Passion and attention to detail. These two traits define the essence of interior designer Carolina Aguilar, founder of the studio “The Room at House One”, operating in Kuwait and Barcelona since 2019. The spaces that she crafts breathe with personality and comfort, always tailored to the needs of her clients.

With her unique blend of Spanish and European influences, Carolina defines her spaces as warm and relaxed, she believes that homes need to be welcoming and designed to be lived in, not to be showcased.

Carolina is originally from Barcelona, a city filled with design and innovation. She moved to Kuwait in 2009 for a new job. At that time, she had been living in Muscat and Dubai but she was keen to move and experience another country in the Gulf region.

What she thought would be a temporary destination became her permanent home when she fell in love with a Kuwaiti man, who is now her husband. In addition to a full-time job, her interior side business, she also has two kids, aged 7 and 9 years old.

Her passion for interior design was piqued by her mother’s career as an architect and growing up surrounded by floor plans. She was never interested in interiors when living in Barcelona since she spent much of her time outdoors and the city is filled with so much beauty.

When she moved to Kuwait, interiors became extremely important to Carolina. She felt that the limited availability of beautiful outdoor spaces and extreme heat and dust created a sudden urgency to care for living spaces. That’s when the seed that became a passion was planted.

Initially, she started to work on projects for friends and family and received very positive feedback. Although she had a natural flair for interiors, she wanted to equip herself with the right technical skills and she did a Master’s in Interior Design, after which she felt ready to launch her own studio. And let us tell you, her work is absolutely gorgeous!

Although Carolina loves what she does, she has faced quite a few challenges working as an interior designer in Kuwait. She feels that the product range isn’t as vast as many other countries and that the collections that arrive in Kuwait, both from affordable and upscale brands, are often limited.

However, she believes that the area where Kuwait does NOT have an issue, even though many may disagree, is finding relatively skilled workers to do the job. She does warn us though, that quality work comes at a price – here or anywhere else.

When we asked her if she thought that interior designers were expensive, she told us that she did not think they were expensive but that there is a lack of understanding of what an interior designer will offer. She also gave the bazaar team a great tip on how to pick the ideal interior designer? She tells us to check their portfolio to see if the style resonates with you and meet them to ensure you “click”, that you both are on the same frequency and speak the same language.

Carolina also tells us about the importance of colors and materials in the home and tells us that picking the right materials and colors create a ‘feeling at home’ sensation. For example, a sofa in linen or cotton will provide more comfort than a leather sofa or a real wood table will always give more warmth than a glass table. She tells us that color selection is also key and that it is important to pick tones that are closely connected to create a relaxed model; it is about finding a balance among all the pieces.

We love what Carolina does with interiors, but there is also something else that the bazaar staff finds inspiring. She often refurbishes furniture pieces from the Friday Market.

When asked, she tells us that “in the used furniture section, if you have the patience to browse frequently, you will find pieces with good bones… I love to go and browse every weekend. During my time in Kuwait, I taught myself some upcycling skills. I learned that I love transforming pieces with my own hands – it’s a very meditative and calming task”.

In a country where the push for recycling and reusing is not really present, Friday market is a great example of how the circular economy works. How someone’s trash can be someone else’s treasure.
When asked about her favorite Friday Market project, she tells us that there are so many!

She tells us that her solid wood dining table is probably an old butcher’s counter or a coffee counter and they just cut the legs a bit as it was too high. It’s a gem and a conversational piece for anyone visiting her home.

She also has two gorgeous secretaire desks which took Carolina forever to upcycle. She changed these from dark reddish wood to natural whitewashed wood and actually received offers of sale for them, but she just can’t let them go.
She also loves to source pieces for customers and tells us that while some are a bit reluctant at the beginning, when the pieces are on site, they can’t imagine their space without them.

We asked her for her Friday Market visit tips. “The most important: patience. When anyone comes to our home and sees that a significant part of my furniture is from Friday Market, they tell me “I went once, and I didn’t find anything”!

Obviously since patience, perseverance and a trained eye is what you need… and all three don’t happen on day one,” Carolina explains.

Carolina also shared some tips on designing and redesigning a space: “First and foremost, think about yourself, your needs and about how you live in a space. Think of functionality first and then aesthetics, not the other way around. Spend on a good foundation with a perfect distribution, well thought out lighting, good flooring and doors. When picking materials, think timeless and don’t get too excited with trends that come and go.”

There is more to Carolina than just interiors, three years ago she started playing the violin and got hooked. She tells us that learning how to play an instrument as difficult as the violin in her 40’s showed her once again that it’s never too late to learn something from scratch.

TRUTH OR DARE QUESTIONNAIRE

How would your mother describe you in one word?
Stubborn.

How would you describe your mother in one word?
Perfectionist.

What is the most ridiculous question you’ve ever been asked?
In the US, I was asked whether in Spain we ride horses or drive cars, wasn’t ridiculous but more of a funny question.

What is the most spontaneous thing you’ve ever done?
The latest was to compliment a perfect stranger in Sabah Al Salem for the cleaningness and cared-for garden in their house. Since then, our kids are friends and our families visit each other on occasion.

What is your theme song?
I will survive by Gloria Gaynor.

What word in the English or Arabic language do you wish you had invented?
Eclectic: derived style or taste from a diverse range of sources.

Where would you like to live?
Paris or New York, where interior design happens at another level.

What is your dream retirement location?
A wood cabin inside a forest and next to a lake… located 5 minutes away from a bustling city with amenities. Does it exist?

What is the first famous quote that comes to your mind?
“The details are not details, they make the design”, by James Eames.

Which animal best describes your perfect partner, be it in business, or in life?
A horse: smart, powerful and loyal.

Do you miss anything from your childhood and if so, what is it?
The long summers, which I didn’t fully appreciate back then.

If you could change your name, to what would you change it?
So many to choose! So would end up sticking to mine.

How would you describe your handshake, in one word?
Firm, hate limp handshakes (giggles).

What is the toughest part of your character?
Stubbornness

Who is your favourite historical figure?
Michelangelo, for his incredible artistic skills, his creativity, forward thinking and going against the flow most of his life.

What in the world do you least desire?
Suffering, for any human or animal.

What do you think is lacking in the world, which [if there were more of it] would make the world a better place?
Empathy.

Why do you think most people, who do, like you?
Naturality.

Finish this sentence: “Happiness is…”
…a happy home!

To learn more about Carolina and her fabulous projects, follow her Instagram account @theroomathouseone. She regularly shares information on her Friday Market ventures and also the exciting interior projects that she is working on – you won’t be disappointed!