For award-winning interior designer Reem Akkad, a beautifully furnished room is only the beginning of good design.
Akkad runs House of Reem, a luxury residential and boutique commercial design firm based in Birmingham. Her showroom, called House of Reem, gives clients a hands-on look at her curated approach to furniture, artwork, craftsmanship and materials.
“The beautiful furniture, the art, the accessories, that’s all a very small part of what interior design really is,” Akkad said. “In reality, interior design is much more than that. It’s the fusion of art and analytics.”
Akkad said her firm begins every project by getting to know the people who will use the space, well before choosing so much as a paint swatch.
“What is the identity that we want to create, and how does the space need to function?” Akkad said.
She encourages clients to bring her in early, even before construction begins, to avoid costly missteps down the road.
“It’ll allow us to bring our magic in early on before anything is ever built,” Akkad said.
That philosophy holds whether the project is a sprawling home or a boutique medical office, Akkad said.
“We always start with that story,” Akkad said.
House of Reem takes on residential projects ranging from 4,000 to 30,000 square feet, along with commercial work spanning medical and dental offices, retail spaces, hospitality venues and educational institutions.
More of Akkad’s work can be found at HouseofReem.com.