The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

When you think of Egyptian home décor, the mind can’t help but wander to images of tightly-upholstered gold-painted wooden sofas and elaborate rugs. But as has been the case with the cult of shopping in Cairo over the last few years, the influx of foreign names and goods has elevated the expectations of home decor locally.

It’s not all about foreign imports, though; the renewed sense and value of locally-made goods has breathed life into home accessories and interior designs, and these winners have excelled in bringing either, or sometimes both, to the masses with quality goods and excellent service.

Creative Egypt (Home Accessories Award)

As the first registered trademark for Egyptian ethnic and handicrafts products, Creative Egypt has opened up the artisanal products that have become so hip and so in-demand to wider audience, stocking copper, glass and even marble-wear goods, as well as leather items and more.

Fair Trade Egypt (Home Accessories Award)

Bringing together handicrafts from all across Egypt under one roof, Fair Trade Egypt has shown the true diversity of local artisanship, offering a whole host of home accessory products at reasonable prices and excellent quality.

House & Garden (Home Accessories Award)

Simplicity is the key to the continuing success of House & Garden. Offering landscape and gardening solutions, as well as other home accessories, at reasonable prices, it’s a unique shop that engages every visitor’s creativity with quality products.

Kaf Fatma (Home Accessories Award)

Though the appropriation of traditional local and regional design into more modern, quirky and occasionally kitsch design is nothing new, Maadi’s Kaf Fatma continues to be an “oasis of authentic artisanal creativity,” as one reviewer has stated.

Nillens (Home Accessories Award)

Championing local artisanship since its inception, Zamalek shop, Nillens, houses a wide range of locally-made, quality goods covering Egyptian cotton products, ranging from bedding items, to rugs, to other nifty goods for your home.

Design Emporium (Interiors & Home Accessories Award)

As a leader in its field for almost quarter of a century, Design Emporium is the go-to for international brands when it comes to interiors, as well as the best local ones, too. There are few, if any, names in the field that have been as big as DE.

Eklego Design (Interiors & Home Accessories Award)

Taking a decidedly more modern approach to interiors and home accessories, Eklego is a trend-setter as much as it is a shop, boasting a constant stream of home design ideas and solutions that you can customize to your heart’s desire.

For more on the 2016 Cairo 360 Editors’ Choice Awards, click here, where you can see all of this year’s winners.