
Introducing The Summer 2025 Issue Of Bazaar Arabia Interiors
The last few months have served as an incredible reminder of the profound impact design has on every facet of our lives. The inaugural Downtown Design Riyadh in May put Saudi front and centre, with its four-day event at JAX District in Diriyah, celebrating both regional and international talent and connecting global brands with the Kingdom's creative community. The 64th edition of Salone del Mobile in April once again proved why it's the most influential fair in the global design calendar, with a theme this year of Human Touch that focused on materiality, emotion and craftsmanship. EXPO 2025 also opened its doors, running until October in Osaka, with the Middle Eastern pavilions blending millennia-old civilisations with cutting-edge visions. New ideas, new names, new launches… The design world is as vibrant and remarkable as it's ever been.
Unearthing uniqueness is one of the greatest privileges when putting together each edition of Harper's Bazaar Interiors. Discovering and delving into truly singular spaces that push the boundaries of design, experience and livability is the cornerstone of what we do. Casa Roca, a quiet sanctuary in Jumeirah Park, is one such space. Designed around raw, earthy, natural elegance, the villa celebrates the spirit of Wabi Sabi – a Japanese philosophy that finds beauty in imperfection – allowing nature's rawest elements to take lead, ushering in a quiet luxury that feels inherently organic.
Turning to homes across the region and beyond, we explore the different connections we have with the spaces we live in and love. For Carmel Harrison, her Palm Jumeirah apartment is an extension of her spiritual second home, Ibiza, asserting, 'If I can't live there yet, I'll bring the island to me.' For Shima Samaei, her creative domain, a sun-drenched apartment in Index Tower, is an extension of her broader ethos, that a home should provoke thought, stir emotion and still serve the quiet rituals of everyday life. And in London, Brigitta Spinocchia Freund treats her west-London villa as an ever-evolving gallery space. Thought-provoking design from myriad perspectives.
As we welcome summer, and thoughts turn to vacations and perhaps lighter, brighter colour codes – such as our Mediterranean-infused cover – now is the time to be playful. To allow design to enhance your world, rather than be dictated by it. Whether you're led by nature or perhaps something altogether more instinctive, the foundations of design remain the same: it should be fun. I hope this issue sparks wonder in all the right ways.
From Harper's Bazaar Arabia Interiors Summer 2025 Issue.
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