The layered design scheme is calibrated to gently stimulate rather than overwhelm the senses. Bani Hashim focused on introducing materials and textures that could coexist harmoniously, but with enough piquancy in the mix to stop it from being seen-it-all-before bland. “I like the idea of discovering a space slowly,” she explains. “I want people to notice more details the longer they spend in a room. Nothing should fight for attention, but it’s also important to have some characterful pause points.”
In the dining room, for example, the walls are lined with deep-red Moroccan Zellige tiles, and the ceiling is painted in the same almost-Gucci-Ancora-red shade. One side of the space is glazed, suffusing it with light and framing a view of the courtyard garden, which has been thoughtfully landscaped to include plants which echo the hue of the tiles. “I wanted the inside to blend seamlessly with the outside,” says AlHattab. “The garden really ties everything together.”
There’s a brave wash of color in the kitchen, too, in the form of mustard-yellow cabinetry which glows brighter or recedes as the light shifts throughout the day. “At first, I was worried it might be too much,” admits AlHattab. “I was flipping out because I didn’t consult any of my friends or family members and I thought they might hate it, but I love how it came out in the end.”
