Interview
Omnia Awad
Omnia was born and raised in Egypt, showing a passion for art, colors and painting at a young age. She grew up to become a researcher with a Master's degree in Biochemistry and another Master's degree in Business.
With a continuous subliminal passion and love for art and design, and paying great attention to the visual construction of every place she came across, Omnia discovered that she is passionate about interior design. During a specific period in her life, she decided to follow her passion and do what she loves - helping many families and individuals around Cairo, Doha, Giza and KSA to create homes where they love to live.
Omnia has always believed that peace, serenity and comfort begin at home, and this is what she is passionate about helping people achieve.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“I used to draw and paint since I was a child, up until university, but because of my busy schedule at university, I stopped painting and didn’t start again until after completing my master’s degree.
I have been working as a researcher for almost 7 years, after finishing my Master’s degree in 2017, but the dream of getting back to art never left me. In time, I discovered that I am passionate about interior design and that I give much attention to spaces and how they are furnished and finished. Since this discovery, I decided to go where my heart led me and to follow my passion.
Then the ‘self-learning’ journey started, watching the latest trends, international designers, online learning, the latest versions of visualization, color trends, fabrics, and lines issued by the leading companies in the industry. I have been working for many companies as a designer and visualizer, alongside my work in my own design studio.
In 2019 I started my MBA degree in ESLSCA business school Paris, to merge art into business and turn my passion into a profession besides my work.”
What inspires you?
“Nature is the main source of inspiration; nature can find itself into any space of life. I believe that humans love the natural and organic appeal of elements that make them feel calm, at peace, and above all, welcomed into a space.
Also traveling to different countries and opening up to various cultures and exhibitions has enriched my background and has always been such a source of inspiration for my work . So much so that my work can vary from modern to loft industrial, French country and mid-century. Rococo also had its impact on me, as once I designed a rococo room influenced by my visit to Vienna.
Exploring many countries like Austria, Czech Republic, Italy, Turkey, UAE, KSA and Germany has broadened my mind to different architectural styles like modern European, Gothic, rococo, and mid-century. I am also inspired by my country of origin, Egypt, which is well known for its cultural diversification that reflected on architecture, besides the great ancient Egyptians’ architecture.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“Nature themes are always my first options - it has an element of longevity. Concepts of fall, and the beach are my preferences. I am more into natural elements, untreated wood, rustic raw organic materials, straw, plenty of plants, minimal lines, neutral color palette to name a few.
Places to live in should have the same exact raw elements of nature with neutral colors, and of course, a touch of luxury.”
“I have always believed that the place where people live should be an extension of nature; it should connect people to the exterior, not isolate them from the natural habitat.”
What artists influence you most?
“Most likely biophilic artists who adopt biophilic building and inner space principles, with rooms benefiting from enough natural light, natural color palettes, and, of course, plenty of house plants. The concept is that no matter where you are in the house, you can see or are surrounded by house plants.
I find this in the designs of Kelly Wearstler, Karin Bohn, Bobby Berk, and Justina Blakeney.”
How would you describe your work?
“It all starts from human needs - it is an approach to address how humans live today; how to provide their physical, mental and emotional needs.
It is about making a place where we love to live or work in. It is an innovative process to make a successful design that does not conflict with the best use of the space. Creating a place where people should subliminally feel alive, connected and serene. It is designing a home around what makes people emotionally charged, excited, calmed and soothed.”
What is your creative process like?
"Mostly it is an organized process, where I meet my clients to know exactly what they love to have in their home and what they don’t. With the help of my tools, mood boards and themes, we agree to the preferred color palettes, materials and fabrics, pieces of furniture, finishes, and lighting and of course the design style. Then I start the process of innovation and improvisation to create a totally new design that fits the space, taking in consideration what they love most through combining many elements of colors, fabrics, textures and materials, sticking to the broad lines of the styles that resonate to their personal preference.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“As I mentioned before, interior design creates a space that promotes human’s health, welfare and safety, and one that improves wellbeing.
Indeed, art is a way of survival. This is not a cliché, it is a fact. Art has the power to take us to another time and place. It provides us with historical context and comprehension. Art enables us to grasp various historical periods and their effect and relevance in our world. People, places, and events are immortalized through art. Artists produce a visual record of life events that are both memorable and challenging.”
