Exploring the importance of place with Mixalis Khoury
‘Everything follows from the location. Where we are, what’s surrounding us, what sort of building it is. And then I connect the dots to go to the interior.’
This is how Lebanese architect and interior designer Mixalis Khoury describes his process, based on a recently finished apartment in Dubai.
‘With Palm Jumeirah, it’s a very modern, cosmopolitan city, with many countries and nationalities represented here.’
Expanding on his work he tells us: ‘I’m an artist, I’m a free soul, I decide to be free in everything I do.
‘When I’m designing, I don’t follow trends, I always follow my chaos. That’s why in my projects you usually see a mixture of details.’
Discussing his inspiration for this apartment, Mixalis explains that one item can give life to an entire concept.
‘For this project I saw a painting and from there I took all the inspiration for the interior, to make it more exotic.
‘I get inspired a lot by the 1970s and 80s, something we call the Golden Age. There was a lot of creativity back then, and I belong to that era. It gives me a lot of energy.’
To keep the project feeling homely, Mixalis introduced a palette of earthy tones.
‘You need to come home and disconnect, feel comfortable, feel safe and feel happy,’ he explains. ‘That’s why the client wanted something that feels warm, cosy and authentic. What’s better than earthy colours that make you feel warm and positive?’
‘Lighting is essential to create the mood and the energy of the house, and we used Corston from the UK. The brand has a lot of values around craftsmanship, materials and finishing, which is something I really appreciate.
‘I chose the bronze finish because it complements my design and colour palette, and it’s a material that gives a lot of depth to the details such as door handles, hardware and the pendant lights. It looks beautiful and blends very well with the entire concept.’
Published on 18th February 2026
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