Pocket-friendly home improvements
Chats with the founder of S971, which will offer unique and affordable interior accents
The concept behind the new S971.com e-shop is really rather simple, says Gaby Koudsi, the man behind the brand, which is set to launch imminently. “Our motto, ‘If we love, we have it’, really says it all. We wanted to go back to basics and create an element of surprise,” Koudsi explains. “We have various products from all over the world that we exclusively import to the UAE.”
The aim is to offer items at a price point of Dh4,000 or less, with free delivery to the UAE and, eventually, the wider region. “The main premise is that design doesn’t have to be expensive. You can still get nice products at a fair price,” says Koudsi, who, after many years working in the interiors industry in the UAE, identified a clear gap in the market for unique design accents that wouldn’t break the bank.
He has put together an artfully curated collection – which also serves as a reminder that good design doesn’t need to take itself too seriously. There’s an inherent sense of fun to all the items on offer at S971.com, from The Cube by Meyou Paris, a highly stylish hideaway for your feline friends that also doubles as a scratching pad, to the statues and book ends by Sofia, which give traditional Greek busts a makeover for the modern age.
A personal favourite, however, is the Barrel Q, a back-to-basics grill shaped like an oil barrel, which comes in a series of jaunty shades. “They are designed and made in Rotterdam. The founder was a television presenter in Holland, and he once saw people using these barrels as a fire pit; he took the idea and designed a proper barbecue around it. It’s a fun, nice product. Most of our offerings are simple and honest, made from honest materials.”
That is certainly true of the lighting designs by Good & Mojo, which are crafted from materials such as bamboo, abaca, rubber from old car tyres, cork, linen, recycled paper, volcanic rock and woodchips. With names like Serengeti, Yucatan, Kalahari, Yosemite and Borneo, they are a striking celebration of the natural world. In addition to its use of ethical materials, Good & Mojo also donates 5 per cent of the funds from each lamp it sells to the WakaWaka Foundation, which distributes WakaWaka lamps (one of the most efficient solar lamps in the world) to those in need. This, at present, includes internally displaced people in Chile and solar entrepreneurs in Rwanda.
“So you buy a light, you give a light,” says Koudsi. “And, of course, they look nice. With lighting, it’s very difficult, if you don’t want to invest in high-end designer pieces, to find something that is really interesting. These are simple, affordable and unpretentious.”
Unfortunately, S971 won’t be able to help you with lastminute Christmas shopping this year, but come 2018, it could well become your go-to site for unique gifts that are interesting and affordable.