Hot Take
Hot Take: Mazen El-Abdallah Shares His Preferences & Predictions
Updated on October 27, 2022
Mazen El-Abdallah creates richly textured spaces that transcend trends. His firm, Mazen Studio, is based in Toronto. He’s currently designing a lakehouse in Georgian Bay, Ontario, and restoring a historical log cabin. Here, he shares his current design inspiration, the look he’s over, his favorite paint colors and more!
Design Motto: It should never feel contrived or overdesigned.
Into: More rugged and humble materials. We don’t need every surface to be marble! I’m also incorporating more objects that already exist in the world. Websites such as InCollect, 1stdibs and Etsy make it easier than ever to find interesting pieces that bring a sense of history into our homes.
Over:: Homes that look like hotel lobbies — perfectly polished and static.
Current Inspiration: I was at La Granja in Ibiza, Spain, a couple of years ago. It’s a farmstead with a beautiful stone house that perfectly celebrates the beauty of imperfection.
Mood You Like To Create In A House: Rooms should be designed for living, with furniture from a range of eras, comfortable seating, soft rugs, stacks of books and lots of lamps that let you set the right mood.
Color Crush: Post Modern Mauve, Pure & Original
Pair It With: Majestic Cloth, Pure & Original
“I love navy and blue-blacks, but I’ve been pushing myself to use more color on cabinets and panelling,” says Mazen.
How Often You Change Up Your Own Home: It’s become more layered over time, but the foundations remain the same. My kryptonite is vintage lighting and Brazilian mid-century furniture. I’m currently waiting for a vintage Oscar Torlasco sconce for the bathroom to arrive.
If You Could Only Buy One More Thing For Your Home: I would love to live with Chicago artist Torkwase Dyson’s painting Distances Distances (#2 Gulf of Mexico-Extraction-Black).
House & Home May 2021