interiors
that reflect your style
We spoke to Interior Designer Lauren Doble Alshehhi about her journey of designing her home and why she loves RAK Ceramics
"I enjoy renovations and showing people how the smallest, simplest changes can totally transform a space"
Lauren Doble Alshehhi, founder of LD Home Design, was born and raised in London and has lived in Dubai since 2012.
Originally with a background in media and PR, interior designing was just a hobby. A few years ago, after quitting her job to get married and have a baby, she was able to pursue her passion and studied property development and interior design. From what started as small projects for friends and family is now a full-time business, which she proudly launched this year.
Her biggest project to date, is the full house renovation of her beautiful villa in Green Community, Dubai. According to Lauren, her main goal for this project is to seamlessly blend both her and her husband’s style preferences. A classic contemporary look with a touch of minimalism.
As the exterior of the house could barely be touched due to strict community guidelines, it reminded me of the beauty and intrigue of London houses where I grew up; where all the streets have a uniform look to them, but behind the façade of each house you’ll find an extraordinary array of different styles and unique uses of the same space. I like the contrast of having quite a classic exterior, but once you step through the front door being confronted by very sleek, modern finishes. It’s unexpected.
Lauren, being a fan of RAK Ceramics products, renovated her villa with the company’s products in almost every corner, both inside and out!
She chose Basic Concrete in 75x75 for most of the floor area of her kitchen and outdoor space due to the versatility of the product. She said “I like how it gave the kitchen a slightly industrial feel, whilst in its outdoor application it manages to look quite smart and polished”.
She was also charmed by the beauty of Maximus Mega Slab Versilia Marble which she used to tile her whole kitchen from the walls to the countertop and says “As the kitchen cabinetry is black matte and the flooring is dark grey, the white marble effect lifts the whole ambiance of the room and ensures that it has an airy, high-end feel.”
Lauren shared that being a mother of a toddler, a relaxing bath time is the ultimate dream so she designed her master bathroom as a spa-like sanctuary with an elevated bathtub as the focal point of the room.
Matching the theme with luxury, she chose Maximus Mega Slab Amani Marble Light Grey to dress the wall surfaces and with complementing Line Wood Grey laid in a herringbone pattern on the floor, finishing it off with cut pieces of Versilia Marble leftovers as accents on the shower and the shelves.
For the downstairs guest bathroom, she chose a dark concept and says “I wanted quite a dramatic and different feel, so we went with the Maximus Mega Slab Amani Marble in dark grey and the RAK-Feeling countertop wash basin in matte black I loved the idea of having a dark bathroom; something that would stand out and be quite startling in the house, and these options from RAK Ceramics made the look possible.”
When asked why she chose to design her house with RAK Ceramics she says “It is very dear to my heart and it makes me proud to use and support a local brand that is truly leading the porcelain tiling and ceramic sanitaryware market on the global stage. The product range and design direction of the brand has surpassed all expectations in recent years, and I believe RAK Ceramics caters to a vast spectrum of styles and offers comprehensive solutions to many interior and exterior finishes.”
