WHAT IF I WANT A 3M WIDE BED?
AND OTHER QUESTIONS
Who are you?
I’m Sandra, the founder of Inhabitat.
I’m a qualified interior architect and an artist (I make paintings). If you’re into fancy degrees, I have a BSc in Architecture (from Bath University) and a Masters in Interior Design (from Pratt, New York). But fancy degrees aside, I learnt the most from practice. I’ve been doing this for over 20 years – working for some renowned names in the design world internationally – from New York to Dubai, Bristol to Amman, and Florence to Toronto.
If I had to put myself in a box I would select “solopreneur” but in reality, I work with a network of skilled people to create considered homes – which is why I flip between ‘I’ and ‘we’.
What is this place?
This is the place for you if you want a home you’ll love coming back to.
Inhabitat is a homegrown, registered business in Dubai, and your place to create.. your place. Sorry, I like word-play :)
Seriously though, we specialise in interior design services tailored to meet your specific needs, preferences, and the way you actually live. Whether you want us to take care of everything (we mean everything, down to the spoon), or you’re ready to add those final layers – the art, the details, the pieces that make a space feel complete – we’re here.
Why should I care?
Because where you live is your world. It directly impacts who you are, how you are, your physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and any other state you can think of. If your current space isn’t helping you live the best version of you, let’s help you get it there.
Is it true you visited a suite at the Mandarin Oriental to find out what bedding they use?
For real. I had a Client who was very particular about wanting to recreate THE sleeping experience of the Mandarin Oriental. I knew which linens were used at The Royal Atlantis but he was insistent on The Mandarin. After a bunch of phone calls that led to nowhere I visited the hotel and together with a super helpful receptionist, found out the supplier, visited a suite to see the exact bed configuration and then recreated it for my Client.
How come all your clients love working with you?
Wouldn’t it be nice if someone actually listened and understood… you? I get what you want, what’s important to you, and make it happen. I take care of everything strategically without creating drama. And, I communicate – just enough so you’re always in the loop but not so much that I’m another job for you. Because I’ll bet you’ve got enough on your plate.
I want to work with you. What should I do next?
THREE THINGS GUIDE EVERY PROJECT
ART X SPACE
So what do we actually mean by art-led? Good question.
It doesn’t mean we find a beautiful painting and build a room around it (though sometimes, we do). Art-led means the design process is driven by narrative, cultural context, and personal meaning. Not by trends, or by a generic template.
And art here is not just paintings on walls. It’s the ceramic you brought back from somewhere that mattered. The rug with a story. The material that references a place. The craft detail most people would overlook. Objects, texture, memory – all of it counts.
DESIGN CLARITY
One client arrived with Pinterest images and ‘vibes’. We went round in circles for weeks. That experience is what led me to build our client discovery questionnaire into the process, so we'd never start without a proper foundation again.
Another client filled it in so thoroughly he joked it felt like a personality test. What came out of it shaped everything, not just budget and timeline, but how he actually liked to live. What was worth spending on, according to his values. What mattered to him specifically.
That project flowed. Decisions were approved quickly, the contractor could do their best work, and the whole thing moved with an ease that only happens when the brief is solid from the start.
IDENTITY & BELONGING
I describe myself as a nomadic spirit. I've lived in nine cities and always resisted the idea of being settled. But what I've come to believe is that life is a series of transient experiences regardless of how long you stay at one address. Belonging and identity hold hands. A way of making yourself tangible in the world around you.
It’s the sigh when you walk in the front door after a long day and put your keys down. It’s that delicious feeling of your duvet between sleep and waking. It’s melting into a sofa that holds you when you’re unwell. It’s picking up a book that pulls you out of your own head when you need it.
Those are moments of belonging. That’s what we’re building.
MY ART PRACTICE
I danced between art and design for most of my adult life. At school I’d spend free periods and breaktimes in the art studio – yes, I was that person. I was steered toward architecture (the classic “what kind of job will you get as an artist?”), and somewhere in my architectural training I found interior design and pursued it as a masters. But art was always there. Every elective at university was art-based. It came with me to every city I lived in, taking different forms depending on how much space – physical, emotional, mental – I had for it at the time. I showed work at fairs and exhibitions in London and Lake Como. It was never a side project. It just wasn’t my main source of income.
The practice has become more serious and more consistent over time. These days I paint in the early morning, somewhere between 6 and 7am, when the world outside is just waking up. I watch the light change in the studio. I carry a feeling of lightness after. I see and dream in shapes, or vignettes.
The work explores place, memory, movement, and the quiet search for belonging. Some pieces have been integrated into client homes and curated by art consultants and collectors. If you’re interested in commissioning a work or acquiring a piece, view the collection.
