Middle Eastern Interior Design
he Middle East is a distinct region of culture, religion and tradition and their interior style reflects their long history of civilisation and external as well as internal influences. While modern day Arabian-style design may be synonymous with gold, bling and over-the-top luxury, timeless traditional features such as arches, courtyards, screens, mosaics, calligraphy and geometric patterns are just some of the design elements that characterise this unique design style.
Middle Eastern interior design is about a mix of luxury and refinement with simplicity of lines and forms. Modern interior design trends bring fabulous metal forging, intricate patterns, sumptuous fabrics and spectacular handmade carpets into the home creating a stunning visual sensation. Large, traditional houses will often have a complex double structure that allows men to visit without the risk of meeting the women of the family. The mechanical structure of the building is deemphasised and develops according to need, not to a grand design. While homes are often highly decorated with colour a key feature, this decoration is usually reserved for the inside. Often, the only exterior parts to be decorated will be the entrance.
Privacy is highly valued in this maledominated region, especially privacy of the home. As a result, a traditional Arab home is built around a central, internal courtyard with few windows to the outside world. This has the additional advantage of protecting the family from harsh weather conditions like high temperatures, scorching sunlight and desert winds. A long hallway separates the front door from the courtyard to discourage visitors from peeking through. The courtyard is usually decorated with a water fountain and foliage, turning it into a cool, quiet and relaxing family centre with sleeping and living quarters opening on to it.
Perhaps no culture mastered the design and use of the arch more than the Moors. Inheriting earlier arch forms from the Greeks and the Romans, they developed a variety of new shapes including the horseshoe, multi-foil, pointed and the ogee arches. The passion for this motif is due to the mystical and symbolic meanings associated with it, as well as its functional advantages. Their architecture uses it as a major structural and decorative feature. The arch soon spread to all cultures, progressively becoming a global architectural motif.
Oriental interior colours include saturated magenta, red, ochre, green and blue colour shades. It is no coincidence that these mirror the various hues of the desert sands, the unrelenting sun, an occasional oasis and the ever present blue sky. Azure, turquoise and juicy orange shades add brightness and warmth to modern interiors. Tastefully done, the Middle Eastern design aesthetic is sensual and festive with the colourful palette spicing up the unique atmosphere of Arab hospitality.
Historically, the Bedouins of the Arabian Peninsula were nomadic and used rugs and cushions for seating and sleeping. They are easy to roll up and carry on a camel when they needed to move again. As many of these Bedouins became villagers, they retained these traditions and used mattresses scattered around the perimeter of the room for seating. Today, beds and sofas are decorated with lots of cushions in various shapes and styles. Low, round stools, ottomans, poufs and simple seats are popular furniture items that add flexibility to modern interior design.
The most common materials used in Middle Eastern interior design are teak wood, ivory, wrought iron and ceramics. Mother-of-pearl, brass, copper, silver and gold are also very popular. Stamping, carving and inlay are traditional techniques for creating home furnishings.
As any designer knows, it is the small details and unique accessories that elevate a home from the commonplace to the sophisticated. Wall paintings, calligraphy, decorative screens featuring exotic birds and beautiful armour, bronze and clay figurines and natural stone are hallmarks of Central Asian and Middle Eastern decor. Copper jugs and candles in coloured glass jars, semi-transparent white curtains and colourful carpets add charm and chic to room decorating inspired by mysterious and fascinating Middle Eastern interior design style. Early screen work was performed by carving into stone, later it was used more elegantly by the Mughal emperors of India who employed the technique of inlay, using marble and semiprecious stones. Gradually, various materials like ceramic, bricks, marble, limestone, wood and bamboo were also used to create patterns.
Lighting played a crucial role in Middle Eastern culture from religious significance to festival signage. Traditional lanterns use tinted stained glass mixed with rustic tin or brass stylized metalwork with extremely intricate lattice patterns.
Finally, what would a Middle Eastern home be without rugs? Since Muslims pray on the ground, that ground is required to be clean from impurities. In order to ensure cleanliness, many people of Arab or Muslim descent walk barefoot in their homes. As a result, Middle Easterners developed a talent for weaving rugs which turned them into pieces of art with a function. Today, Persian and Turkish rugs are well known for their quality and aesthetics.