Genuine beauty knows no national barriers.
This is best illustrated by the fact that Italian luxury furniture from Bellavista Collection, a purely Italian brand, excellently blended into the well-known Bahraini design project that got several awards back in 2020.
The renovated Nuzul Al Salam Hotel became a hallmark of Muharraq, the third-largest Bahraini city that used to be the capital of the country until 1932.
Bright colors, patterned fabrics, natural materials, and even live citrus trees as an element of the décor – all made the atmosphere in this glamorous hotel joyful and optimistic.
If you visit Muharraq now and go to the historic place named Bahrain Pearling Trail (by the way, it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2012), the first building you’ll see there will be Nuzul Al Salam Hotel.
This fashionable six-suite hotel a few years ago was a traditional Bahraini home known as Fathallah House. Built-in 1947, in the 2010s this building has already become shabby. Redesign and renovation were carried out within the government-supported Bahrain Heritage Building Restoration Project, fulfilled under the aegis of the Shaikh Ibrahim bin Mohammed Al-Khalifa Center for Culture and Research.
Ammar Basheir Creative Studio, the brainchild of young Bahraini architect and interior designer Ammar Basheir, gave this decaying building a new life.
Thanks to this designer’s brilliant talent, the general look and feel of a traditional local residence were combined with contemporary features, which resulted in a harmonious unity of old and new.
Designers meticulously preserved the basic architectural elements of the old building, as well as the arrangement of the main rooms. New elements were added so wisely that it seems that they have always been there.
Now the hotel consists of a reception area, located near the central courtyard, a dining room, and six beautiful yet amazingly diverse suites.
Their names – Sea, Vision, Light, Sun, Hope, and Flower of Eternity – remind us of the Epic of Gilgamesh, a famous ancient Mesopotamian poem. The walls are decorated with mosaics and tapestry that depict scenes from this masterpiece of ancient literature.
Besides, the walls bear quotes from Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. This renowned politician was the first President of the United Arab Emirates.
One more special thing about the hotel is the unique wooden staircase, which leads from the central courtyard up to the suites. Designed in Ammar Basheir studio, the staircase was made of pretty small pieces of hand-carved natural oak – 700 in total. The sections, consisting of three pieces of wood each, are supported by a steel structure.
As to the color palettes used, for each room, a separate one was chosen. These palettes include shades of blue, yellow, light orange, olive green, light blue, and other vivid colors, which helped to create a very special atmosphere.
For example, the walls in the dining room are painted rich teal color. On the walls, there is tapestry with Gilgamesh motifs. And, of course, the custom-made kinetic wall grabs everybody’s attention instantly. Cleverly assembled structure with sources of light and motion sensors depicts a moon eclipse. This wall is dedicated to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and dubbed ‘The Pulse Of Zayed’.
But let’s talk of the furniture, which also greatly contributed to the overall look and feel of Nuzul Al Salam Hotel. Here are some of the Bellavista’s pieces you can see in the dining area of the hotel.
The grand-looking dining table named TULIPE, designed in 2013 is one of the items that form the core of Bellavista brand’s inventory. TULIPE’s wooden tabletop rests on one or two hammered brass legs (depending on the model) with an antique brass finish. Bellavista Collection offers four versions of this table that differ in width. An oval top insert is available in three kinds of marble to choose from. Also, the tabletop could be veneered in as many as nine fine wood species. For this particular project, grey sukupira was selected.
KATE dining chair, with its rear back in antique bronze and the moka stained ashwood base, matches TULIPE table perfectly. What is more, there are two differently-looking versions of this chair, with a high or low backrest, and both were used for the project.
The low chairs, which are 83 centimeters high, have blue upholstery, while the covers of the high ones (100 centimeters high) are of ivory color.
LITTLE JOHN sofa, upholstered in lobster-colored fabric, became a real attention-grabber. It has the same respectable looks and classic outline as its ‘bigger brother’ BIG JOHN, but LITTLE JOHN is quite compact. It is only 130 centimeters (or 51.2 inches) wide, which makes this lovely sofa a perfect fit for smaller premises, homes, and public spaces alike.
MIRO armchair was designed in 2013; it is also compact but cozy indeed. It has a round seat and a low backrest, made of metal and padded in prime quality belting leather. Upholstered in ornamented fabric with a pretty pattern of squares on an ivory colored background, MIRO looks so smart that it seems to be inviting everyone to sit down and have a break.
As you see, the dining area of this fashionable hotel is full of bright, vivid colors, which cheer its guests up and inspire their creativity. Such a vigorous and motivating environment is very important: from time to time, the hotel hosts various cultural events like art exhibitions, conferences, and concerts. So, if you happen to be in Bahrein and visit the city of Muharraq, you’ll be able to see its new hallmark Bellavista Collection brand helped to create.
