Kuwait has long established itself as a cultural and creative capital of the Gulf, celebrated for its dynamic culinary scene, refined design sensibility and deeply rooted appreciation for aesthetics.
“I grew up in a household that valued beauty in the smallest details,” says Meshary AlNassar, the Kuwaiti interior designer whose eponymous studio has become one of the region’s most closely watched names in residential design.
Raised in Kuwait City and trained at the American University in Dubai, AlNassar returned home in 2018 to open Studio Meshary AlNassar, initially little more than a summer of freelance projects that grew, almost by accident, into a full practice.
His connection to the city runs deeper than professional roots. AlNassar traces his design instincts to his family’s farm, where he first encountered the terracotta clay that would define his material language, and to his childhood home, whose forms still surface in his work today.
“I perceive myself as the amalgamation of diverse styles converging to create something tailor-made,” he says of an aesthetic shaped less by trend than by memory.
Kuwait, for AlNassar, is a city best understood at street level rather than skyline, its mud-brick courtyards, its winter souks, its slower rhythms.
“We strive to cultivate spaces that mature along with the client,” he explains, a philosophy that shapes how he moves through Kuwait City itself: unhurried, loyal to the old addresses.
Now splitting his time between Kuwait City and Dubai, AlNassar remains shaped daily by Kuwait’s small but exacting design community. It is that same community, its cooks, weavers, shopkeepers and archivists, that fills the 72 hours he maps out here, a city that rewards those willing to look twice.
Where to Eat
Midar
Created by Gastronomica, Midar is a love letter to Kuwait’s mid-century golden era, reimagining Kuwaiti and Gulf classics in a nostalgic dining room. “Let me tell you, everything is incredible on that menu,” says AlNassar.
Bonjiri
A hidden gem in Salmiya, this yakitori bar is helmed by Chef Mimi AlNusif. “Just go there, have a seat at the bar, and ask for the chef’s recommendations,” AlNassar suggests. “You won’t regret it.”
Where to Shop
Ecru
A Kuwait-founded lifestyle brand celebrating the rituals of Arab hospitality through homeware, garments and handmade décor. “Fantastic for homeware and garments, as well as handmade décor,” says AlNassar.
Zeri Crafts
A concept store bringing Kuwaiti and Khaleeji culture into contemporary interiors through prints, incense burners, textiles and tableware, created in collaboration with artisans across the region.
Art, Culture & Heritage
Sadu House
One of Kuwait’s most significant cultural landmarks, preserving the centuries-old Bedouin weaving tradition of Al Sadu through textiles, exhibitions and craftsmanship. A living record of the country’s nomadic heritage.
Mirror House
A private art museum and residence transformed over decades by artist Lidia AlQattan into an immersive environment covered entirely in hand-laid mirror mosaics. Part art, part architecture, part memoir. Visits by appointment only.
Souk Al-Mubarakiya
One of Kuwait’s oldest commercial centres, predating the oil era by nearly two centuries, and a place that remains central to the city’s social life.
“It’s not just an old souk,” says AlNassar. “It’s a winter meet-up for all Kuwaitis to shop, enjoy some tea and gather on those cold winter nights when everyone gets to enjoy the outdoors.”
