What defines a truly beautiful home? For the AD100 designers and architects behind these remarkable spaces, beauty lies in the balance of feeling and form, in the quiet precision of stone and timber, the poetry of collected objects, and the emotional clarity of considered architecture.
From restored apartments to sculptural villas and intuitive family homes, each project reflects a distinct way of living and creating. Seen together, they offer a glimpse into the worlds these designers build for themselves and their clients.
Nestled within the ultra-slick Lana Residences by the Dorchester Collection, this 500 m² duplex has been re-imagined by Anarchitect to elevate branded-residence living into something deeply personal. Natural clay-toned finishes, warm timber flooring and a striking “Panda White” marble kitchen island frame a restrained palette, while curated lighting and bespoke art-scale furniture — including a dramatic black marble dining table — bring texture, intimacy and worldly sophistication to every corner. Subtle, intentional interventions transform the space from generic luxury to a characterful family home. Read the full story here.
In a 1930s three-storey house in Paris’s 17th arrondissement, architect-designer couple Arnaud Behzadi and his wife curated an effortless yet layered home that balances comfort with design pedigree. Earthy tones and soft light drift through living rooms filled with velvet sofas, vintage marble and oak furniture by artisan makers — each room unfurling gradually without an overarching master plan. The result is a warm, lived-in space where vintage and contemporary meet without pretense — a quiet celebration of collect-and-curate living. Explore the full tour here.
In Uptown Cairo, Egyptian architect Mohamed Badie brings his signature organic approach to a newly completed villa he describes as “an exploration of organic living”. The home unfolds in soft curves and raw, tactile textures, with moulded walls and ceilings that create a carved-from-nature feel. A sculptural fireplace anchors the living spaces, reinforcing the cave-like ambience while maintaining a contemporary clarity. Every detail is shaped as a one-off gesture, resulting in a residence that feels elemental, expressive and entirely its own.
Tasked only with using olive green as the palette, Carl Gerges transformed a Beirut pied-à-terre into an open, serene retreat anchored by two monolithic travertine volumes. Floors and walls were softened with textured finishes, while the layout – free of corridors – unfolds naturally around marble blocks that frame sweeping Mediterranean and city views. Olive-green seating, boucle chairs and mid-century pieces add cosy elegance, while sliding steel-and-glass partitions and warm oak cabinetry keep the look clean yet inviting. The result: a home that’s as timeless in its calm as it is contemporary in execution. See the full transformation here.
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Returning to Carthage – an ancient Tunisian city founded by the Phoenicians and later rebuilt by the Romans, now sits within a suburb of modern-day Tunis – architect Chacha Atallah transformed a neglected 1962 villa into a luminous Mediterranean retreat. Preserving its mid-century bones, she opened the once-cramped interiors to light, wind and a lush garden anchored by a Hockney-esque pool, cactus corners and fruit trees. Mahogany-lined spaces flow seamlessly outdoors, while art and vintage pieces enrich the home’s warmth and character. A separate glass-walled studio completes the serene haven.
In Herzog & de Meuron’s sleek Beirut high-rise, designer duo David/Nicolas crafted a home that marries contemporary clarity with traditional warmth. Starting with a treasured Ziegler rug chosen by the client, the designers layered identity into the once-bare white apartment through handcrafted wooden panels carved with Egyptian-inspired motifs, soft blush tones and sheer curtains that add intimacy. Refined updates to the kitchen and custom furniture underscore the duo’s collaborative, family-centred approach. Explore the full apartment here.
In Cairo’s Maadi district, designer Alia El-Tanani reimagined this family home with a palette of earthy tones, handcrafted details and quietly luxurious textures. Local artisanship takes centre stage, from carved wood and stone accents to bespoke furniture that anchors each room with depth and personality. Layers of linen, plaster and patinated metal create a warm, contemporary Egyptian aesthetic that feels both grounded and elegant. The home unfolds as a series of intimate, light-filled spaces shaped around comfort, culture and craft. Read the full story here.
In a once-dim apartment on Paris’s rue de Verneuil, design atelier Ebur reimagined a space into a luminous sanctuary that honours both heritage and global sensibility. Lime-plastered walls and waxed concrete floors replaced tired finishes, while taller doors, custom built-ins and integrated libraries created volume and function. Carefully chosen oak, linen and stone echo the client’s travels between Africa and the Middle East, offering calm neutrality, yet with character. The result: a Paris home that feels timeless, elegant and deeply personal. Read the full story here.
A 350 sqm Beirut apartment from the 1990s was transformed by Etienne Bastormagi (with Nada Borgi) into a living gallery, a curated mix of local artistry, craftsmanship and contemporary design. Outdated rooms gave way to light-filled, open spaces featuring bespoke furniture, hand-finished textures and works by Lebanese artists and artisans. From suspension lighting and sculptural tables to textile wall art and ceramics, the home became a celebration of the region’s creative present. A tribute to local pride and design-driven living. Explore the full design here.
In Beirut’s Verdun district, Marc Dibeh transforms a former 1970s office into a serene 350 sqm apartment defined by sculptural gestures and expressive stonework. A dramatic structural reimagining introduces a soaring double-height reception area, anchored by a custom curving bouclé sofa and tonal travertine that runs across floors, walls and built-ins. A suspended walkway links the master suite above, while muted putties and greens are warmed with walnut, brass and flashes of turmeric. Bespoke furniture, intimate reading nooks and integrated shelving give the home rhythm and softness. Read the full story here.
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Perched above Achrafieh, this 460 sqm apartment by Mariagroup is designed as a continuous, light-filled landscape rather than a series of rooms. Semi-permeable fluted-glass partitions replace traditional walls, allowing daylight from the wraparound windows to filter through while offering privacy when needed. Travertine, oak and encaustic tiles set a calm architectural base, contrasted with a spirited mix of vintage finds and contemporary pieces, including a pink Pierre Paulin sofa and custom walnut furniture. Even the main bedroom embraces the open flow with glass divisions and pared-back detailing. Read the full story here.
AlJoaib's Riyadh townhouse is a deeply personal study in mood, instinct and the poetry of collected objects. Spread across three levels, the 360 sqm home unfolds around an expressive stone palette – from silver travertine floors to Arabescato Corchia and Calacatta Viola – softened by vintage pieces, contemporary silhouettes and a monumental 20th-century Byobu screen that anchors the living spaces. Nothing is overplanned; everything finds its place intuitively, resulting in a home that feels soulful, lived-in and quietly composed.
High on the 40th floor of One Za’abeel Residences, this Dubai duplex by Nakkash Design Studio becomes a serene retreat, a Japanese-inspired sanctuary in the heart of the city. A stripped-back shell was reconfigured to optimise flow: a former maid’s room is now a massage studio, a corner beneath the staircase hides a Zen garden, and one bedroom becomes a generous walk-in wardrobe. Oak panelling, chevron parquet floors and concealed detailing replace the prior monochrome palate, while a cherry-blossom mural, Zen garden and clean-lined forms bring Wabi-Sabi calm to city living. Read the full story here.
In Jumeirah, artist-designer Roham Shamekh has re-imagined a modest villa into a surreal, meditative dwelling – a space where architecture, art and ritual meet. Concrete, resin, wood and bronze merge in sculptural forms; sacred arches, geometric lines and ambient lighting give the house metaphysical presence. Inside, handmade sofas, resin tables and other one-off pieces blur the boundaries between furniture and installation. Glass walls dissolve interior and exterior, inviting palm and banana trees into retreat-like calm. The result is a home that feels both otherworldly and deeply alive. Explore the full home here.
Inspired by Gustav Klimt’s 1906 portrait of Fritza Riedler, Sandra Benhamou transforms a top-floor Art Deco apartment on rue Chomel into a refined, painterly retreat. Bespoke oak cabinetry with mirrored inserts, glass doors and limewashed walls create luminous softness, while curved original architecture meets travertine floors, brass details and sisal-fronted cabinetry. The dining room doubles as a library, mixing Mario Ceroli, Gaetano Pesce and Sheila Hicks with ease, reflecting the owner’s intellectual and emotional world. Vintage pieces and contemporary works settle naturally into a palette of pale ochres, warm woods and gold.
Set atop a 1950s building in Gezirah, this Cairo penthouse by Shewekar Elgharably unfolds as a richly layered home shaped by materiality and collected character. Its standout gesture is a sculptural carved-wood staircase that anchors the apartment, setting the tone for a palette grounded in craft and warmth. The client’s artworks and collectible design pieces are seamlessly integrated with contemporary furniture, resulting in an eclectic yet coherent aesthetic. Throughout, textures, tones and handcrafted details create a home that feels personal, expressive and distinctly Egyptian in spirit.
In Amman, Lebanese designer Tarek Dada turned a long, narrow 600 sqm villa into a gallery-esque modern home where architecture and custom furniture merge seamlessly. Every piece — from the sculptural dining table with mirrored legs to the curved entrance sofa — was bespoke, crafted to restore flow and proportion across three levels. Stainless steel, bronze, wood and glass form a material language that balances solidity, lightness and patina. On the ground floor, a living area opens onto a garden with pool, while upper floors house the more private zones — all shaped around art, atmosphere and careful spatial choreography. Read the full story here.
Set on a former mango plantation outside Cairo, the marble-clad villa reimagined by Tarek Shamma unfolds around a double-height central atrium crowned by a skylight, where Washingtonia palms rise beside limestone and Galala marble walls. Expansive windows frame lush surroundings and fill the home with light, while terrazzo bathrooms offer tonal softness against the grandeur. Antique chests, artworks and tapestries temper the scale, creating intimate, lived-in spaces. A glass-walled indoor pool opens to the garden, while flowing transitions and minimal structure preserve airy continuity, a modern legacy home rooted in elegance and heritage. Read the full story here.
For chef Izu Ani’s Dubai villa, AD100 architect Tarik Al-Zaharna undertakes a meticulous rebuild that expands the home by 25 per cent and reorganises it around clarity, flow and calm. Warm stone floors, timber joinery and softly textured surfaces form a restrained palette, while sliding and pivoting partitions allow spaces to shift from intimate family living to generous hosting. A Belgian marble dining table anchors the light-filled centre of the house, and a professional-grade kitchen is seamlessly integrated for the chef’s routines and gatherings. Crafted details and natural materials give the villa its quiet precision.
On the canals of Venice, architect Tessa Sakhis re-imagines a flat into a luminous haven where craftsmanship and context meet. Light pours through tall windows, illuminating walls softened with warm plaster tones, while carefully curated finishes and furnishings echo the city’s timeless elegance. A sense of calm pervades every room, with thoughtfully placed artwork and design-led detail that reflects both the heritage of the surroundings and the personality of its occupant. It’s a quiet, artful retreat floating above Venice’s water-lined rhythm. Read the full story here.
In Dubai’s Port de La Mer, designer Thomas Trad reimagines Nadine Kanso’s villa as a contemporary homage to Levantine memory. Pistachio green walls, cherrywood joinery and Roman-silver travertine floors anchor the palette, recalling traditional Beirut interiors through a modern lens. A formal lounge inspired by a Lebanese majlis sits alongside custom terrazzo and marble detailing, while curated artworks and collected objects add warmth and character. The result is a home that feels soulful, nostalgic and deeply personal, a fresh chapter for the designer and homeowner alike. Read the full story here.
For a holiday home set among citrus orchards outside Sydney, designer Yasmine Ghoniem transforms a once-cavernous 1990s house into a whimsical, immersive retreat. Curves and softened silhouettes guide the flow, from an arched doorway and carved blue entry cabinets to a kitchen island freed by an undulating timber base. Forest-inspired wallpapers, padded cork flooring, onyx bathroom slabs and glossy green joinery create a dreamlike palette, while rounded details and playful textures turn each room into its own escape. The result is a joyful, storybook home designed for imagination.
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