Interior design guides for Dubai and the UAE covering renovation briefs, retail layouts, material choices, lighting, privacy and indoor-outdoor living.
This library brings together practical guides for renovation and interior design in Dubai and the UAE. Choose a topic below to prepare your brief, review a space or compare design proposals.
The guides are available to read online. Each article provides its own context and sources where applicable.
Collect existing plans, photographs, the intended use and your priorities. Use the articles to identify questions for the design team, then agree the scope and responsibilities for your project.
Explore the Gulf project portfolio for project-specific examples and stated design scope.
Define the brief and decide what to retain before choosing finishes.
Planning a Dubai apartment renovation: start with a clear brief
Renovation: how to decide what to retain and what to replace
Test the unit and plan the customer journey before committing to a fit-out.
Before choosing a Gulf retail unit: a design feasibility checklist
Bring lighting, materials, storage and circulation into the same design conversation.
Retail lighting and materials: what to test before specifying
Compare proposals on the same basis and plan for changes in use.
Yes. Each linked guide is available as a web article without registration.
Use it to prepare questions, organise your brief and compare proposed deliverables. Site conditions, approvals, budget and the agreed appointment determine the advice needed for your project.
The Gulf project portfolio identifies each project’s location, context and design scope. Read the individual project page to distinguish proposals from completed work.
Design knowledge
Use the guides to define your questions, compare proposed deliverables and identify information the design team will need. They support an informed brief; they do not replace a site survey or project-specific advice.
For a home, start with the apartment renovation brief and storage-and-lighting guide. For a shop, start with retail unit checks and boutique layouts. Use the Gulf insights library to select the subject closest to your project.
Planning delivery as well as design? Explore our turnkey and fit-out solutions, available from 2026 with a project-specific scope.