BY EDITOR
Walk into IKEA Oman at Avenues Mall this season, and you’ll notice something different. Familiar silhouettes and unmistakable IKEA items now carry an Omani soul. A side table feels like a memory. A lamp reads like a landscape. A cushion cover becomes a quiet tribute to a sense of place.
At the core of “Globally Local”, IKEA’s new regional initiative is a celebration of Arab heritage through a Scandinavian lens. Launched in Oman and the UAE, and soon to arrive in Qatar and Egypt, the campaign brings together local artists to reinterpret iconic IKEA pieces through the lens of regional culture.
In Oman, the creative spotlight falls on Mohammed Al Attar, an Omani artist known for translating cultural memory into modern visual language.
For “Globally Local,” Al Attar reimagined five beloved IKEA pieces – the LACK Side Table, STORSEGEL Table Lamp, TOLKNING Room Divider, STILREN Vase, and SANELA Cushion Cover – infusing them with Omani motifs, colours, textures, and symbols. These one-of-a-kind designs are now showcased in-store with story plaques that invite customers to pause, look closer, and see each object as an extension of identity.
The result is not a departure from IKEA’s essence, but a deeper expression of it. “Globally Local” underscores how design can be both accessible and emotionally resonant – objects you can live with, that also live inside you through culture, heritage, and craft.
A Conversation in Design
To understand how “Globally Local” moves from concept into culture, we sat down with two key voices behind Oman’s edition: artist Mohammed Al Attar and Roza Moulaei, Communications and Interior design Manager at IKEA Oman. Their insights reveal how local heritage and Scandinavian design can seamlessly intertwine.
Interview with Mohammed Al Attar
1. Your collaboration with IKEA bridges global design and local artistry, how did you approach blending your Omani heritage with IKEA’s Scandinavian design?
For me, the process began by identifying the shared values between Omani design traditions and Scandinavian design. Both appreciate simplicity, authentic use of materials, and storytelling through functional objects. I approached the collaboration by distilling cultural elements from Oman: our colours, textures, patterns, and symbols; and integrating them into the clean shapes and forms that IKEA is known for. Rather than overwhelming the pieces, I allowed the heritage to breathe subtly within the design, creating harmony between two worlds: the calm clarity of Scandinavian minimalism and the soulful warmth of Omani culture.
2. Each of the five redesigned IKEA pieces carries a story. Which one holds the most personal meaning for you, and why?
Every piece holds meaning for me as they connect directly to my childhood memories — their symbolism, colours, or narrative all reflect the emotional landscape I grew up in. It’s not just a design, but rather a bridge to who I was before I became an artist. Working on each piece felt like revisiting familiar scents, sounds, and moments in Oman, and transforming them into something tangible that others can experience. The personal meaning comes from its roots in memory, not just a concept.
3. Oman is rich in cultural symbolism; how have these elements influenced your reinterpretation of IKEA’s global designs?
Omani culture is layered with motifs, from architecture and nature to traditional crafts and daily rituals, and these elements became the backbone of my reinterpretations. I didn’t want to merely copy or replicate motifs; instead, I translated their spirit. Textures inspired by nature, colours taken from our coastlines, and forms influenced by heritage crafts all found their way into the pieces in subtle, modern ways. The goal was to let global designs carry a distinctly Omani soul: something universal yet unmistakably local.
4. You’ve built a strong artistic identity in Oman, what does it mean for you to represent local art on such a regional platform?
It’s a profound honour and responsibility. Representing local art regionally means carrying the stories, aesthetics, and pride of my community with me. I’ve always believed creativity becomes more powerful when it amplifies where you come from, and this collaboration allowed me to showcase the depth of Omani culture while proving that local talent can stand confidently onstages. It’s a moment that celebrates not just me, but the entire creative movement happening in Oman.
5. “Globally Local” celebrates storytelling through design. If your collection could speak, what message would it share with the world?
Every culture has beauty worth sharing, and design becomes more meaningful when it tells human stories. The collection is a reminder that we can honour our roots while participating in a global conversation. It invites the world to slow down, look closer, and appreciate how identity, memory, and heritage can shape even the simplest objects. Ultimately, it speaks of unity: not through sameness, but through the graceful blending of differences.
Interview with Roza Moulaei, Communications and Interior design Manager at IKEA Oman
1. IKEA’s “Globally Local” initiative beautifully merges global and local perspectives. How does this reflect IKEA’s broader vision in the Middle East?
Our “Globally Local” campaign is where global ideas meet local life. It celebrates Arab artistry and heritage and blends IKEA’s Scandinavian design and functionality, grounded in our democratic design so it is accessible for the many. It reflects our aim to enable meaningful moments across the region, to honour local aspirations, and to show how our global design fits local life effortlessly. At its heart, it is about being part of your story, wherever you are.
2. Why was Mohammed Al Attar chosen as the creative voice for Oman’s edition of “Globally Local”?
Mohammed Al Attar felt like a natural fit for Oman’s “Globally Local.” His work draws beautifully from and deeply on Oman’s artistic heritage and modern identity; the essence of what this initiative celebrates. In reimagining five beloved IKEA pieces, he showed how function meets emotion and how design can carry a story of belonging. It’s deeply personal and proudly local, and it sits beautifully alongside IKEA’s Scandinavian design and functionality.
3. This collaboration highlights community and culture. How does IKEA Oman plan to continue engaging with local creatives and artisans in the future?
This campaign is the beginning of an ongoing conversation. We aim to keep our doors open to ideas, collaborations, and moments of cultural exchange. We see “Globally Local” as a foundation rather than a conclusion; a starting point that can grow in directions led by both the community and our partners. Looking ahead, we are excited to extend ‘Globally Local’ to other markets in the region soon, engaging with local artists in the UAE, Qatar, and Egypt.
4. Finally, what do you hope customers will take away when they experience the “Globally Local” installations at IKEA Oman Avenues Mall?
Pride and connection. The story plaques bring the artistry and inspiration to life, showing how function meets emotion and how design can become part of your story at home. It’s a deeply personal, proudly local experience, and it’s only the beginning!
Beyond the Display: “Your Local Story”
Alongside the “Globally Local” installation, the campaign invites the public to participate in “Your Local Story”: an Instagram-led contest that encourages customers to share their personal connection to the collection.
- Visit the IKEA store at Oman Avenues Mall or repost the contest image from IKEA Oman’s Instagram page to your stories or leave a comment under the post.
- Mention the design that resonates most with you and why. Does it spark a memory, reflect a cultural connection or simply inspire you?
- Tag @IKEAOman and use #IKEA_YourLocalStory and #IKEAGloballyLocal
At the close of the contest, five lucky winners will take home an exclusive artist-designed piece from the “Globally Local” collection.
The Takeaway? Objects with Roots
At its heart, “Globally Local” celebrates the harmony that emerges when global design meets local spirit.
Mohammed Al Attar’s pieces don’t announce their heritage loudly; they allow it to breathe, letting Omani identity weave seamlessly into familiar IKEA forms. The initiative offers a vibrant stage for local creativity, showing how objects can transcend their function to carry memory, identity, and the deep pride of a community.
