Michelle Evans & Associates (MEA) is a boutique interior design company with over thirty years’ experience in the hospitality sphere. With an impressive reputation for excelling with culturally diverse client briefs, LUXlife recognised MEA under the ongoing 2019 Leading Designers programme as the ‘Most Innovative Specialist Interior Design Firm in Dubai’. Eager to find out more about their inspirations, ethos and work, we spoke to Principal and Creative Director Michelle Evans.
Luxury hospitality is a notoriously challenging arena of the design sector, difficult to thrive in and demanding of the most exacting of expectations. Here the industry’s experts need to be adaptive, innovative and – naturally – creative, with a keen eye on the smallest of details and the most perfect of finishing touches.
Consider the balance between form and function, that most delicate of equilibriums, or the edge between sophistication and opulent. From the avant-garde to traditionalist havens, the luxury sphere is vast indeed, and today’s designers need a certain chameleonic adaptability to flourish. This is where MEA has secured its success, finding their niche in fusing form, function and cultural references into one extraordinary offering.
“Our projects span globally from the Park Hyatt Mallorca Spa and Resort, ANDAZ in Abu Dhabi, Hyatt Regency in Baku, Erbil and India and the Historic Yak & Yeti in Kathmandu.”
No stranger to accolades – Michelle has won the highly prestigious ‘Best Interior Designer Award’ from the Commercial Interior Designs Awards for several years in a row- she has paved a career defined by distinction. With all this in mind, it’s no surprise that MEA works frequently with repeat clients alongside new opportunities, as Michelle explains. “Moreover, we adopt a very personal approach to each project is all about immersing ourselves into the region and the culture of the individual projects. We endeavour to have a true understanding of different cultures and our philosophy is always to create bespoke designs suited to our client’s individual needs.”
Of course, Michelle doesn’t work alone, and she takes considerable effort to surround herself with individuals who compliment and enhance her creative process. Michelle is eager to emphasise that her team is like “a family”, close-knit, and heralding from diverse backgrounds to better achieve their goal for true cultural integration. “We share one international language – design. Incorporating experts in architecture, interiors and graphics all under one roof, we are all aligned to create and explore each project with a passion that strengthens our team.
As is becoming more prevalent among the design sector’s top talent, Michelle and MEA prefer to take their own path when it comes to adopting to the industry’s latest trends and fashions. “Our design philosophy is always to create our own path rather than following everyone else. We believe, ultimately, that the project should always be bespoke and reflect a timeless design that gives longevity to our clients. At the same time, we also keep ourselves informed about trends in colours and materials that can sometimes inspire a more up-to-date interior.”
Yet, it is business as usual for the firm as they look towards the end of 2019 and into the year beyond, as Michelle concludes. “MEA is currently working on a historic palace hotel in Kathmandu for the past two years and this will be completed in 2020. It’s been a unique project harmonizing the old architecture with the new interiors whilst maintain its original character and ambience.” More than anything, this encapsulates MEA’s timeless appeal and stands as testament to their unique approach to design – a standout ability that cherishes the classical, the original, and the antique and elevating it to new, luxurious heights.
Company: Michelle Evans & Associates
Name: Michelle Evans
Address: Suite 2408, Al Ameri tower, Shk. Zayed Road, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Website: http://mea.design/
Telephone: (+971) 0 50 4564709
