EAST MEETS WEST
A fusion of global influences has given this Cairo apartment an exquisite new look
Pausing on a whistle-stop tour of her Cairo apartment, Souraya Hassan points out some of her favourite pieces. There is the burnished gold table from Holland, a glass carafe, hand-blown in Egypt, and a slender candlestick from Sweden. It is a cross-cultural trio that sums up the style of this home; a fluent East-west combination, where cool Scandi tones and streamlined shapes chime with the warmer, hand-crafted textures that come from Middle Eastern design.
The Nordic brightness of the apartment is immediately striking. ‘Traditional Egyptian interiors are quite dark,’ says Souraya, a photographer and designer, who lives here with her actor-filmmaker husband, Mahmoud. ‘This place was a mix of purple and red with brown doors. So the first thing I did was to paint everything white.’ Underfoot, sombre tiles were swapped for milk-pale wood flooring. The fluttering linen curtains also depart from convention. ‘Most Cairanese cover their windows in heavy drapery to keep out the heat, but I wanted to capitalise on the light,’ says Souraya, ‘so thank goodness for the air conditioning!’
The layout of the capacious living area is also unconventional. ‘Egyptian homes are designed for large family gatherings with lots of sofas,’ says Souraya, ‘ but as we both work from home, Mahmoud had the idea of dividing the space with glass walls to create our home office.’ The kitchen was also given a northern twist: dark units are painted white with rustic open shelves for crockery and glassware.
The apartment’s well-travelled style mirrors Souraya’s own outlook. Born in the Netherlands to an Egyptian father and Dutch
mother, she spent childhood holidays in Cairo. ‘I was so inspired by my trips that I painted my room purple, gold and pink,’ she laughs.
Souraya met her Cairo-born husband two years ago. ‘Things moved pretty quickly,’ she says. ‘I’m lucky he’s a fan of the all-white Scandi look; it’s such a contrast to what he grew up with.’ The couple now divide their time between the Netherlands and Egypt, where Souraya is developing artisanal products inspired by traditional ‘olla’ carafes, as part of her brand, Binti Home. ‘I’m part of a new generation of designers who are mixing European designs with traditional Egyptian craftsmanship,’ she explains.
‘Since moving here I’ve learnt to adapt my working day to the climate, so meetings are either early or at night,’ she continues. One of her favourite haunts is the Nile island of Zamalek where the narrow tangle of streets reminds her of old Amsterdam. Or the Khan el-khalili souk, where she unearthed the brass pendant lamps. The kitchen tiles were another local find; the rustic ochre bowls come from Fayoum, Egypt’s centre of pottery production. The traditional bentwood Ahwa café chairs were given a pale blue makeover, while the sofa is from the recently opened local Ikea.
In the bedroom, Souraya made a tall ‘ headboard’ from woodeffect wallpaper to emphasise the high ceiling, while a circular mirror with inlaid mother-of-pearl, seals the glamorous feel. ‘This home says everything about our tastes,’ reflects Souraya. ‘We’ve created a harmonious blend of many different styles.’