A Dream Maker There’s something of the magician about Bahraini-based interior designer Ammar Basheir. Even his hand gleams, one finger sheathed in his signature thimble of gold. The designer says, “If you build a dream, build it well.” His creative studio in Manama is responsible for crafting those dreams. From hotel project to royal palaces, Bashier has designed interiors for more than 120 private houses, retail spaces and restaurants. As a scenographer he also creates incredible event spaces for private functions, including those for Royal families, and conferences – a 12,000m2 pop-up Village hall for UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee Meeting in 2019. ‘Everything is made to last and to engage all your senses, but I enjoy projects with a short momentum,” explains Basheir, “I like to create a beautiful environment but I get a rush out of destroying it. Little fantasies seem to have more impact.” His style of ‘eclectic glamour’ is inspired from all that surrounds him – a restless energy that delivers projects with detail and surprise in equal measure. His vision has empowered artisans to craft Baroque-style paneling from sponge, a unicorn forest of jeweled canopies and staircases that reference Bahraini dhow-building prowess. A powerful reinterpretation of tradition and modernity. With three major upcoming restoration projects across the region Basheir continues to create dreams.