Arabic:Luxurious Middle Eastern elegance with geometric precision.
Arabic design embodies the luxury and refinement of Middle Eastern aesthetics, featuring elaborate geometric patterns, rich jewel tones, sumptuous fabrics, and exquisite craftsmanship. From the traditional majlis seating to intricate arabesque details, this style balances opulence with the mathematical precision of Islamic art. It creates spaces that feel both luxurious and spiritually centered.
Arabic interiors are architectural before they're decorative — carved plaster, geometric wooden screens (mashrabiya), tile mosaics, and layered textiles that transform a room into a place of hospitality. Ornament as reverence.
The vocabulary is precise. Nothing here is arbitrary — the geometry is mathematical, the calligraphy is intentional, the layering of textiles is ceremonial. A room in this style has real depth.
This guide walks through what defines the look, the palette we work from when a client asks for it, the pieces and materials that make a room feel like Arabic instead of "generic contemporary," and where in a home it lands best.
Key characteristics.
In Arabic design, ornament is a kind of hospitality.
Colours we build the room around.
Primary Palette
Accent Colours
Colours to Avoid
Colours specified from Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams — the two catalogues carried by every serious paint store, with codes any designer can quote and any store can mix.
Materials & textures.
Materials
- Silk and velvet fabrics
- Brass and copper
- Carved dark wood
- Marble and onyx
- Mother of pearl inlay
- Gold leaf
- Ornate tiles
- Hand-knotted rugs
Patterns
- Islamic geometric stars and polygons
- Arabesque flowing designs
- Arabic calligraphy
- Lattice and screen patterns
- Medallion motifs
Textures
- Embossed metalwork
- Carved wood screens
- Plush velvet
- Smooth marble
- Intricate embroidery
Furniture & decor.
Iconic Pieces
- Majlis floor seating
- Low divans and sofas
- Inlaid coffee tables
- Carved wooden chests
- Ornate screens and room dividers
- Brass-topped tables
- Upholstered ottomans
Decor Elements
- Arabic calligraphy artwork
- Ornate brass lanterns
- Decorative plates and trays
- Hand-woven rugs
- Silk cushions with tassels
- Carved screens (mashrabiya)
- Ornate mirrors
- Incense burners
Lighting style.
Brass and coloured-glass pendants throwing patterned shadows. Table lamps with metal-worked bases. Wall sconces flanking every doorway. Warm bulbs throughout.
Best rooms.
Space & approach.
Small Spaces
In small spaces, focus on one or two luxurious elements—an ornate mirror, a gorgeous rug, or a brass lantern. The rich colors can actually make small rooms feel cozy and jewel-box-like. Use mirrors to expand space and reflect light. Avoid over-layering textiles in tight quarters.
Large Spaces
Large spaces can embrace full Arabic opulence. Create a majlis seating area with low sofas and abundant cushions. Layer rugs. Use room dividers and screens to create intimate zones within grand spaces. This style was designed for palaces and grand rooms.
Starting a Collection
Add one architectural element — a mashrabiya screen, a hand-carved plaster inset, a mosaic tile splashback. Even one true element resets the whole room.
The Considered Room
Commissioned Arabic pieces are hand-carved, hand-tiled, and hand-inlaid — cabinets with mother-of-pearl detail, tables with mosaic tops, low majlis seating in silk-blend velvet. Made by masters.
Pieces that live in this idiom.
Every piece above is designed and built in our workroom. Prices are our to-the-trade rates; no retail middleman.
Related styles.
Bring Arabic home.
Our workroom designs and builds bespoke furniture in the Arabic tradition — commissioned to your room, delivered white-glove. To-the-trade access; no retail middleman.
