Egyptian Designer Soha Omar Curates Her Home as a Gallery of Joy

Before even stepping inside, Soha Omar pauses at her doorway to share the phrase that anchors both her life and her work: “Make happiness a habit.” It greets you at the threshold, engraved in beautiful Arabic calligraphy on the entrance wall. Soha, an interior architect and founder of Design Zone, has shaped her home as a direct translation of that belief, where joy is embedded in objects, memories, and the way the space is lived.

“My home is a reflection of my life,” she says. As the daughter and wife of diplomats, Omar has spent years moving between countries, collecting objects along the way. At the entrance, that journey takes form through a series of lithographs, old maps, and prints from Description de l’Égypte, once collected by her father-in-law, turning the vestibule into a gallery-like space that welcomes visitors with stories in every frame. “This brings me a lot of happiness,” she notes, “that I was able to showcase something he was very proud of.”

Inside, the house reveals itself through objects that carry memory across places. A candelabra her parents brought her from Lebanon when she was fourteen, a Syrian embroidered textile, a wedding gift from the Chinese ambassador, and a horn from Norway, where she was born, sit side by side. Each piece sparks conversation, reflecting Omar’s love for entertaining and hosting, and offering guests a glimpse into the journeys and stories that shape her life.

The dining area sits within an open plan, subtly hinting at Omar’s love for gathering. Classical and contemporary elements balance effortlessly: a traditional table is paired with modern seating and a minimal lighting fixture, while artworks collected by her father anchor the space. One painting, depicting women in conversation, feels especially close. “They look just like my friends and me,” Omar says, “it reminds me of how we gather, talk, and let time unfold around us.”

Hosting plays a central role in how the house functions. Omar developed her own tableware brand, Plain Jane, rooted in simplicity and flexibility. “Something can be very simple, but you can make it extremely playful,” she explains. Neutral sets are mixed with crystal and layered freely, creating a table that feels both effortless and alive.

Architectural gestures, like opening up glass niches along the length of the home, allow Omar to subtly define spaces while turning the niches into showcases for unique art and sculptures. In the living area, furniture remains intentionally understated, letting the objects and artwork take the lead. “I never really think if something will fit or not,” she says. “I just get what I love, and it always finds its place.”

A corner dedicated to her daughter’s piano adds another layer of life to the home. “It fills the house with music,” Omar notes. A more personal nook nearby houses a carefully curated collection of family photographs and her late father’s medals. “I’m very proud of him,” she says, framing the space as both tribute and memory.

Artworks throughout the home are chosen with the same instinct. “I choose pieces that speak to me,” she explains, favouring connection over completeness. This dialogue continues across the walls, where bold contemporary works meet quieter pieces that balance them. In transitional areas, textiles conceal storage, and artworks soften thresholds between rooms.

Omar leads us to her home office, a space that carries a different energy from the rest of the house yet remains full of life and inspiration. This is where her design career in Egypt first took shape, the starting point of her practice before it grew beyond these walls. The room is infused with pieces that make her happy: paintings by her daughter, elegant calligraphy that reflects her husband’s passion for Arabic script, and illustrations from Persian books.

Even smaller spaces are treated as opportunities for expression. In the guest bathroom, a bold New York skyline wallpaper meets a classical figure they have named Carmen, layered with objects from different countries. The contrast is deliberate, adding moments of surprise within the everyday.

Outdoors, the space opens up to light. Omar chose not to place a pergola close to the house, allowing sunlight to filter through freely. It becomes a setting for gatherings, for quiet time, and for her dog Milo, who has claimed it as his own.

As she walked us back toward the entrance, she pointed out her latest acquisitions from emerging and small artists, gesturing to all the white walls as blank canvases for future collections. “There’s always more room to add, to surprise, and to hang them in the most unexpected places,” she explains, leaving the sense that the home is a living, evolving gallery of stories, memories, and joy.