 2023 CREDIT HERE FOCUS Design MATERIAL CHANGE Rue Kothari revisits Dubai Design Week to discover a breadth of fresh ideas WORDS BY RUE KOTHARI, IMAGES COUR TESY OF DUBAI DESIGN WEEK AND RESPECTIVE DESIGNERS It’s a fairly existential experience to be reviewing Dubai Design Week and its exhibition – Downtown Design – for Harper’s Bazaar Interiors. It was back in 2009 when I published my fi rst edition of the magazine themed ‘Made in Arabia’, and just fi ve years later when I was brought into the Art Dubai Group to grow the then 1,500sqm Downtown Design, followed by my passion project, Editions, a showcase of collectible regional design. I fi nally left the fair in 2020 at 13,000sqm, and as the leading fair in the Middle East. Returning for its 10th anniversary, to lead a talk and to celebrate the incredible development of the event and Dubai’s design industry as a whole, is a proud moment and a privilege, especially with the diversity of content on off er. HBI_059_54-61_Design Focus_13093586.indd 5405/12/2023 11:07 DESIGN FOCUS 55 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/Culture/Interiors Winter 2023 CREDIT HERE Exhibiting rich visuals and time-tested techniques, Jaipur Rugs enlivens heritage on the loom HBI_059_54-61_Design Focus_13093586.indd 5505/12/2023 11:08CREDIT HERE DESIGN FOCUS Riffi ng on the theme of sustainability, what characterises this year’s Design Week is the sheer number of large-scale outdoor installations. Exploring innovations in materiality, many address experimental advances in use and reuse, local sourcing and 3D-printed architecture. At the apex of this is the return of hero project Abwab – a pavilion commissioned to a local emerging architect, this year’s recipient being Tashkeel alumni Abdalla Almulla of MULA design studio. As always, the majority of the installations and programming are dotted around D3. One of the 20 installations is homegrown brand Monochrome’s very fi rst external pop-up. Entitled Beyond Light, it’s an exploration of pure spatial design that invites you to experience hidden sensory elements – sound, scent, light and touch in an intuitive way. Th eir collaboration with European lighting brand Prado shows how far Monochrome, and so many of this generation of local brands, have come. To complement there are of course a smattering of international heavyweights including Mamou-Mani Architects who have joined hands with Th erme Group to showcase a 3D-printed pavilion, made from biodegradable sugar-based PLA, loofah and paper pulp. As the centrepiece of Design Week, Downtown Design is now run by Mette Degn-Christensen. Th e trade fair continues to be the hub of From left: Paseo Carved Wood Media Console from Kravitz Design sporting cubist motifs; Designest by architect Ahmad Alkattan is inspired by the historical signifi cance of pigeon towers in the Arabian Peninsula Tashkeel’s Tanween Design Programme spotlights sustainability via creations like The Mishkah Collection by Marwa Abdelrahim (top and right) – three 3D-printed light fi xtures made of clay, and Roots by Wafa Al Falahi (left) which utilises biodegradable plastic infused with henna HBI_059_54-61_Design Focus_13093586.indd 5605/12/2023 11:08CREDIT HERE “ M A N Y A D D R E S S E X P E R I M E N T A L A D V A N C E S I N U S E A N D R E U S E , LOC A L SO U R C I N G A N D 3 D - P RI N T E D A R C H I T E C T U RE ” Ru e Ko th ar i The Jugalbandi tapestries by Lorenzo Vitturi for Jaipur rugs convey strength in form and sharp hues HBI_059_54-61_Design Focus_13093586.indd 5705/12/2023 11:08 DESIGN FOCUS 58 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/Culture/Interiors Winter 2023 CREDIT HERE Agata Kurzela fuses art with technology for innovative formations HBI_059_54-61_Design Focus_13093586.indd 5805/12/2023 11:0959 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/Culture/Interiors Winter 2023 CREDIT HERE activity for the week, presenting international and local brands to the region’s growing number of interior designers. However, for those wanting to peruse the less commercial side, or looking for inspiration for their own décor projects, there is a good edit on show. Jaipur Rugs, one of South Asia’s most ethical and sustainable brands presents Carpe Diem – a dreamlike journey through the rich culture and craftsmanship of Jaipur. As part of this, they showcased the multi-award-winning Manchaha collection that is imagined and created entirely by the weavers themselves. Th e success of this collection has empowered the female weavers to elevate their living standards, send their children to university and has seen them travel the world to accept awards for their incredible achievements. Th ere are a host of collectives too including the BEIT Collective featuring colour champion Adam Nathaniel Furman; Designed in Saudi featuring an original Editions exhibitor – REJO Studio; Double J Collective, a new local collectible design gallery; and a Dutch collective presenting a range of pieces from furniture to accessories. Returning for its second edition was the UAE Designer Exhibition, supported by Dubai Culture and curated by Fatma Al Mahmoud. As a 59 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/Culture/Interiors Winter 2023 HBI_059_54-61_Design Focus_13093586.indd 5905/12/2023 11:10Next >