How creative director Gabriella Khalil translates the Palm Heights aesthetic to H&M Home

Emirates Woman

14 hours ago

Get ready to vacation without leaving your space. Gabriella Khalil, the New York-based creative mind behind Grand Cayman's cult-favourite beachfront boutique hotel, Palm Heights, has teamed up with H&M Home for a transportive home collection. Think retro stripes and sunny essentials that bring the spirit of the Caribbean straight to your living room.
The stylish 23-piece collection, launched June 12, 2025, evokes the signature design universe and sun-drenched, glamorous spirit of the hotel, with a transporting array of objects that bring the holiday feeling into your space. 'It's about a feeling,' Khalil says, describing the ethos behind the design that invites a new way to live with vacation in mind.
In this exclusive interview, Gabriella Khalil and Evelina Kravaev-Söderberg , Head of Design and Creative at H&M Home, share the story behind the collaboration, how the visual DNA of Palm Heights evolved into home decor, for a touch of escapism at home.
Palm Heights is more than a hotel — it's a fully immersive aesthetic. How did you translate its unique design DNA into this collaboration with H&M HOME?
GK: Aside from working with the design codes, it was more about translating a feeling. At
Palm Heights, we want people to come together, relax, have a good time, and feel connected. The collection features all of these elements – from cosy bathrobes to glassware and games. I hope these speak to the experience we have tried to create.
The 1970s Caribbean influence is palpable in both the hotel and this collection. What draws you to that particular era, and how did you reinterpret it for modern interiors?
GK: It was a spirit of what we call the glory days of the Caribbean – moments from that time
— and the architecture of the building itself, which lent itself to that era. We wanted to celebrate this moment and hone in on it. Some photography by Slim Aarons, and also Grace Jones, has been an ongoing reference.
There's a playful edge throughout — from the striped robes to the beach tennis set. How do you balance visual sophistication with this sense of fun?
GK: I always say that Palm Heights might be highly visual and chic, but at the same time, there's a real playfulness about it. We have tables of backgammon on the beach near the chairs. So those, I think, are super fun and colourful and a little bit 'pop'. I just felt like it was an important addition.
The collection feels deeply personal. Which piece feels most 'you' — and why?
GK: All of the pieces feel like a piece of the Palm Heights world, which in turn links to my style. I am always focused on details in spaces. Materials like the soft terry robes and towels, as well as the sandstone on the vases and candles, resonate with me. I always love to use layers of texture and movement, and I think these objects embody that.
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Community plays a big role in the Palm Heights ethos. How did that value shape your creative process for this collaboration?
GK: Community and collaboration have always been core values of the brand. So, collaborating with incredible creatives has been an ongoing process, and through this community was built. I took the same approach while working with H&M Home and focused on objects that express the spirit of holiday and bring people together (beautiful tabletop pieces, beach towels, and games), and this allows people to bring this to their own spaces this summer.
You describe this collection as bringing the holiday feeling home. What does that sense of escapism look like for you, personally?
GK: My ultimate holiday is a location where I can relax but also discover. I love details, and whether that be seen in linens, service, or even the mini bar, this idea of a special curation is what makes an experience go from good to spectacular. I tried to connect these details to the H&M Home pieces for a full experience of a holiday at home!
You've created a global design destination in the heart of the Caribbean. What excites you most about introducing Palm Heights to homes across the UAE and beyond?
GK: Palm Heights has always had a very strong and specific visual narrative. The idea of giving guests a very elevated experience where they can also truly be themselves and relax was a key component. I hope that as we introduce the hotel to homes across the UAE that the playful and elegant spirit of the property is felt.
You've collaborated with a number of visionaries, but what was it about Gabriella's creative universe that made her the ideal partner for this collection?
EKS: We loved the creative universe of Palm Heights, but we became even more intrigued by the fact that there was a strong and fascinating woman behind it. Gabriella is so impressive, and it was wonderful to gain an understanding of her vision and her process.
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Palm Heights is such a visually rich space. What were the first elements that inspired your team when translating the hotel into a product line?
EKS: I would say the colours. We talked about sunset hues — yellow as a key colour in the assortment, along with the stripes. In terms of product, the bathrobes and towels are significant because it is a beach resort. The Cayman Islands are very much about the sun and the sea.
There's a strong tactile element to the collection — from handwoven textures to teak ceramics. How important was materiality in shaping the mood of the pieces?
EKS: H&M HOME is about democratic modern design that is done mindfully, and I think that is expressed through the materials. In general, we work as sustainably as we can and lean into natural materials for this collection, as the hotel has lots of earthy materials — travertine and other types of stone, like marble, in its design.
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This collaboration fuses design storytelling with accessibility. How do you ensure the soul of a high-end boutique hotel translates into attainable pieces for the home?
EKS: Gabriella was true to herself and her vision for Palm Heights, but she was also open to what we could contribute, our knowledge of our customers, and commercial aspects. Our goal is to make the world more beautiful for many people, not just a select few. With homewares and objects, I think we can capture the spirit of a place in an accessible way. For example, the games are completely new product types for us. We aimed to capture the energy of the place and evoke a holiday feeling in the collection.
The collection evokes a sense of place and time. How did you balance nostalgia with contemporary appeal in the design direction?
EKS: I think that is a mirror of what Gabriella has achieved with the hotel: it is energetic and modern, with a bit of a retro Seventies feel, but very contemporary. For H&M HOME, we have a design-driven focus on creating modern interior objects – the collection creates a perfect fusion.
From scent to color palette, the sensory details are incredibly considered. What role do these finer touches play in the emotional impact of a home?
EKS: Sensory experiences, from scents, textures, to colours add so much to our homes. They create a mood and an ambiance, simply a place to feel at home. You have the functional necessities of interior objects, which can also be very beautiful, but the emotional value lies in creating something that extends beyond what the eye sees.
How do you see H&M HOME's collaborations influencing the way consumers style their spaces, especially in an increasingly digital and design-aware world?
EKS: Our ambition is to create accessibility for our customers and invite them to have a piece of something unique in their homes with our collaborations. With Palm Heights, we want to extend the hotel's energy and atmosphere into our customers 'homes.
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The Palm Heights collection launches across the region in June. What do you hope Middle Eastern customers feel when they experience it in store?
EKS: We hope that our Middle Eastern customers will be swept away by the escapism and playfulness of the collection. The collaboration happens at the intersection of H&M HOME's design-driven mission to create modern interior objects and Palm Heights' unique soul of a 70s Caribbean. – For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram
Images: Supplied