From Sketchbook to Studio: Hana Akram on Founding IDST
people • INTERIOR DESIGNER
Founded in 2020 by Hana Akram, IDST has quickly established itself as one of the most intriguing new interior design studios in Dubai and the UAE. With a background in Interior Design and Fine Art, and more than a decade of experience across hospitality, commercial, and F&B and retail projects, Hana brings a narrative-led, material-sensitive approach to every commission. For her, design is where art and function converge: spaces that balance character and purpose while feeling authentic, lived-in, and memorable.
From crafted F&B spaces to narrative-rich retail projects like Elyah at Marina Mall Abu Dhabi, IDST’s portfolio reflects Hana’s ability to shape spaces with depth and atmosphere that invites exploration. She collaborates with local artisans and international makers, weaving craft, art, and storytelling into spaces that resonate far beyond aesthetics.
In this exclusive interview with Designeers Journal, Hana reflects on the founding of IDST and the design challenges and inspirations that define her work today. She shares insights into Dubai’s dynamic design scene, her fascination with materials and art integrations, and her dreams of shaping boutique hotels, cultural museums, and even future projects in her hometown, Sulaymaniyah in Iraqi Kurdistan.
DESIGNEERS
Hana, can you tell us how IDST was born? What dreams and curiosities led you to found this studio in Dubai?
Hana Akram
IDST began as the place where my two worlds - art and interior design - could finally meet. For years I kept them separate: design was my profession, art was personal. Over time, I realised the most meaningful interiors happen when storytelling, materiality, and function are woven together. Travel shaped that view; walking into spaces that felt right - atmospheric, purposeful, memorable - made me want to create that same resonance for others.
Founding IDST in Dubai felt natural. The city’s energy, craft networks, and cross-cultural dialogue make it an ideal home for a narrative-led interior design studio. With a background in Interior Design and Fine Art and a decade across hospitality, commercial, and retail projects in the UAE, I built IDST to craft authentic, lived-in, contemporary interiors - where creativity meets function, and every detail serves the story of the client and place.
DESIGNEERS
Your motto is “designing spaces with character & purpose.” How do you define “character” and “purpose” when designing a space?
Hana Akram
For me, character is the soul of an interior—the layer of personality and materiality that makes a space memorable. It can come through texture, colour, art, bespoke joinery, and curated objects, but also through proportion, light, and the way materials age. Purpose is the intention and function behind every decision: clear zoning and circulation, ergonomic layouts, lighting and acoustics tuned to use, and FF&E that supports daily rituals. When character and purpose meet - when a room looks distinctive and works beautifully - the result is a narrative-led, lived-in interior that feels authentic to its users, whether in residential, hospitality, or commercial projects in Dubai and the UAE.
DESIGNEERS
Could you share how the concept for the Elyah project at Marina Mall came to life? What sparked your imagination, and how did you transform that idea into reality?
Hana Akram
Elyah is close to my heart - it’s my second collaboration with this client. Our first project in Dubai (2020) has aged gracefully and continues to serve the brief, so being invited to shape her Abu Dhabi expansion at Marina Mall felt especially meaningful. The concept grew from the name “Elyah” (Arabic for “star”) and a fascination with light, reflection, and colour. We envisioned an experiential retail interior where illumination guides movement: polished and matte surfaces catching light differently, mirrored planes extending sightlines, and a calibrated palette that shifts through the day.
Function led the design: clear zoning, circulation, and way finding came first, then narrative and materiality were layered in. Lighting design does the quiet work - ambient glow for welcome, targeted accents to highlight product stories, and reflective moments that suggest a subtle constellation. The result is an inviting, exploratory retail space that aligns brand identity with flow, clarity, and discoverability - a clear expression of IDST’s narrative-led, material-sensitive approach in the UAE.
DESIGNEERS
How do you wish people to experience your spaces? What feeling do you want them to carry with them?
Hana Akram
I hope people walk away from a space feeling fulfilled, curious, and completely at ease, like they’ve just stepped into a story they’re now part of. For me, the best spaces are the ones that make you pause, even just for a second, because something about them lingers with you. I think it’s not necessarily only about a feeling but about a memory. Does the space allow the moment to be memorable? That’s what makes it meaningful. I also love weaving art into my projects whenever I can. Those unexpected details, whether it’s a mural, a texture, or a crafted piece, give a space its soul and make it feel personal.
DESIGNEERS
What are the most fascinating challenges of working in Dubai’s rich and dynamic environment?
Hana Akram
Dubai’s rich, fast-evolving design landscape is both the challenge and the gift. The pace means we’re constantly adapting, to new client expectations, compressed timelines, and an international mix of tastes, while still delivering cohesive, narrative-led interiors. Practicalities are unique here: fit-out permits and landlord approvals, mall guidelines for retail, procurement and lead times across multiple markets, and climate-smart detailing (glare control, heat gain, durable finishes) all shape decisions.
Working across the UAE, from Dubai’s energy to Abu Dhabi’s grounded calm, Sharjah’s cultural depth, and Khorfakkan’s coastal character, demands a deep read of context and lifestyle. Our role as a UAE-based design studio is to translate that diversity into spaces that feel authentic, functional, and lived-in (whether residential, hospitality, or retail interiors) so each project belongs to its place and the people who use it.
“For me, the best spaces are the ones that make you pause, even just for a second, because something about them lingers with you. I think it’s not necessarily only about a feeling but about a memory. Does the space allow the moment to be memorable? That’s what makes it meaningful.”
Hana Akram
DESIGNEERS
What are you currently exploring: materials, themes, or rituals of space, that excite you and that you would like to share with us?
Hana Akram
We’re focused on narrative-led, material research in our Dubai/UAE interior design work, testing how surface, light, and craft shape experience, especially across F&B interiors with quick, experimental cycles. Current highlight: a dual-concept venue in Sharjah, where zoning, circulation, and lighting define two identities within one space. We’re also integrating art, commissioned murals and tactile finishes, to add a sensory layer that feels authentic, lived-in, and commercially robust.
DESIGNEERS
Looking ahead, what types of projects or collaborations do you dream of developing with IDST?
Hana Akram
We’re seeking hospitality design collaborations - especially an intimate boutique hotel project in the UAE/MENA (think character-rich, narrative-led spaces), as well as a cultural museum interior that balances heritage preservation with immersive visitor experience.
I’d also love to bring IDST’s work to Sulaymaniyah, Iraqi Kurdistan, celebrating local craft and place-based design. If you’re exploring boutique hotel interiors, museum/gallery fit-outs, or distinctive F&B concepts in Dubai and the wider UAE, we’d love to talk.
DESIGNEERS
Top 3 suppliers or brands you love working with.
Hana Akram
Each project brings new opportunities to collaborate with incredible brands and suppliers, and there are so many we love working with.
Slo Ceramics - ceramic tiles and surfaces with beautiful texture and glaze depth; perfect for hospitality and residential interiors seeking honest, tactile materiality.
Henry Holland Studio - playful decorative objects and ceramic pieces that add colour, wit, and a contemporary edge to FF&E styling.
Huey Lighting - sculptural, artisan lighting (pendants, table and floor lamps) that brings warmth, ambient layering, and a gallery-grade feel to retail, F&B, and home projects
DESIGNEERS
Who is your design hero?
Hana Akram
I’ve always admired Faye Toogood. She has this ability to move seamlessly between disciplines; art, product, clothing, interiors, and do each of them so thoughtfully. Her work feels experimental and deeply tactile yet always grounded in a clear sense of purpose.
DESIGNEERS
If you could invite one dream dinner guest, who would it be and why?
Hana Akram
Cecily Brown. As a designer with a fine art background, I’m deeply inspired by Brown’s process-driven painting, her mindset, and the way she captures emotion, movement, and materiality on canvas. I’d love a dinner that turns into a studio visit - watching her paint while we talk about narrative, gesture, and colour would be a masterclass in translating artistic intention into interior design - exactly the dialogue that fuels IDST’s narrative-led interiors in Dubai and the UAE.
DESIGNEERS
What is your favourite hotel in the world?
Hana Akram
La Bionda, Begur (Costa Brava, Spain). A small boutique design hotel that feels intimate and handcrafted -every detail is thoughtfully curated, from materials and color to art and vintage accents. It’s the kind of quiet, characterful stay I choose for true restoration: slow mornings, warm hospitality, and spaces that feel personal rather than polished for show. La Bionda is a constant source of interior design inspiration for me - proof that human-scale luxury and considered craftsmanship can create a memorable Mediterranean escape.
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS:
NATALEE COCKS
