No place like home!

Gulf Weekly

27-03-2025

Eid is a time when many decide to give their personal space a facelift for festive gatherings. In this feature, we take a look at the latest home décor trends, from floral arrangements to repurposing home staples and more. We also speak to Bahrain-based experts who tell us about popular styles to watch out for.
Lights will guide you home
Brighten up your soirées this Eid in a variety of ways. Go for traditional lanterns or fairy lights - people worldwide are embracing unique methods to illuminate their personal spaces.
Bahrain-based interior designer from Kerala Smitha Jensen recommends lamps with Arabesque motifs and patterns.
'Eid Party offers a variety of LED lanterns to elevate your Ramadan décor, like Blue Crosshatch Pattern Glass LED Lanterns and Matte Gold Square Metal Lanterns,' she said.
According to architects and managing partners at Duo Design Studio, Blossom Babu and Samantha Menezes, traditional lanterns crafted from natural materials like clay, wood, or glass, featuring intricate CNC patterns are trending this season. You could pair these with LED moon and star lights or add calligraphy and religious motifs on the lanterns.
Blooms for days
Unique ornamental floral arrangements are gaining popularity. Wreaths strung together using fresh or dried blooms that you can hang on doors or as wall adornments are trending this season.
Fresh flowers make for elegant dining table centrepieces too, or just petals strewed all over – plucked from Bahrain's ubiquitous bougainvillea, perhaps, or even the humble mashmoom leaves!
While flora add a certain aesthetic value to the space, they also have the added bonus of fragrance, creating a welcoming energy as family and friends visit.
'During Eid, most of our customers prefer simple designs with white flowers like lilies and green leaves and sometimes orange, which they arrange in their dining and living rooms,' Um Al Hassam-based Rasha Flower social media and sales in-charge Joel Fernandes said.
Old is gold
While it's tempting to buy new things, there are endless ways to repurpose items you already own.
You can easily breathe new life into household staples like jars and old decorations to create a whole new look this season.
'Use old LED string lights and ornaments by integrating them into lanterns, banners, curtain pelmet boxes, entrance archways, or staircases,' Blossom and Samantha, who have been in the business for 16 years, added.
'Clean glass jars can be transformed into beautiful lanterns. Decorate them with paint, glitter or lace and then place tea lights or LED candles inside.'
Oasis of tranquillity
Sprucing up certain areas of the house or even the roof top in a majlis style seating or a prayer corner could instantly uplift your space, lending it a festive vibe.
Yasmeen recommends creating a relaxing spiritual corner for prayer, which can be made extra special by bringing out an exceptionally beautiful prayer mat that you save just for the Holy Month and Eid.
'Since Eid celebrations often focus on communal gatherings, the floor becomes a central element. A colourful patterned rug can create a festive mood, while a single-colour, self-print rug can provide a sophisticated backdrop,' Blossom said.
Welcome to my table
Breaking bread together brings alive the community spirit of Eid. You can elevate the experience by beautifying the dining space with simple ideas. 'I would recommend investing in timeless, high quality tableware to make meal time feel festive,' Bahraini interior designer and owner of Yasmeen's Studio Yasmeen Alabdulla said, adding that fresh flowers for the iftar table are always a beautiful addition.
Samantha recommended using contrasting tableware that stands out against a colourful floor rug.
'Patterns and vibrant colours can add excitement to a space with a more monotone interior, creating a delightful contrast,' she said.
Along with other elements, adding memorabilia could enhance your table décor with a personalised touch, Smitha, who is also the president of Indian Ladies Association, added.