Marmomac is an annual exhibit that takes place in Verona, Italy and it presents designers’ work from all over the world.

Hamad AlSaab was one of the designers whose work was showcased at Marmomac. He is the owner of Benchmark, which is a design house, specializing in interior design and furniture design.

3oud.com interviews Hamad as he talks about what it was like being the first Kuwaiti designer to showcase in Marmomac and his plans for the future.

How was it being a part of something as big as Marmomac, one of the biggest world fairs?

Marmomac is the most important world fair dedicated to the entire stone production chain, and to be invited to showcase my work there was an honor especially through one of the biggest booths and stone companies in the region.

It is an irreplaceable platform where business and professional development meet, becoming a privileged place for innovation and design. So as the first GCC and Kuwaiti designer to showcase my work there, it was a dream come true.

Can you explain how sustainable the Sunflower coffee table is?

Stone and marble are the most sustainable materials in the world. Yet, it is the most challenging material to be recycled without the need for craftsmanship and/or lots of wasted pieces. I created a sustainable coffee table with marble that can be transformed in the future into different pieces of furniture without the need to waste any materials or need for craftsmanship. It has no screws and its Modeler pieces can be transferred into side tables or console by moving the pieces around.

When designing a product, what is the process like?

Every design starts with the following main approaches:

Function, purpose, and the story behind it.

After that, we start with sketching the design then select the proper materials for it and finally work on the technical drawings and 3D modeling. The full process includes proper communication with the craftsmen and production specialists.

Where do you find inspiration?

Nature and architecture designs for the structure, and I always believe when it comes to colors, what looks beautiful on a person when wearing it will be beautiful in their home. Usually when my clients are not sure about their preferred color palette, I tell them go to their closet and see what are the most common colors as long as it is not black. And I always remind them, function function function is the most important aspect of any design. Does it work with your life style or not? And making your space look like a magazine picture should be the main goal of the designer.

Why did you pursue a career in architecture and design?

Being an artist made me very interested in creating spaces, styles, living moods and even lighting. I started my freelancing in interior design 16 years ago before I started my company to be able to understand the user and the process and the business before I was ready to get into the corporate world. The diversity in the creative interior design process gives me a wide world of dreams and fantasies according to each personality.

What has been your favorite project you’ve worked on so far?

I love makeovers and recycling with clients. I love working with mainly residential places and I have a few houses that I am proud of transferring into the client’s personality reflection.

Commercial places, like clinic and offices that I worked on, are a formula based on specific needs for every business.

I have my own pieces that reflect me in which gives the client an option to own it or not, but when it comes to interior design, I design for the client not me and having the design reflecting the client’s personality and his life function.

We should always remember function is the key to a successful design. The look is very easy.

Where do you see yourself in the next five years?

I am proudly working with my two brothers as partners, Nasser and Abdullah Alsaab which makes it a family business. They have been my support and backbone since day one.

We are expanding our business into construction, carpentry shop and hopefully in the near future our own showroom of my own furniture and accessories and our high end collaborated brands.

Five years nowadays is a short term plan, but you never know!