Involving family in professional projects can be a volatile affair. However, for Abeer Al Ameri, interior designing her parent’s house in Sharjah was a chance to collaborate with the person she credits as the source of her aesthetic sensibilities.
“My mother is a big reason why I do this,” says Al Ameri, founder of Salud Design, a luxury home decor boutique specialising in high-end vintage furniture from 18th and 19th century Europe. “I’ve always had a passion for opulent design and 80 per cent of my passion comes from my mother.”
Her mum Leena Al Akkad's home has been a project 15 years in the making. A Syrian national who has been living in Dubai for more than four decades, Al Akkad wanted her house to pay homage to her grandfather’s home in Damascus, where she grew up. She wanted to instil an “Arab spirit” with French baroque flair.
“From the beginning, I knew I wanted a liwan, central fountain and mashrabiyas. The house had to reflect the place I come from,” Al Akkad says. “I wanted something from our countries to put an Arab spirit into the house. But at the same time, I didn’t want it to be exclusively Arab. The house is spacious, so it can handle different themes, mixing between European and Arabian.”
Al Akkad envisioned a Damascene palace with the splendour of King Louis XIV’s court. And, given the unusual nature of a commission like this in the UAE, it took time to find the right teams for the job.
However, even after the house was finished, as its stone-striped arches brought traditional Damascus architecture to the Qarayen suburb in Sharjah, it was just beginning.
“The design brief was mainly her background,” Al Ameri says. “She wanted a house implementing what a traditional Syrian house would look like. The liwan, the courtyard fountain, the main pieces of furniture all reflect on her heritage.”
Most of the furniture adorning the six bedrooms and eight bathrooms have been made to measure by reputed Levantine and Egyptian artisans. There are some locally produced items as well as antique French, Indian and Italian pieces bought from auctions, such as the two French credenzas in the foyer, each of which cost $28,000.
The house opens up to a water fountain and courtyard, with a modern take on the traditional Damascus-style feature. The courtyard leads to a wide staircase with thick wooden banisters, complementing the mashrabiya windows overlooking the fountain.
Al Akkad says she would ideally liked to have an open-air courtyard, however owing to the local climate, she opted for a glass-domed roof, which still lets in ample sunlight.
A harp and a vintage Steinway grand piano are also set up in the indoor courtyard. The instruments have been hand-painted by Lebanese artists with baroque floral motifs.
However, some of the most striking furniture is the set decorating the liwan, Al Akkad’s favourite space in the house where she likes to start her mornings with a coffee.
“All of the furniture in the liwan is custom-made,” Al Ameri says. “It was made to fit the exact measurements of the space. The pieces were made in Syria and assembled here by specialists.”
Mother-of-pearl and abalone are in-laid in wood etching out floral patterns and signature Damascene geometries. The furniture set took more than two years to construct and cost more than $225,000, Al Ameri says. The attention to detail and fine craftsmanship of the furniture is stunning, especially considering the set was built during some of the most brutal periods of the Syrian conflict.
“There was a lot of travelling for this project,” Al Akkad says. “I went to Syria despite the conflict, so I could order the pieces. The last of them arrived in 2015.”
The lined stone walls in the rooms are also directly inspired by the walls of Al Akkad’s family home in Syria. Printed murals decorate the arched recesses around the living room with scenes of Damascene heritage. Others are decked around the house, changing from European to Arabian scenery depending on the theme of each room.
The panelled scenes and general aesthetic of the prints, Al Ameri says, were inspired by the type of artworks found in the Palace of Versailles. The chandeliers were also picked to reflect the theme of each room and are priced between $45,000 and $70,000.
Mother-of-pearl furniture is a recurring theme. One bedroom in particular has been devoted to the semi-precious material and comes with a handcrafted set costing $80,000.
Another room features a bed crafted by the recently closed company of esteemed Egyptian artisan Hussein Al Atrabi, whom the family refer to as pasha. Hand-carved and painted to look identical to the pieces made for King Farouk's palace, the bed cost a cool $60,000. The pasha — a dignified title in 20th-century Egypt — is also responsible for the $165,000 dining table set, a sprawling wooden piece infused with copper.
“He recently passed away,” Al Akkad says. “He was 90 years old. He worked for the palace of King Farouk. He would never compromise his work and design. Even if you wanted to opt for a simpler design for a better price, he would decrease the price, but wouldn’t alter a single detail. It was important to him to still make the same pieces he did for the king.”
In the guest bedroom, which is one of Al Ameri’s favourites, antique French Aubusson tapestry makes up the fabric of the bench seat and ottoman.
“It’s a bit of a lost art,” Al Ameri says. “The place it comes from in France is called Aubusson and they are famous for this fabric, which tells stories. You only find them in auction houses now, for more than $20,000.”
Between the customised artisanal furniture and the antiques, there is an evident focus on craftsmanship and heritage in the Al Akkad household. “It was a lengthy process,” Al Ameri says. “But I’m happy with how it came out. There is still some furniture being brought in.”
Al Ameri says working with her mother provided some of the most memorable experiences of her professional life. She says she is still learning from her mother’s breadth of experience and eye for design. Her family, she says, is a large driving force of her decor company.
“Salud is a play on initials,” Al Ameri says. “It mixes Sultan, the name of my father and son, with Leena, my mother, and my son Suood. I took the initials and jumbled the word and stumbled on Salud. At first, I didn’t know it means 'cheers' in French; I chose it because it sounded nice and sort of like the French 'salut'.”
Al Ameri says while she has a keen interest in working on more local projects, she also has an eye on the international scene.
“I want to reach a place where I am an expert on antiques and valuables, where I can look at a piece and know exactly where it goes, whether it can be renovated and how much i'ts worth," she says. "My aim is to, one day, renovate a European palace.”
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Greatest Royal Rumble results
John Cena pinned Triple H in a singles match
Cedric Alexander retained the WWE Cruiserweight title against Kalisto
Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt win the Raw Tag Team titles against Cesaro and Sheamus
Jeff Hardy retained the United States title against Jinder Mahal
Bludgeon Brothers retain the SmackDown Tag Team titles against the Usos
Seth Rollins retains the Intercontinental title against The Miz, Finn Balor and Samoa Joe
AJ Styles remains WWE World Heavyweight champion after he and Shinsuke Nakamura are both counted out
The Undertaker beats Rusev in a casket match
Brock Lesnar retains the WWE Universal title against Roman Reigns in a steel cage match
Braun Strowman won the 50-man Royal Rumble by eliminating Big Cass last
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Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable
Amitav Ghosh, University of Chicago Press
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Pearls on a Branch: Oral Tales
Najlaa Khoury, Archipelago Books
The specs
Price, base: Dh228,000 / Dh232,000 (est)
Engine: 5.7-litre Hemi V8
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 395hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 552Nm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.5L / 100km
The biog
Prefers vegetables and fish to meat and would choose salad over pizza
Walks daily as part of regular exercise routine
France is her favourite country to visit
Has written books and manuals on women’s education, first aid and health for the family
Family: Husband, three sons and a daughter
Fathiya Nadhari's instructions to her children was to give back to the country
The children worked as young volunteers in social, education and health campaigns
Her motto is to never stop working for the country
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.6-litre turbo
Transmission: six-speed automatic
Power: 165hp
Torque: 240Nm
Price: From Dh89,000 (Enjoy), Dh99,900 (Innovation)
On sale: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
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The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
Why your domicile status is important
Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.
Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born.
UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.
A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Squad
Ali Kasheif, Salim Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdulrahman, Mohammed Al Attas, Abdullah Ramadan, Zayed Al Ameri (Al Jazira), Mohammed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammed Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Essa, Mohammed Shaker, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah) Walid Abbas, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli), Tariq Ahmed, Jasim Yaqoub (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Muharami (Baniyas)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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MATCH INFO
Barcelona 4 (Messi 23' pen, 45 1', 48', Busquets 85')
Celta Vigo 1 (Olaza 42')
