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Arabic calligraphic design studio, Kashida, creates Middle Eastern-inspired furniture and home décor. Primarily an e-retailer, Kashida’s products are also available at select outlets in the United Arab Emirates and at pop-up events.

Launched in 2011 by designers, Elie Abou Jamra and Mirna Hamady, the label weaves traditional Arabic letterforms into bespoke, functional designs.

Products

Kashida’s products put a contemporary spin on traditional Middle Eastern heritage furniture and design pieces. In an effort to bring contemporary Middle Eastern designs to the forefront, Kashida has chosen to focus on Arabic calligraphy. Its range includes furniture (seating, tables and consoles, storage solutions, and wall ornaments), tabletop trinkets (serveware, dinnerware, tea and coffee sets), decor accents (candle holders, photo frames, table accessories, personal and workspace organizers, door handles, vases, Arabic incense burners called mabkharas, wall mirrors, clocks, shelves, religious ornaments, hooks, and hangers), and customizable pieces.

Kashida has launched seven collections: Utterance, Urban, Progression, Metamorphosis, Calligraffiti, Edible Arrangements, and Limited Edition. It has also launched seasonal collections, most notably, its Ramadan collection.

Process

Creating a Kashida piece from start to finish is an extensive process. Often, the team is inspired by Arabic words, phrases, and poetry.

Kashida’s USP lies in its ability to transform two-dimensional Arabic letterforms into three-dimensional objects. Its “Baraka” armchair uses the Kufic script and translates to blessing. Its “Iqra” bookcase also uses Kufic script and translates to “read”. Kashida’s design pieces are engineered to be a balance of calligraphy, ergonomics, and feasible production methods. Kashida’s ranges are inspired by over nine major calligraphic styles - Kufic to Diwani, Thuluth to Nastaliq. Kashida also develops its own styles in-house, which are experimental calligraphic forms. On a product design level, the team works mostly with wood, acrylic, porcelain and various metals. The process of production is constantly evolving to become more efficient and sustainable, while maintaining premium craftsmanship finish.