DESIGN FILES :: A REGAL & MODERN MIDTOWN APARTMENT WORTHY OF A NEW LIFE TOGETHER

For a newlywed couple in the capital city Abu Dhabi, Harf Noon Design Studio designer Nisrine took a barebones apartment and transformed it into a vibrant expression of their new life together.

Design clients so often desire 50 shades of gray,” and though she doesn’t begrudge lovers of chic neutrals, she admittedly gets a little tired of it. Luckily, her latest clients, Tarek and Rania, a newlywed couple (my sister & brother in law) with their first apartment, were fearless in their ability to mix colors, textures, and patterns. They both saw their new apartment as an opportunity to start fresh and truly build a home that would represent them.

Accessories were simple silver and Bohemia Crystals, plenty of candles and greenery all over.

The main challenge in the space was that it was an open space with the living, dining and tv room all in one. What needed to be done is to give each of these spaces its unique feel without clashing or jeopardising the rest. So the first step was to decide how the layout will be and taking the proper measurements to ensure the furniture that is sourced will fit nicely within the space.

We picked pieces they wouldn't normally explore or that were out of their comfort zone, and helped navigate our differences in opinions. I ultimately expanded their aesthetic.

'You don’t know exactly what you want until you see more possibilities, or are exposed to new ideas'. For example placing two three seaters in front of each other was something they would'nt have considered as they were used to a 3 + 2 + 1 seating arrangement.

The seating options in the living area were selected in super chic, upholstered textured off white velvet. The tufted sofa and grey armchairs from THE ONE were both like ... come and snuggle with us! Accessories were simple silver, gold and Bohemia Crystals, plenty of candles and greenery all over.

Large aesthetic changes such as the paint colour (Jotun's St. Paul) contrasted with the dark wood finish in the dining room which all meshed into the chic furnishing choices to give an absolutely regal feel.

We also added different show pieces in the room like the bloomingdales Caracole coffee table with its intricate geometric design, the large Sunblast mirror from 2XL and the bespoke painting in shades of blues that reiterated the wall colour and gave a dramatic feel to the space (it was actually painted by my mom!).

Before/ The Living Room

For the bedroom, I knew they needed loads of wardrobes as there weren't enough in the apartment, so we planned everything around that.

We installed mirrored IKEA cabinets to increase the feeling of space. In terms of colour, we followed a similar approach to there rest of the house, using shades of grey this time but with loads of metals be it in the side lamps, mirrored side tables or the throw pillows and curtains. The bed was sourced from 2XL while the side tables, bedding & throw cushions from The One.

The couple were super happy the with finished result. Mainly as we managed to stick to the initial budget they had allocated without losing on quality or style. Saving on big items meant you could splurge on others! They have had many lunch and dinner parties and have received numerous comments on how the space looks like them!

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