QUEEN OF THE INTERIOR
Rolls Royce Executive Club - 2020
GULF-BASED INTERIOR DESIGNER Noor Al Moataz describes herself as a “one-woman army”. From design to installation, Noor is involved in every intricate detail behind the scenes of her eclectic projects that have taken her around the region.
The Bahraini designer began her current career after graduating in business management in 2012. Always artistic, with a passion and an eye for interior design, she started by transforming the spaces of her friends, and remains grateful for this initial encouragement. “Watching my ideas come to life was so surreal, and gratifying,” she says. “I loved watching it all come together in a way I knew would satisfy the client. That’s the biggest reward.”
After a series of bespoke projects for high-profile clients, Noor directed her business management degree towards her passion project full time. She now travels between Bahrain, Dubai and Saudi Arabia designing houses and apartments for the elite: royals, high-ranking officials and prominent businesspeople. “My work is demanding but I truly love what I do, and what I can give people,” says Noor.
Noor describes her characteristic style as “modern chic with an urban twist” and says she only uses the highest-quality materials sourced from the best suppliers, with whom she has developed trustworthy relationships. She has worked with various styles, from French classical family homes to ultra-modern, urban-style penthouse bachelor pads. However, for Noor, every project is personal. “I have an attachment to all the properties I’ve ever worked on,” she says.
“I have to be completely ‘me’ in my work and, of course, to accommodate the preferences of the client. But, once I grasp the vision of a client, I am able to propose what I am certain they will love. If they ask for something and in my professional opinion it won’t work, I will advise them against it. I’m really appreciative that 90 per cent of my clients have trusted me by giving me creative freedom.”
Noor’s prestigious clients expect absolute privacy and confidentiality. She respects this, and as a result – and rather unconventionally – doesn’t have a website or marketing showcase, taking work only by personal referral. After consultating with a potential client, she will immediately put her plans to paper and start sketching.
“I’m a very visual person,” says Noor. “I am always drawing, sketching, exploring and reading about fresh concepts. I expose myself to a lot of different mediums and take time with the research phase. I get my inspiration from all over: from nature, from art, from architecture. Inspiration is everywhere, really.”
As for the future, Noor says she intends to remain exclusive, taking work only by referral, but she would like to explore the possibility of branching out into designing commercial and public spaces. “I’d love to have the opportunity to design statement buildings as well as homes,” she says. “I’d also very much like to take on some projects further afield, in Europe and the United States, perhaps. You never know.”
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