Tuesday 10 / September / 2024
Salalah: Interior design is not just an arrangement of furniture and colours, but a true art that reflects the identity and culture of a place and affects people’s daily lives.
This is how entrepreneur and engineer Sumw Amer Tabook views the path to achieving her passion for interior design and architecture.
In an interview with Oman News Agency, Engineer Tabook said: “My passion for design prompted me to study the specialisation academically, in order to build a strong foundation for working professionally and on scientific foundations. This was my dream since school, which I sought to achieve by establishing the “Sumw Design Studio” project in 2019, which is one of the projects under the Public Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises.”
The project idea came from the market’s growing need to provide innovative and sustainable design solutions that meet the needs of individuals and institutions in the Sultanate of Oman, as explained by Tabook, who aspires to bring about positive change in the field and contribute to the development of the architectural landscape.
She added: “Work began on a number of small projects to gain experience and increase the customer base. Since its establishment, the project has gone through several stages according to a clear and specific vision and objectives by building an integrated work team of experienced designers and architects until it gradually achieved successes that included commercial work on a large scale, and the implementation of a group of residential designs and garden coordination.”
She pointed out that since its launch, the project has achieved remarkable growth in a number of spheres, and the customer base has expanded by 30 percent annually in the last two years. The project has also received positive reviews from them, which indicates its success and the increasing demand for the services it provides.
Regarding the support from various relevant parties, she said: “The project received great support from government agencies in the Sultanate of Oman, as various facilities were provided to support the growth of the institution; with the aim of enhancing the business environment, which played an important role in accelerating the growth of the project and achieving its goals.”
She added: “I aspire to expand the scope of services in the project to include all GCC countries, and provide innovative design solutions at a regional level, in addition to introducing new and sustainable technologies in the implemented projects, and enhancing innovation in interior and exterior designs, as well as seeking to develop strategic partnerships with leading companies and institutions in the field.”
Challenges are an incentive for projects to continue to achieve more successes, she said, adding that the main challenge the project faced was during the Covid-19 pandemic, as many projects were affected and delayed due to global circumstances. She added: Persistence enabled me to adapt to the situation and work remotely, which helped us continue working and communicating with customers in an effective manner.
She believes that the field of interior design and architecture provides wide opportunities for creativity and professional development, especially for Omani youth, if they work on developing their skills and benefiting from the available educational and training opportunities, in addition to innovation and creative thinking.
