2025 · ISOLA Award · Textile Category
About
Design Matter is a design studio in Dubai working across interiors, architecture and landscape. Since 2017 it has designed hospitals, clinics, homes, offices, schools and cafés in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and India.
200+ projects, 50+ clients, 22,700+ design hours, 9+ cities.
Our Journey
Fabidha Safar-Rahman founded Design Matter in Dubai in 2017 as a one-person practice. Today the studio is a team of ten working across interiors, architecture and landscape, with projects in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and India.
Healthcare has become a large part of the work, for clients including Aster DM Healthcare and Medcare. Wellth Clinic was highly commended at the Design Middle East Awards in 2022 and the Commercial Interior Design Awards in 2023, and Medcare Royal Speciality Hospital was named Healthcare Project of the Year at the 2024 Design Middle East Awards.
In 2025 the studio’s rug Hala, Mareehk won an ISOLA Award, and two homes, Serena Villa in the Meadows and JW Villa in Villa Lantana, were named among the Top 50 Homes in Dubai.
Awards.
2025 · Design, Dine, Make a Difference
Peer Choice
2025 · Design, Dine, Make a Difference
Practical Excellence
2025 · Top 50 Homes – Dubai
Serena Villa, Meadows Dubai
JW Villa, Villa Lantana Dubai
2024 · Design Middle East Awards
Healthcare Project of the Year
Medcare Royal Speciality Hospital
2023 · Commercial Interior Design Awards
Highly Commended Interior Design of the Year
Healthcare - Wellth Clinic
2022 · Design Middle East Awards
Highly Commended Healthcare Project of the Year
Wellth Clinic
Fabidha Safar-Rahman
Founder & Creative Director
Fabidha Safar-Rahman has more than twenty years of experience in interior design. She founded Design Matter as a solo practice in 2017 and has grown it into an award-winning team of ten, with work in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and India across healthcare, residential, corporate, retail, education and facade design.
Work With Us