Egypt's new residential development Almaza Bay epitomises the appeal of living on the country's picturesque north coast. With white beaches bordering the azure waters of the Mediterranean Sea, its main feature is a village of modern, boxy white homes, nestled amid palm trees and surrounded by chic boutiques, bars and restaurants.
The three-bedroom villa pictured here is one of the development’s most stylish, and belongs to the owner of Cairo contemporary furniture store Blend, which is home to an eclectic mix of Italian and Middle Eastern brands. Naturally, many of Blend’s designs found their way into the spacious interior, whose design was overseen by Cairo studio Else Lab.
Made up of three talented women creatives (architect and artist Emy Hussein, architect and interior designer Sarah Abdou, and designer and brand strategist Tuline El Chourbagui), the studio took inspiration from the house’s natural surroundings, in particular the “mesmerizing undulations of the Mediterranean waves”, as Hussein explains. “The house façades in the development can’t be altered, so it was important to us to reflect the fluidity of the surroundings in the interior design,” she says. “Our idea was to ‘carve out’ the space using muted tones borrowed from the sand and the waves. This shifts the focus onto the flow of space and the play of textures, such as wood, cement, bamboo and jute.”
From the beginning, the owners had a strong vision of how they wanted the house to look, requesting a “raw, earthy aesthetic with a hint of colour”. They also wanted plenty of storage for their growing family, a goal that Else Lab achieved by incorporating built-in shelving and niches, which blend seamlessly with the walls and are backlit for a beautiful glow. Light, indeed, is an important feature in its own right. “Aside from the pale, calm aesthetic, the rooms have plenty of natural sunlight, and connect to the shaded outdoor terrace,” says Abdou. “We extended the cast neo-cement flooring, created by Colortek, from indoors to out to accentuate this aspect.”
As this is a holiday retreat, a tranquil feel with gentle transitions between spaces was key. An open-plan layout helps to achieve a breezy atmosphere, while furniture with round, sculpted lines (including Molteni & C’s Surf sofa) was chosen to exude softness and echo the curves of the walls. Slatted partition doors boost the flow of light and air, while pops of accent colour – burgundy, olive, terracotta and yellow – are discreet, but “bring energy and playfulness to the house”, says Abdou. To add further texture, Else Lab experimented with a unique local material called Mosaico, consisting of cut marble pieces and pebbles mixed with cement. Shaped and dried by hand, it was used to construct furniture, bathroom vanity units and the outdoor bar and kitchen, with its lush planting and bamboo canopy.
It’s here, in the sumptuous outdoor lounge, that the owners spend much of their time when they’re in residence for the summer, indulging their passion for entertaining guests. The talking point of the space is a built-in planter housing a lemon tree, which the owner harvests when mixing refreshments. Restful yet vibrant, this is a retreat that offers its inhabitants the best of both worlds.
