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In December’s issue of OnOffice, Mireille Wehbe’s ceramic thali features as the month’s OnObject. Here, she goes into detail about her process and work.
OnOffice: Please tell me about this month’s OnObject, Thaal-Kachaura.
Mireille Wehbe: Traditionally Nepalese meals are served on a round tray and bowls called Thaal-Kachaura.
The idea behind it is to offer different small dishes on one single plate. Rice is the main dish which occupies the central portion of the Thali and the small bowls are placed along the edge of the round tray.
My contemporary Thali is a new design that focuses on choosing a new material for the product, the traditional Nepalese craft of ceramics.
The design goes beyond simple aesthetics. Behind this ensemble of pure forms is an exploration of the power of colour and the power of symbols.
To read this month’s OnObject, and discover Mireille’s quirky way to feast on food in the office during the festive season, pick up the latest issue of OnOffice now
OO: Please describe your design ethos.
MW: A desire to create interiors and pieces with long lasting value and glamour.
OO: What is your background?
MW: I am a London-based interior designer, but I was born In Beirut.
My interiors and furniture designs favour influence from the 1920s and 1930s. If I do dabble in contemporary design, it is always with a weighty dose of historical references.
OO: Where do you draw inspiration from?
MW: I draw inspiration from my family, travel and new experiences.
OO: Describe your design style in three words.
MW: Sobriety, balance and comfort.
OO: Why did you specialise in interior design?
MW: I have been a lover of art and design from a young age. For each project I write a new story. In turn, giving it greater conceptual value. Before introducing a sense of modernity into a place I always try and reconnect a place with its original history.
OO: Would you say your background influences your designs in any way?
MW: It is very important to understand clearly that whatever we design comes from somewhere – that it is rooted in some kind of historical reference.
OO: What is your studio like?
MW: The most resistant element in a space is art. So, I set up a very functional studio for myself in London surrounded by pieces of art.
OO: What can’t you design without?
MW: My Winsor & Newton sketchbook.
OO: What motto do you live by?
MW: It is very difficult to see the whole picture when you are inside the frame.
To read our latest interview with French architect Laura Gonzalez click here
Lebanese interior and product designer Mireille Wehbe tells OnOffice about her background, inspirations and design process
