Daydreaming about your ultimate home has been and still is a favorite pasttime for many people out there. Your home, office or any living space is an extension of your personality and what better way to ease your mind (and eyes) than by designing a picturesque yet functional place.
Enter Optimus Designs.
A local Kuwaiti initiative started by three ambitious architects who have a vision to create any space into a practical yet ideal work of art, Optimus Designs is your one stop destination for all your design needs. Working on furniture design to landscaping, interior design to conceptualizing architecture plans, Optimus Designs is up for any challenge. Khaleejesque had the chance to interview the creative group and get some insight into their world of design.
Khaleejesque Team: How did Optimus Designs start?
Optimus Designs: It started as soon as we graduated as architects from Kuwait university, we were three friends in the same year and when we graduated we hoped to implement our ambitions by doing something different and to cater to a niche not available in the market by local designers.
KT: What would you say is your main Design motto/theme?
OD: Our slogan is "design your life" we want to be able to cater to all your design needs from a simple customized chair, to the space around it to the house/office to the graphics. We would like to be your one stop for design, this is reflected in our furniture line (funkyture) where every piece has more than one usage.
KT: We heard you have a popular "Funkyture" design segment thats part of Optimus, can you tell us more about that?
OD: Since Optimus is all about design (interior, graphics..etc) and is the main company we wanted Funkyture to focus on our furniture line which found its appeal after having two exhibitions. Following the success of the exhibitions, we decided to create a line for customized furniture made locally in Kuwait with a funky twist to it that gives it its versatile appeal. Each item can be used in different ways adapting to its owners wishes and done specifically to his or her growing needs
KT: How would you describe the Kuwaiti/Khaleeji taste in interior design? What appeals to the average consumer?
OD: Consumers now have more insight on design and are aware of the growing market specially with the popuarity of the Internet, which brings the whole world including every furniture outlet to your fingertips as opposed to the old days when clients were limited to a number of stores around them or the stores they visited when traveling. As Optimus, what we would like to do is cater to the needs of our clients and add our own local touch in the design as well as with the materials we use. 
The beauty of the Kuwaiti consumer is the challenge he or she provides the designer by wanting what's out there and more. Also, how you as a designer can adapt to their needs yet give them something different that makes them want your designs. Making them return is the biggest challenge.
KT: Are your clients clued in when it comes to interior design and the latest fads? Do some ask for over the top ideas?
OD: We have all types of clients, some who know exactly what they want, while others come with the intention to hand you an empty space for you to explore and be creative with. However, all our clients have been exposed to interior design whether from the latest magazines or by travel and therefore are aware of what you inform them.
KT: What has been your biggest feat as of yet?
OD: We believe each and every project we did whether in residential, commercial or even in the office sector has given us something to be proud of, especially as they differ in the way we handled the client and the challenges the space brought with it.
KT: Do you cater to regional clients or do you just work in the Kuwaiti market?
OD: The bigger dream is to be known both regionally and internationally. Our goal is to bring Kuwait on the map and to show the world what we are capable of. For the time being we are focusing on the local Kuwaiti market which is challenging enough to bring out the best in us and for our style to ripen so we could tackle the world in the future.
KT: Are there any new interior design trends that are popular now?
OD: The beauty of design is that it's an ever growing, constant changing profession. There is always something new and challenging out there. Globally, technology and especially green designs are concepts being explored further to better the life of consumers. We think it is an important part of design that we would like to incorporate in our own projects in the near future. 
We also believe there is a direction towards recycling older designs such as classic chairs and tables which was a trend highly adapted world wide specially as there is an immense world of possibilities you can come out with, of course that can be achieved in different ways either colors, materials or even graphics. For example, some of our favorite pieces of furniture were done using Kuwaiti words as calligraphy on a chair or to even play with scenes of famous Kuwaiti shows and add them to a paravan (divider) which gave us various options and made as unique.
KT: What's in store for Optimus Designs? anything planned for the future?
OD: Being young, we still have so much to offer and with the design world as it is, we hope to come up with different ideas and challenging designs that will put us on the map. The intention for the time being is to have an exhibition soon for our Funkyture design (which khaleejesque will be the first to know of.) This will be held to enforce some of the concepts we are known for and hopefully work on branding the company further with more interior and graphic works for various more challenging projects.
To get a feel of what Optimus Designs is all about, visit their website
– Khaleejesque.
Images courtesy of Optimus Designs.
