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Friday Five with Nour Saccal of Saccal Design House

03.12.21 | By
Friday Five with Nour Saccal of Saccal Design House

Nour Saccal headshot

Nour Saccal, along with her sister Maysa, founded Saccal Design House in Beirut, Lebanon in 2014 and opened a second location in Kuwait City in 2018. Nour is an architect who completed her graduate studies at the Barcelona Institute of Architecture with an undergraduate degree in Architecture from the American University of Beirut. Her sister balances their designs as an interior architect. Saccal Design House provides both architecture and interior design service to their clients, as well as product design. The aim of every project Nour touches, no matter the scale, is to evoke emotion while instilling a sense of wonder and ambiguity. What started off as the dream of two sisters is now a happy reality.

Today Nour is joining us for Friday Five!

cookbooks

1. Cooking
In the last two years, I have rediscovered the pleasure of cooking and experimenting with flavors and ingredients. Searching for unique cookbooks has become a favorite pastime of mine, and every now and then I like to create a new dish and surprise myself! I am always on the lookout for good sources of fresh produce and find that flavor has every bit to do with the freshness of your ingredients. Creating a feast filled with new dishes and having friends over to enjoy them fills me with joy.

cornfield

2. The Outdoors/Nature
Green makes me happy. I find that whenever I fill my interior space with plants I love how they instantly lift my mood. A fresh vase of flowers that are in season, or even twigs that my kids have collected from the park, bring a feeling of home and cozy. I have also recently discovered the art of foraging from the master of foraging Athena Calderone, and when I am back in my country Lebanon I always collect twigs and plants from the mountains and bring them back to my home. Being outdoors within nature, whether it is in a field, a farm or a field of grass, brings such positive energy to my otherwise work-filled hectic days. I try to bring nature into my home to bring that positivity in. I took this picture of my daughter on a farm visit outside Kuwait.

interior space at sunset

3. Light
This is probably related to my education as an architect, but light is an element I cannot live without. A sunshine-filled space can do wonders. I find that I always do without the curtains and love to let the light in and observe its changing qualities throughout the day. I took this picture at my home in Kuwait at golden hour. As a result, in our designs we always make sure that all spaces have ample amounts of light for the effect it has on our well-being and the beauty it brings in the play of varying shades and shadows.

outdoor entertaining table

Photo courtesy The Verge

4. Music
Music brings a ritual with it, whether it’s in the office or at home. I find that it sets the mood and brings happiness all around to myself and my family. Waking up to read a book having a meal with friends with music in the background adds that extra wellness factor. It is an added bonus of course when it is a nicely designed piece like my newly acquired Bose Soundlink.

5. Ceramics
A newly found love of ceramics keeps me on the lookout for new pieces. I appreciate handmade pieces with texture and nude colors which are reminiscent of nature. I have been on the lookout for a couple of years now to learn the art of ceramics myself, so hopefully I will be able to achieve this soon and incorporate it into my routine. One ceramicist I love is Malene Kudsen, whose creations I find are reminiscent of tulips. I hope to purchase one of her pieces for my home soon.

Work by Saccal Design House:

Saccal Design House

Saccal Design House

Saccal Design House

Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond. When not searching out the visual arts, she's likely sharing her favorite finds with others. Kelly can also be found tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Find her @designcrush on social.