ABOUT ME I am Salsabil El-Awais, 29, an interior designer (@seinteriors). I live here with my husband Abdullah, a personal trainer, and our son Adam, four.
MY HOME A rented two-bedroom Victorian apartment in Edinburgh. We moved here in April 2018.
WHEN I MOVED IN It needed re-carpeting, which the landlord did straight away. A new kitchen is planned soon too, which is exciting.
AND NOW We have decorated throughout ourselves and invested in some good-quality furniture and artwork. We love living in this area and want to stay here for the foreseeable future.
STYLE TIP Try to declutter regularly to display the things you love to their best advantage.
Salsabil has cleverly infused her rental Edinburgh flat with subtle colour, using wall art and a growing collection of houseplants
I was born in Palestine and my family moved to Scotland, as refugees, when I was two years old,’ says Salsabil.
‘When I left school, I choseto study interior design in Syria, at a university near Damascus. I lived there for three years, just before the war broke out. It was a truly amazing place. I came home when I graduated, Abdullah and I got married, and I worked for Homebase for a number of years as an in-house interior design consultant, which I really enjoyed. When our son, Adam, was born, I set up my own business, so that I could work from home, as well as be with him.
Getting started
This story is from the February 2021 edition of Style at Home.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the February 2021 edition of Style at Home.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
How to claim back LOST MONEY
Editor of Money Week.com Kalpana Fitzpatrick advises how to reclaim money that you might have lost track of
Plan the perfect BATHROOM LAYOUT
Whatever the size and shape of your bathroom, nail a layout that works for you and your family
Ellie's choice: A HOT WATER TAP
Free up kitchen worktop space by replacing the kettle with a multitasking tap that provides hot (and cold) filtered water
'Now we have fab SEA VIEWS!'
Three separate rooms have been turned into one stylish kitchen-diner by Ellie Rimmer, filled with colour and personality
Try a speedy STYLE UPDATE
Use a long weekend to perk up your home with these easy decor ideas and quick fixes
Be creative WITH COLOUR
Brighten up your home with the latest paint techniques and colour combinations
'My new build is a TALKING POINT'
Determined to dispel the stigma that all new builds are bland, visitors to Cotty's home are wowed by how she's added character into every room
'Our redesign adds VITAL SPACE'
A well thought-out extension and renovation has created a charming family home that's testament to Amy and Jamie's hard work and creativity
'We went over to the DARK SIDE'
Ditching its dated interior for a bold and dramatic palette, Alana's new-look home is now brimming with personality
'This house has always BEEN HOME'
When Donna inherited her late parents' home, she realised it was the perfect blank canvas to create the Nordic look she loves