Are young Omanis capable of designing the interior of luxury homes? Do they have the ability to adapt and draw inspiration from international trends to improve the interior design industry in the Sultanate?
If prominent interior designer Sanaa al Zeidi will be asked, her answer is a resounding yes.
She points out that young Omani talents, even the fresh graduates have grown by leaps and bounds they are capable of hatching smart ideas and executing beautiful interior decors.
“I never regretted hiring young Omanis because they always amaze me with their fresh thoughts. You are extremely lucky if your job is your talent,” Sanaa shared.
The local talents she employed in her “Be Different” company which specialises in interior design and décor have proven to her that young Omanis possess unique viewpoints that make them unmatchable and a commodity in the design market.
“These youths have proven to me that they love what they do. With me, they work as decision-makers, not just employees because they always provide excellent suggestions and wise choices,” Sanaa said.
“Be Different” in the last few years has established itself as to go-to for on-trend, beautiful designs that rightfully combine international flavour with local twists. They had been supplying a variety of decorative accessories such as 3D wallboard, veneer stone and PVC wood. It is their vision to introduce a luxury hotel style and feel to every home in the country utilising decorative antiques with some unique touches that shout Omani identity.
Three females and one male interior designer work with Sanaa to shape “Be Different” in the way it looks today.
“The company has evolved into a family joint rather than the confining employee-boss relation. With this format, when you open the avenue for creative thinking and discussion where everyone is free to express their ideas combined with the rich imagination of utilising different materials, the level of creativity is just enormous,” she said.
“In this industry, female interior designers are usually more trusted than men, especially in the Omani context. I think people appreciate female touches in the décor section which is why there is an abundance for women interior decorators. For me, however, I don’t confine my thinking into this box. Males too have their extraordinary foresight which when utilised properly can result in something beautiful. This industry, for me, depends more on the person’s creativity rather than his gender,” she said.
As one of the go-to in Oman for interior design, Sanaa shared that they had been leaning towards more sustainable, eco-friendly design these days.
“We try to use eco-friendly materials like bamboo fibres, sugar cane fibres and other 100% eco-friendly materials. We try to improve the brand’s image. People trust responsible companies and eco-friendly packaging creates a good impression of the company when it cares about the environment,” Sanaa said.
“My team excels at creating unique wall panels and are talented at decorating floors, ceilings using different materials. We use materials like veneer stone that is a real natural stone, which our experienced specialists process. it is a creative surface design for the talented do it,” she said.
Latest trends according to Sanaa is using stone veneer product line as this can be utilised for exterior and interior designs and are perfect not only for floors and walls but almost every facet of home decor.
“We work at designing some charming wall panels. We try to keep this on-trend and draw inspiration from international trends. But we add our own touches to localising the approach to the services we provide,” she said.
“We have photos that we design ourselves. We have wall panels that showcase the team’s international experience but taking into consideration our local background. We endeavour to make sure that our wall panels are functional and decorative. We make sure that while they enhance the beauty of the home, they are also durable,” she added.
“All of the success we experience today, these had been possible with the inputs of our local talents who provide support almost in all areas of the services we provide. Our goal now is to take both the company and our local designers to even greater heights,” she said.
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