Words By Marie Claire Maison Arabia | Photography By Walid Rashid

In Jeddah, where tradition and modernity often dance in tandem, Lulu and Mohammed Hafez have crafted a home that exists somewhere between a private sanctuary and a living gallery. Here, art is not decoration—it is the pulse of the space, shaping its rhythm and atmosphere as it evolves over time.

For over two decades, Mohammed, a seasoned gallery owner, has been quietly amassing an eclectic collection of paintings, sculptures, and objects. “I’ve never collected with a specific wall in mind,” he admits. “Each work finds its place when the time is right.” The house was designed around this philosophy of fluidity: walls were left intentionally versatile, rooms adaptable, allowing pieces to migrate and compositions to shift. What results is not a static interior, but a space in constant dialogue with itself.

Lulu, meanwhile, brings her own sensibility—rooted in Bilmawjood (“with whatever you have”), her former venture focused on reimagining spaces using existing objects. The couple sourced most of their furniture from family homes and past lives, purchasing only a handful of new pieces. This approach infuses the interiors with a lived-in warmth, a sense of continuity that counterbalances the ever-changing art.

The home’s duality is palpable. Lulu gravitates toward the luminous living room—its expansive terrace view and abundant light offering space for contemplation and her beloved Turkish series—while Mohammed prefers the intimacy of a darker, cocoon-like salon. Yet both are united by the hosting salon, the true heart of the house. This is where friends, artists, and ideas converge; where new works are displayed and conversations unfold late into the night. It is a room that never looks the same twice, a testament to the Hafez philosophy that a home, like a collection, should always be alive.

In this Jeddah residence, art is not a possession to be showcased. It is a companion, an emotional register, and a living biography of two collectors whose passion is not about prestige, but about the quiet stories objects carry—and the ever-shifting life they breathe into a space.