Inside Interior Designer Miri Najarian Khayat’s Colourful Dubai Apartment
Blurring the lines between art and design, this colourful, whimsical home is where every rule is happily broken
Miri Najarian Khayat’s eclectic apartment in DIFC emanates a modern fairy-tale charm: filled with cotton-candy pinks, bold designs, whimsical artworks, quirky chairs and vintage touches. Upon entrance is a bright neon sign which reads Pink, a pleasant warning that the colour will be found anywhere and everywhere in the home.
“Even as a child, I always loved having a white base with splashes of colour,” says Miri. “I was never afraid to live in colour.”
Not a single wall is naked, boldly showcasing the Khayat family’s affinity with the art world. The very first artwork Miri collected was by Yugoslavia-born Gustav Likan, known for his use of bright colours and often called the Father of Acrylics. “We took a trip down to Denver in Colorado to buy one of his pieces once,” Miri reminisces. “He is our first love and we have been collecting his work for years. His colours are just epic, I could live with them forever.”
Chair designed by Miri’s mother-in-law, with handsewn patchwork including buttons and ribbons on the back
One gorgeous work which stands out is Michael Moebius’ illustrative portrait of the late icon Marilyn Monroe with a pink bubble gum, sourced by Miri’s husband from a gallery in Beverly Hills during a trip to Los Angeles, as a gift for her 30th birthday.
“It’s pink, I love it, and it’s Marilyn,” she shrugs. “How can you go wrong?” French photographer Cécile Plaisance’s lenticular Barbie is another statement artwork in the home, which Miri first laid eyes on in Paris and hunted down a year later in Beirut.
An interior view of the chic bedroom with an artwork depicting Miri and her husband made in the South of France by a Japanese artist
On the kitchen wall hangs a bright yellow McDonald’s photograph by Matt Crump, the artist renowned for setting colour trends, in collaboration with Beirut-based Candyfornia studio. “It’s a picture of the first McDonald’s in the region which was in Lebanon,” smiles Miri.
The art aficionado has also made a name for herself in the interior design industry, having established the eponymous MNK Interior Designs just last year, shortly after her youngest child turned one. “I think it was a great time for me to return to what I love to do so much,” she says.
Her favourite spot in the house? “I don’t have one,” she answers. “I really do love every corner of it. I have put my heart into every inch of it. I also feel the same way about my projects. I really put my heart into them.”
A quirky orange chair with a Ben Frost artwork in the background
Miri’s closet is just as colourful and playful as her home, brimming with pink shoes, pink jackets and even neon; a testament to the fact that the décor, artworks and clothes are all really an extension of her bubbly character.
Miri’s colourful closet
Over in the living room is a bench with an artwork by Tarsila Schubert, one of Miri’s favourite local artists, printed on it. “I took the image and I put it on a piece of furniture because I loved it so much,” she says. Another artwork-turned-furniture item is a bright orange candle sculpture.
“One time when I was in Paris, I was walking through a department store and I saw this,” she recalls. Although it was just a display piece and not for sale – well, let’s just say Miri isn’t one to let go when she falls in love. “I said no, no. I have got to have this.” The piece now acts as a side table in the living room.
Bright orange candle display bought from Paris, now used as a side table
Two white armchairs adorned with baby blue peace signs are also housed within the living room, designed by Miri’s mother-in-law, with handsewn patchwork including buttons and ribbons on the back. “Together with my mother-in-law and her sister, we literally hand-stitched all the little details together,” she says. “It was a very fun, special project.”
The furniture has been sourced from all over the world, including Chicago, Venice, South of France and her hometown Lebanon. The dining room is home to Miri’s favourite piece in the whole space; the table, found in an old castle in Venice. “It’s ridiculously old so I always imagine how many people that table must have hosted,” she says, amused. “We added a glass top to make it bigger – It’s an art piece on its own. And all the stories it could tell.”
An interior view of the dining room with an artwork by Syrian artist Sabhan Adam and dining table found in an old castle in Venice
And just when I think this is as playful, whimsical and interesting as it gets, we enter the shared kids’ room. “I tried to tone down the pink as much as I could here,” admits Miri, laughing. “But it is still very colourful with tons of art.” There are images of Lebanon, works by Marc Ferrero, a collage of art by street artists and Basquiat skateboards.
One of the most special artworks in this room, gifted to her by her husband on their engagement, is a painting of a newly-married couple by Brazilian artist Romero Britto. “It’s very special to my heart.” Just outside this room hangs another cherished work, by Likan, gifted to Miri when her daughter was born, depicting their new mother-daughter bond.
An interior view of the powder room with a gorgeous Fornasetti wallpaper
Through this home, Miri has rebelled against every rule there is in the traditional interior design and art book, proving that your own eye for beauty comes before any norm should.
The dreamlike space is a treasure trove of memories, stories and choices; an ethereal, playful collection of herself. Looking around, I can’t agree more with Miri’s take on the wonderland-like home: “It is alive and absolutely a happy place.”
Images courtesy of Aasiya Jagadeesh
From the Winter 2020 issue of Harper’s BAZAAR Interiors