Inaugural Interiors & Furniture Show Jeddah: Success in Connecting Saudi Arabia’s Design Ecosystem

JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA, February 26, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The first-ever Interiors and Furniture Show (IFS) Jeddah closed a successful three-day run at Jeddah Superdome with Saudi Arabia’s leading industry professionals lauding the event as the perfect platform to connect the Western Province’s design ecosystem.

Powered by INDEX Saudi Arabia, IFS Jeddah provided design and fit-out industries with an unparalleled platform to display products and services, explore opportunities, and strengthen regional and international networks. With a laser focus on the future of the Kingdom’s design industry, the landmark event also shone a spotlight on young designers and Jeddah’s design students who are the next generation of industry changemakers.

Exhibitors Praise IFS Jeddah Platform
Leading exhibitors praised the three-day event for providing a platform to share their innovations, form relationships and engage with the next generation. The inaugural show attracted more than 5,100 industry professionals across the three days.

Saudi Arabian conglomerate H. M. Al Rugaib & Sons Trading Co showcased its office services, designed and manufactured by Saudi hands to meet the needs of individuals and organizations, in line with Saudi specifications.

Abdul Mohsen Al-Turki, Project Coordination Manager at H. M. Al Rugaib & Sons Trading Co, said: “Due to the remarkable turnout at this exhibition, we had the opportunity to meet some Jeddah-based university students to discuss our designs. We talked about our furniture designs and the materials we use, and we believe the success and uniqueness of this exhibition are evident.”

Al Nassaj, which specialises in designing and creating luxury upholstery fabrics, was displaying its smart and eco-friendly fabrics that increase airflow, with Ahmed Samnah, the company’s spokesperson, labelling IFS Jeddah a “significant gathering of interior design professionals and students” and how it acted as a “bridge connecting furniture experts and interior designers”.

The show’s IFSpeaks stage witnessed three days of invaluable knowledge exchange and learning opportunities with industry thought leaders sharing insights on key themes ranging from redefining spaces, to the use of AI and the importance of staying true to Saudi heritage while taking the industry into the future.
‘Young Designers Should Learn the Art Before Shooting for Stars, but Future is in Safe Hands’

On the closing day of the show, industry thought leaders came together to discuss the evolving role of Saudi designers and future talent in a session on the IFSpeaks stage, titled ‘Influencing Future Stars: Empowering Saudi Next’s Generation of Designers’.

Moderated by Saudi architect and designer Maán Bajnaid, the panel explored steps needed to empower the next generation in the design industry. The discussion covered the importance of cultural influence, professional development, mentorship, and the role of documentation in enhancing Saudi designers' competitiveness in the international market.

Panelist Rakan Jandali, Principal and Creative Director at global design company KCA International, discussed the importance of young designers learning their craft and developing their skills before chasing fame.

The panel discussed how young designers must go through the learning process before becoming star designers. Critical thinking and problem-solving are crucial, and AI should be a tool, not a crutch, it was agreed.
The importance of building portfolios, gaining the ability to demonstrate a design process, and getting to grips with documentation, and project management, were also put forward as key areas of the focus for aspiring professionals.

However, government initiatives, mentorship programmes and hosted competitions for young designers to test themselves mean the design industry has a bright future.

"The future of Saudi design is in the hands of those who can merge modern applications with deep cultural understanding. We must train, document, and create systems that allow our talent to thrive internationally,” said Rayan Safadi, COO at Maamor Design.

Dana Kayat, a young Jeddah-based industrial designer, applauded her peers in Saudi Arabia for not just copying global trends but seeking to infuse local cultural elements in their work, adding: “The new wave of Saudi designers is not just replicating international trends; we are blending our heritage with contemporary design to create something unique.”

Taha Alandejani, Design Director and ambassador for the King Salman Charter for Architecture and Urbanism, added: “We are empowering local talent, ensuring that Saudi designers are integral to our projects. Our aim is to make local expertise a requirement, not just an option.”

‘Understanding AI Will Help Optimise Design Workflows’
Artificial Intelligence (AI) can enhance efficiencies in the design industry as long as designers embrace the technology and adapt with it. That was the message from Karim Faramaway, Managing Director of Adze Designs, at the Interiors and Furniture Show Jeddah.

Delivering a thought-provoking presentation titled ‘AI in Interior Design: Beyond the Hype - What’s Actually Working Today’, Faramaway, outlined how Large Language Models (LLMs) are already helping optimise design briefs, proposals and data analysis.

Speaking on the IFSpeaks stage, the design expert told the audience how with the use of AI and the right prompts, the technology can give him a solution in 10-20 seconds that previously might have taken more than an hour.

He also said AI will change design workflows - with the removal of two pillars, allowing designers and clients to get from concept to quotation faster.

“It’s about understanding AI and how it can help our workflows. We have to be fluid and accept moving away from traditional workflows towards new workflows,” he said. “Being rigid will not help us.”

Powered by INDEX Saudi Arabia, Interiors & Furniture Show Jeddah at Jeddah Superdome, featured 100 exhibiting brands from 12 countries. For more information, visit https://www.interiors-furnitureshowjeddah.com

Nour Ibrahim
MCS Action FZ LLC
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