Connect with us

Home Integrator

SHAPING SPACES FOR THE WAY WE LIVE TODAY

Published

on

Exclusive Interview with Carla Klumpenaar, General Manager of Marketing, Communications and Interior Design for IKEA across the UAE, Qatar, Egypt, and Oman

How does this next phase support the evolution of modern homes, especially in terms of integrated living?

In today’s homes, spaces are no longer confined to one function. They flow into each other and adapt to the needs of the moment. With the launch of ‘Here to be Part of your Story’, this next phase for IKEA builds on that reality, empowering customers to create environments where hosting, working, cooking, playing and relaxing happen seamlessly. Through our seasonal collections, modular solutions and the “Globally Local” initiative, integrated living is at the heart of our design. We want every corner of the home to feel connected to people’s lifestyle, culture and values. Modern living is dynamic and personal, and our role is to make that flexibility possible, beautiful and within reach for the many.

IKEA is showcasing new kitchen innovations this year. How is IKEA preparing kitchens for smarter, more connected living?

While the kitchen is seen as a cooking space, it is also a hub where design, efficiency and human connection meet. Our innovations this year focus on solutions that support sustainability, organisation and function while adapting to daily routines.

Our METOD kitchen system, paired with MAXIMERA drawers, offers a modular design that customers can customise and rearrange to suit their lifestyle. It features smooth‑close drawers, long‑lasting materials and flexible storage that can evolve over time. For a straightforward start, our KNOXHULT series provides a ready‑to‑assemble, pre‑configured kitchen that is ideal for first homes or smaller spaces where installation needs to be simple and fast.

Durable cookware and efficient taps and appliances deliver quality and performance across a variety of cooking styles. Planning tools such as Online Service Booking simplify the journey and give customers confidence by letting them explore solutions digitally and in store, preparing their kitchens to keep pace with the rhythms of modern life.

With the “Here to be part of your story” campaign, how does IKEA see technology contributing to more personal, story-driven homes?

Technology is most powerful when it enhances everyday life rather than overwhelming it. “Here to be part of your story” is about being present where life happens, in shared meals, cultural traditions and routines that define who we are. Technology becomes an enabler in this process, helping customers visualise their ideas, plan their spaces and personalise solutions to reflect their tastes and heritage. Integrated tools such as virtual consultations and interactive planning make the design journey intuitive and inspiring, bridging the gap between vision and reality so people can shape homes that truly feel their own.

IKEA’s new kitchen planning tools use online and in-store interactive experiences. How does this improve customer readiness for integrated solutions?

Planning a kitchen that blends cooking, dining and living is both exciting and complex. Our online booking service gives customers a clear step‑by‑step path, while in‑store workshops allow them to explore products, layouts and styles they can see and touch. This combination provides the confidence to make informed decisions, ensuring the finished kitchen works for their space and lifestyle. By pairing digital convenience with hands‑on experience, we prepare customers to embrace an integrated solution that feels natural from the very first step.

Continue Reading

Home Integrator

Burjeel Holdings Launches Preventive Cardiac Campaign Across Its UAE Hospital Network for World Heart Day

Published

on

Burjeel Holdings launched “The Cardiograms of Love”, a World Heart Day campaign that transformed everyday expressions of affection into cardiogram-inspired visuals, encouraging people across the UAE to turn care for their loved ones into a proactive step towards heart health.

The campaign was activated across five Burjeel Holdings facilities in the UAE, including Burjeel Hospital, Burjeel Day Surgery Center, and Burjeel Medical Center in Abu Dhabi, as well as Burjeel Specialty Hospital in Sharjah and Burjeel Royal Hospital in Al Ain.

Built around a simple human insight, the campaign connected the words people use to express care for those closest to them with the rhythm of a heartbeat. Familiar messages such as “You mean the world to me” and “Stay healthy for me” were transformed into six distinct cardiogram illustrations, linking emotional expressions of love with the importance of preventive cardiac care.

Each artwork represented a different personal relationship, including parent, partner, child, sibling and friend, and carried a unified call to action: “Love someone. Get their heart checked.”

Rather than relying on a single campaign launch, “The Cardiograms of Love” was rolled out across Burjeel Holdings’ UAE network from 27 to 29 September, with participating facilities premiering different pairs of visuals before the wider network amplified and re-shared the remaining creatives. This created a coordinated, rolling campaign across the three-day period.

Ahead of the public rollout, clinicians and administrative teams across the participating Burjeel facilities were briefed on the campaign and encouraged to share the visuals with people in their personal networks. The internal activation was supported by direct WhatsApp outreach to patients, while social media links connected audiences directly to cardiac screening booking channels.

The campaign also invited members of the public to create their own personalised cardiogram messages using a simple digital prompt and share them with someone they loved. This extended the campaign beyond traditional healthcare communication, encouraging people to pass the message directly between family members and friends.

Through the campaign, Burjeel Holdings highlighted the importance of regular cardiac assessments as part of preventive healthcare, particularly for people with recognised risk factors, including older adults and individuals with a family history of cardiovascular conditions.

Continue Reading

Home Integrator

SHEIN Opens the Doors to Fall/Winter 2026 with ‘The SHEIN Hotel’ at Al Habtoor Palace

Published

on

SHEIN has unveiled its Fall/Winter 2026 collection in spectacular fashion by transforming Al Habtoor Palace Dubai into The SHEIN Hotel: Behind Every Door, an immersive fashion destination where more than 30 leading Middle Eastern fashion icons, regional tastemakers and industry insiders gathered to experience the brand’s latest seasonal showcase.

Blending fashion with immersive storytelling, the event took guests beyond the traditional runway and into The SHEIN Hotel, a boutique hotel-inspired experience created to bring the FW26 collection to life. Upon arrival, guests “checked in” and received collectible room keys, inviting them to unlock five distinct fashion worlds, each representing a different mood and expression of personal style.

The experience culminated on the runway, where the five fashion directions came to life through Power Dressing, Soft Glam, Retro Remix, Regal Maximalism and Modest Elegance. Each was anchored by a distinctive showcase look, from dramatic tailoring and pastel tulle to flowing capes, sculptural silhouettes and crystal embellishments, before all five styles came together for the finale.

And the experience extends beyond the runway. Through SHEIN’s “See Now, Buy Now” approach, consumers can discover and shop the styles presented in Dubai through the SHEIN App and website. By searching Room26 on the SHEIN App, shoppers can explore curated new arrivals spanning all five FW26 fashion directions.

At the heart of FW26 is the idea that women dress differently depending on how they feel, where they are and what the moment calls for. “The Key to Every Vibe” celebrates this freedom, with styles designed for every mood, from confident and bold to soft, playful, glamorous or understated. Through five distinct fashion directions, the collection gives women more ways to express their personal style and choose the look that feels right for them.

Power Dressing leads with oversized blazers, sharp tailoring and structured outerwear that create a confident and purposeful look. Strong silhouettes make it a collection for moments when women want to make their presence felt.

Soft Glam takes a gentler approach, using silk, lace, delicate knits and fluid silhouettes to combine comfort with femininity. The result is polished but relaxed, designed to move easily between different occasions.

Retro Remix looks to the past for inspiration, bringing plaid, denim, collegiate knits and vintage details into a contemporary wardrobe. Familiar styles are reinterpreted for a playful approach to everyday dressing.

For women looking to make a stronger statement, Regal Maximalism brings together crystals, metallic textures and rich detailing. Bold and expressive, the collection is designed for occasions when the outfit itself becomes part of the celebration.

Modest Elegance completes the five directions with flowing maxi silhouettes, refined tailoring and graceful layering. Its elegant proportions offer a contemporary approach to modest fashion while maintaining a sense of poise and confidence.

The five fashion worlds bring “The Key to Every Vibe” to life, giving women the freedom to move between different expressions of themselves and find a look that reflects the mood, moment or occasion.

Continue Reading

Home Integrator

BOUJEE LIFE BRINGS THE WARMTH OF THE MIDDLE EAST INTO THE HOME

Published

on

Boujee Life, the UAE-based luxury candle brand, brings Middle Eastern fragrance influences into modern homes through its signature Aether Collection. Combining a small-batch of middle eastern scents with handcrafted marble vessels, the collection reflects the brand’s approach to quiet luxury: thoughtfully made pieces that become part of everyday life and remain in use through refilling programmes.

Hand-poured in the UAE using natural wax blends, the collection comprises eight fragrances across floral, fresh, musky, spicy, and woody-earthy profiles. Each fragrance is developed

in-house and aged before pouring, with notes including saffron, rose, amber and oud lending depth and warmth to the range.

Named after the celestial fifth element of ancient philosophy, Aether draws on the idea of escape through scent. The collection invites people to shape the atmosphere of their surroundings, whether preparing a home for guests or creating a quieter setting at the end of the day.

Among the collection is Zahra, which combines pink saffron, Bulgarian rose, amber and white musk in a Rosa Onyx vessel. Zafran pairs saffron and geranium petals with amber and aged woods, housed in Ancient Green marble. Each scent has its own character, complemented by the colour and natural markings of its vessel.

Made from solid blocks of natural stone, the vessels are individually numbered, with variations in veining and texture ensuring each piece is unique. Their sculptural forms make them a considered addition to an interior, lending a decorative presence to a dining table, bedside or bathroom even when unlit.

Boujee Life’s commitment to sustainability is reflected in its refill programme, which preserves the beauty and purpose of each vessel for years to come. Customers in the UAE can return empty vessels to be professionally cleaned and refilled with their chosen fragrance at approximately half the original candle price. The service allows a favourite piece to remain part of the home through every refill, while the vessels can also be repurposed as decorative elements.

The collection’s connection to everyday rituals extends to hosting. Fragrance can welcome guests before the first conversation, while candlelight adds warmth to a shared meal. Boujee Life draws on these familiar expressions of hospitality to create a sense of occasion at home.

With the festive season approaching, the candles also offer a distinctive option for personal and corporate gifting. Each recipient receives a vessel with its own natural character, designed to be enjoyed and refilled long after the celebrations.

For hotels, restaurants and spas, the collection offers opportunities to incorporate fragrance and natural stone into guest settings and gifting. Interior designers can also introduce the vessels as finishing touches within residential and hospitality spaces.

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2023 | The Integrator