Rooted in heritage yet defined by a distinctly modern perspective, Contemporary Spaces enters the UAE design landscape as a thoughtful new voice in furniture and craftsmanship. Founded by Emirati siblings Alya Al Suwaidi, Maitha Al Suwaidi and Obaid Al Suwaidi, the studio draws from a deeply personal history shaped by years spent inside their father’s furniture and interior manufacturing factories. Surrounded by materials, tools and the quiet discipline of skilled makers from an early age, the siblings developed an instinctive understanding of structure, precision and longevity, values that now form the foundation of their own design practice.
Officially launched in Dubai in November, Contemporary Spaces reflects a natural evolution of that legacy. Balancing conceptual design, material exploration and technical execution, the studio champions locally made furniture crafted with integrity, intention and sculptural clarity. Based in Al Quoz and embedded within the city’s creative ecosystem, the brand speaks to a growing desire for interiors that feel personal, grounded and enduring. In this conversation, the founders reflect on family, craftsmanship and their ambition to shape a confident, homegrown Emirati design language for contemporary living.
Tell us about how you grew up around your father’s factories, and do you think that shapes the way you think about design today?
We grew up watching furniture be built from the inside out. Our father’s factories taught us that design is not decoration, it’s structure, precision, and accountability. Seeing materials transformed daily gave us an instinctive understanding of weight, balance, and longevity.
That environment shaped how we design today: with confidence, discipline, and respect for process. Heritage gave us a foundation; modernity gives us permission to push it forward.
At what point did you realise you wanted to build your own studio, and how did the idea come to life?
The moment we realised we didn’t want to simply produce furniture, we wanted to author it. Contemporary Spaces was born from the desire to take decades of manufacturing knowledge and reinterpret it through a contemporary, design-led lens. We saw a gap for a studio that could speak fluently in both worlds: craftsmanship and cultural relevance. From that point on, building our own voice became inevitable.
Each of you brings a different strength to the brand. How do your individual roles influence the final design of a piece?
Our process thrives on contrast. One of us approaches form architecturally, another anchors the vision operationally, and the third challenges convention through material and colour. This tension is intentional. It allows every piece to be expressive without losing discipline; bold, but resolved. Nothing leaves the studio unless it holds up aesthetically, structurally, and conceptually.
Craftsmanship sits at the core of Contemporary Spaces. In an era of fast production, why was it important for you to prioritise making locally and working hands-on with materials?
Manufacturing locally allows us to stay close to every decision – every joint, curve, and material pairing. Working hands-on ensures authenticity and accountability. For us, craftsmanship is not a trend or a nostalgic reference; it’s a contemporary luxury.
How would you describe the aesthetic language of Contemporary Spaces to someone discovering the brand for the first time?
It’s confident, sculptural and intentional. Our language is architectural in form, tactile in experience, and unapologetic in presence. We design furniture that anchors a room, pieces that hold space through proportion, materiality, and restraint, balanced with boldness.
The UAE’s design scene is evolving quickly. What shifts are you seeing in how people approach their homes and furniture choices today?
There’s a clear shift toward individuality and permanence. People are moving away from disposable design and toward pieces that feel personal, considered, and emotionally grounding. Homes are becoming expressions of identity rather than showcases of trends, and furniture is expected to carry meaning, not just function.
As Emirati founders, how important is it for you to contribute to a homegrown design narrative within the region?
It’s fundamental. Regional design should be authored with confidence, not filtered through external validation. We see Contemporary Spaces as part of a new Emirati design language, one that is bold, self-assured, and globally fluent, yet deeply rooted in place.
Family values seem central to how the studio operates. What lessons from your upbringing continue to guide your decision-making as a brand?
We were raised with a respect for time, quality, and responsibility. Our father taught us that longevity comes from doing things properly, without shortcuts. Those values define how we design, manufacture, and build relationships. We think long-term, always.
How do you ensure that Contemporary Spaces feels personal and soulful, rather than purely minimal or trend-driven?
We design from instinct, not algorithms. Every piece begins with emotion, how it should feel in a space, how it should be lived with. Texture, proportion, and material depth create soul. Trends fade; intention remains.
What challenges have you faced launching a furniture studio in the UAE, and how have those challenges shaped your approach?
The challenge was redefining perception, proving that locally made can be design-forward, refined, and globally relevant. That challenge sharpened our voice. It pushed us to be bolder, clearer, and uncompromising in our standards. Resistance became refinement.
With Ramadan approaching, how does this season influence your personal routines and creative rhythm as a family and as designers?
Ramadan brings clarity. The pace slows, priorities sharpen, and intention deepens. Creatively, it’s a time of refinement rather than excess of editing, grounding, and reconnecting with purpose. As a family, it reinforces alignment.
Looking ahead, what do you hope Contemporary Spaces will represent within the regional design landscape over the next few years?
We want Contemporary Spaces to stand as a reference point, proof that UAE-made furniture can be bold, cultured, and uncompromising. Our ambition is to shape a design language that is confident in its identity, elevated in execution, and unmistakably expressive. We’re not here to follow the landscape; we’re here to define it.
By Lindsay Judge
