Redesigning a home from scratch is always a daunting task, but for architect Jeffrey Meawad, founder of JM Design & Architecture, this Beirut apartment had extra emotional resonance. It was the childhood home of fashion and lifestyle influencer Kika Fourzali, who now lives here with her husband and two children. “The apartment is in the heart of Achrafieh, in a chic neighbourhood with an old-Beirut feel,” says the designer. “The project was less about discovering a new space and more about reimagining somewhere that already carried memories.”
There was little from the old Beirut apartment, which is part of a post-war building, that was worth saving, but that became the opportunity for a fresh start. “We gutted everything – ceilings, floors, partitions,” remembers Meawad. “We opened up the layout, corrected proportions, and rebuilt the architectural language from scratch. It was a complete reset, which gave us the freedom to craft the space exactly the way it needed to be.” Fourzali and her husband are a young, creative couple, and this shaped the spirit of the home. “Their life is energetic, social, and very family-centric, and that rhythm shaped the way the space needed to function for them and their two children,” explains Meawad.
The couple had no strict brief for the decor – something that the Beirut-based architect says he enjoys – but they did have some goals in mind. “They wanted a contemporary home with character; something timeless, but with soul,” says the designer. “The goal was to build a home that feels familiar but elevated, warm yet clean.” It also helped that Fourzali is “obsessed” with Parisian apartment living, specifically “the elegance, restraint, and effortless charm.” “That became the starting point,” Meawad continues. “But instead of simply recreating a Paris apartment, we elevated the idea.”
That meant “a material palette that ages well and feels naturally luxurious”: think flooring in snow-white Thassos marble from Greece, laid in a herringbone pattern (“a nod to Parisian style, but richer and more architectural”); contemporary oak panelling (“to soften the space’s brightness and add warmth”); and “subtle classical cues reinterpreted in a modern way”, such as the bespoke fireplace in Calacatta Arabescato marble, whose ribbed finish recalls traditional columns (the detail reappears on bathroom vanities).
The three-bedroom apartment now plays host to a wealth of eye-catching features, starting with the sculptural Breccia Viola marble console which Meawad placed in the entrance, alongside a bold black-and-white artwork by Charlie Oscar Patterson and, hanging opposite, a wood-embellished mirror by Éditions Levantine. “The console is the perfect introduction to the apartment’s identity,” says Meawad. Directly facing it is a modern interpretation of a winter garden, planted with cacti and framed with arched glass partitions. These arched forms became a theme of the décor. “They soften transitions and give the home rhythm,” says Meawad.
One such detail is the custom-made, curved red marble DJ booth beside the fireplace (Fourzali’s husband is passionate about music and DJs regularly); another is the cocktail bar in the dining area, which is “both sculptural and functional.” Much of the furniture also has curved forms, including Tacchini’s coffee-coloured Julep sofa in the living room, the custom marble dining table, and Galotti & Radice’s bubble-like Bolle Stelo floor lamp. “I always gravitate toward pieces with character that bring soul to a space,” says Meawad. “A neutral, earthy palette forms the backdrop of the home, supporting a sense of serenity while allowing the bespoke features and curated pieces to shine.”
Photo: Marco Pinarelli - 转载自：AD(admiddleeast)
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