Gigi Abd El Hamid is an interior designer who has been building dream homes and doing wonders in the field since 1995 when she was still a university student. Ever since, she has built a solid name for herself in the field and earned a highly- respectable and trustworthy reputation among her clients; a talented and professional designer. Her interior home design projects have always been known for their quintessential planning and execution.

‘Let’s stay home’: A slogan initiated by all the happy clients or homeowners who worked with Gigi. Her unique creations and state-of-the-art designs that she has been comprising in her projects for the past three decades, lead her clients to embrace the coziness felt at home and encouraged the slogan’s idea.

For Gigi, design is not just about how it looks; design is more about the functionality, how it works and making every room a living room. “Designing a space requires attention to every detail, this leads to a final outcome where all the pieces fit together, making it whole. Design is the expression of personality in detail. Punches of colors spread gaiety, giving off a youthful vibe. Adding an artistic element in the space will always make the room speak out.” She also believes that beauty is when comfort meets elegance. This is the beauty that never fades.

The renowned designer was born and raised in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria, where her soul and mind were connected to expand her skills and unleash her talent. Gigi opened up to ‘He Home’, sharing her impressive journey of success until she has become one of the powerful names in the field of interior design in Egypt. This is how it all started...

Mentioned by Gigi “I started showing interest in interior design at an early age since I was still in school. I was inspired by my closest friend’s mother who was a famous designer in Alexandria; her name was Nany Badawi. I always admired her taste and how she arranged, designed, and decorated her home. I used to watch and follow her around as she worked. I looked up to her, and have always wanted to be like her. Of course, she has noticed my admiration, and I started training with her when I got into university. I remember how much I enjoyed this, especially when she started delegating some tasks to me. She was a real inspiration.”

Residential interior designs are Gigi’s favorite. Although she has worked on commercial projects and offices before, and her work was highly recognized—especially her designs for ‘Carlos Cafes’ in Alexandria—she still prefers creating homes.

In addition, Gigi states “I like the personal aspect in it. I prefer talking to the owners, mingling with them, and understanding their taste, interests, and life habits. This helps me know the consumers preferences, concerns, needs and wants, therefore applying it to their homes. I dig deep into every single detail in their lives. Even when I am designing a new bride’s home, I can get into the details of her wedding gown itself. Working on homes gives me the chance to take part in many lives which leads to the creation for every client’s dream home, the home that suits them and reflects their spirit while adding my own personal touch.”

“Our workflow consists of all the components needed to picture the feel of a project and bring it to reality. It entails color palettes, fabrics, textures, and different inspirations. This all happens behind the scenes when working on any of our projects. We love nothing more than to capture our client’s dream home and work tirelessly to make sure that when we’re done, they’re happy and proud to call it theirs.”

When asked about her best moments, Gigi smiled and gave us the most sensational reply. ‘Seeing people’s faces when they enter their new home and seeing how happy they are. It brings me a sense of pride that nothing else could bring. It is only then; I proudly say that I am exactly where I am meant to be’.

After graduating and going through several trainings and experimental projects, Gigi launched her own projects in 1995 until 2002 when she was entrusted to design the villa of Saudi Prince, Talal Bin Seoud, in Cairo. “It was a great and important opportunity that has changed my concept and vision about interior design. It was a key transitional phase in my career. I learned a lot while working on this project. Prince Talal and his half-American wife were understanding, knowledgeable, and experienced in design, which made life easier for me. Being so close to them has taught me a lot, and this special bond is what made me choose my philosophy for all future projects. Her philosophy is never taking any projects unless I get to understand the personalities and lives of the owners. Interior design has become not just a job where I deliver a beautiful and nice home, pick pictures and imitate the designs, but rather deliver the home they truly need and feel comfortable living in.”

However, her journey is not paved with roses, the job comes with challenges as well. “Sometimes, there are conflicts with the clients, misunderstandings, and clashes. So far, I have dealt with 95 percent of them, and all turned out okay, but there is this 5 percent that caused a challenge; we couldn’t understand each other no matter how much we tried. When I feel we have reached dead ends, I quit. But this is not always the case, sometimes, there are disagreements, but the clients would bear with me because they trust my vision and capabilities in delivering a satisfying project, and indeed, later they appreciate it.” The other challenge I face in this job is the mix-and-match process. Let’s take furniture as an example. Furniture inspires the designer; therefore, I can see a piece of furniture or a painting that motivates me, buy it, and start a design with it, searching for other items and varieties of styles to match it with.’

Gigi remarks that furniture trends are mainly decided by the Italians, especially the modern style. “They are the ones who introduced the new trend of style, and here in Egypt, we simply follow the trend; be it classic, modern, or contemporary. The choice of colors also depends on the trend. Nowadays, earth colors are taking over.”

When it comes to decisions, Gigi believes that they are best to be taken by both sides, the designer and the client, especially the main elements. “For example, when it comes to the color of walls, the client and the designer should discuss it together, because the main color creates the mood of the home. I suggest, and the client decides; we can agree or disagree; we then come to a common ground and start working from there. These decisions are mostly lead by trends and this is when our guidance is needed. If the client selects a color that is not trendy, then selecting the furniture and accessories would be hard. Colors are affiliated with fashion, so we might not find the matching color for the cloth of the furniture desired, carpets, or any other piece” she explained. Gigi reveals that she has her own style that she follows. “I don’t go with a certain style. I have my own style, to mix and match, where I can mix between the modern, classic, and contemporary styles. I try making it different by creating new designs, but creativity needs courage which is another challenge you have to face in order to convince the client who prefers a classic style, to accept implementing modern or contemporary pieces. To do that, it takes a long time; lots and lots of searching, trying pieces together trying to find the perfect fit as well as pieces that complement each other. It’s challenging but worth it; I feel thrilled when it all comes together at the end.”

In her job, the creative designer focuses on both aestheticism and functionality. Some designers might favor one over the other, but not Gigi. “I don’t prefer one over the other, it’s unnecessary. We, as designers have to try everything. Our job is to consider the client’s aesthetic preferences and work on making them functional. At the end of the day, the idea is to provide the client with a comfortable home where he/she enjoys the space they live in.’

The psychological and emotional aspects influence Gigi’s choices, such as: Adding elements that will calm the space, soothe the soul and elements that portray the space just like the client wants it to be. Luxury is when it seems flawless, it is when you reach the right balance between all the elements. Give it the right vibe, give it the right touch.”

Finally, Gigi shares her tips for new designers and clients. For new designers: “Passion and experience come first, success comes second. Focus on training hard and learning from seniors rather than on the money you’ll gain. Slow down, watch and learn because this is a job that needs practicing in order to gain experience. It takes time to understand the tiniest details. Details make the design. Therefore, you need to master your work, build a career, and earn the trust of your clients to build a name in the field. Afterward, focus on increasing your earnings.’

Tips for homeowners and clients: “The essence of happiness is relaxation. Create a home that reflects your identity, making it a comfortable zone. Take your time in making your home. It should tell a story of who you are and be a collection of what you love. Your soul deserves it.”