25 Beautiful Homes

38 | 25bh october 201725bh | cairo apartmentmaStEr bEdroomFeature wallpaper creates a strikingbedhead, which highlights thescale of the room.Floyd throw, £87; Lola circle cushion,£31, both Fest Amsterdam``````bathroomthe once red-and-purple schemewas updated with soft, pale tones.rågrund towel rack chair, £35, Ikea``````mother, she spent childhood holidays in Cairo. ‘I was so inspired bymy trips that I painted my room purple, gold and pink,’ she laughs.Souraya met her Cairo-born husband two years ago. ‘Thingsmoved pretty quickly,’ she says. ‘I’m lucky he’s a fan of the all-whiteScandi look; it’s such a contrast to what he grew up with.’ Thecouple now divide their time between the Netherlands and Egypt,where Souraya is developing artisanal products inspired bytraditional ‘olla’ carafes, as part of her brand, Binti Home. ‘I’m partof a new generation of designers who are mixing European designswith traditional Egyptian craftsmanship,’ she explains.‘Since moving here I’ve learnt to adapt my working day to theclimate, so meetings are either early or at night,’ she continues. One``````of her favourite haunts is the Nile island of Zamalek where thenarrow tangle of streets reminds her of old Amsterdam. Or theK han el-K halili souk, where she unearthed the brass pendantlamps. The kitchen tiles were another local find; the rustic ochrebowls come from Fayoum, Egypt’s centre of pottery production.The traditional bentwood Ahwa café chairs were given a pale bluemakeover, while the sofa is from the recently opened local Ikea.In the bedroom, Souraya made a tall ‘headboard’ from wood-effect wallpaper to emphasise the high ceiling, while a circularmirror with inlaid mother-of-pearl, seals the glamorous feel.‘This home says everything about our tastes,’ reflects Souraya.‘We’ve created a harmonious blend of many different styles.’