Egyptian Homes

About the Book

Egyptian Homes is the first book ever published about private Egyptian residences. Four years in the making, this book is a testimony to the splendid taste and exquisite design of these Egyptian homes. Opulent or minimalist, traditional or contemporary, they are all as diverse in style and distinct in personality as their owners are and reflect a tasteful and clever blend of oriental and european styles, showing traditional Islamic or coptic art often mixed with Pharaonic, Ottoman or Napoleonic designs.

About the Author

Egypt is a country rich with history, tradition and foreign influences, and today's sophisticated Egyptian homes are a reflection of all these aspects. And now for the first time ever, a unique and beautifully photographed book titled Egyptian Homes, by Mahy Khalifa. Khalifa is one of the leading Egyptian figures in interior design, and made this project a labor of love.

Khalifa personally oversaw the concept of the book materialize from A to Z, carefully selecting which homes to feature, and even attended all of the photo shoots herself.

Khalifa then provided the content for the book's editorial and even acted as the publisher of this unique and high quality publication. During the seventies, Khalifa was one of the few Egyptian women to venture into the business of making furniture.

She designed sofas and coffee tables and involved herself in every aspect of interior design. Later on, she held solo exhibitions to showcase her expertise in creating fabulous dramatic effects, when furnishing a home. Absolutely seduced, Khalifa's friends and clients did not hesitate to follow her guidance as they refurbished their homes or customized them for special occasions.

Over the years, the interior designer kept abreast of the latest developments in the art of home decoration and collected books covering different trends all over the world.

Yet to her surprise, she discovered that although outstanding homes in major cities had been immortalized in elegant and huge volumes, no book has ever covered the many beautiful and sumptuous homes in Egypt. Thus with great enthusiasm, Khalifa undertook this ambitious project to issue a book which beautifully featured 20 different styles of Egyptian homes including her own, in modern Cairo. Her wide social circle was instrumental in opening the doors to the splendid houses that are magnificently photographed in this book by Jean-Claude Aunos, a French professional, living in Egypt for 15 years. The text, which tells the story of these homes, is written by Fawzeya Elsawy, who has worked in the field of publications for over twenty years.

From small flats to luxurious villas, countryside houses and historic buildings, all the homes in Khalifa's book have one thing in common: their owners have used their innate ingenuity and exquisite taste, to create elegant and pleasing environments. Most of all, the homes in this book are not merely a showcase for the latest design trends, instead they offer a delightful combination of colors or a superb furnishing. Although all boast stylish settings for entertainment, the 300 full-color photographs illustrate the authenticity of each house, individually and explicitly. Each of the residences pictured is foremost a home in every sense of the word.

Each house has a special style that characterizes its artistic dogma, and most of the homes in this book have never been photographed before. The homes are also photographed from accurate and interesting angles, and the reader can easily take an idea and adapt it.

With a breathtaking collection of photographs, this volume focuses on both the exterior and interior of historic buildings, such as The British Residence which has elegant and graceful structural details. The villas in this book also provide interesting ideas to furnish interiors in timeless and classic homes.

Much like the history of art, the history of interior design encompasses numerous styles, movements and the international political and social developments which affect its evolution. Egypt has always been an international city, and although European influences are found in many of Cairo's upper-middle-class homes; Coptic, Islamic, Ottoman, and even ancient Egyptian designs also abound. And Egypt is a country that contains worlds within worlds, full of charm and contradictions. With Egyptian Homes, Khalifa demonstrates how Egyptian interior design trends have evolved in modern times, with unique and dramatic examples. This lavishly photographed book therefore provides an insider's glimpse into Egyptian interior design, antiques, furniture design, decorative objects and the unique originality found in Egyptian homes.

The author's email address is: mahykhalifa@egyptianhomes.net.