Recently we were able to sit down with the owners of the new furniture house, Ibyala. As owners, also, of The Iris House, a Kuwaiti brand with 20 years in the market, we wanted to check in and see what sparked the expansion into the new brand. In providing a lower cost alternative to the long established brand that many of you already love, they are looking to provide more high-end style for those budget savvy shoppers out there.
Can you give our readers some history about The Iris House?
Established in 1992, The Iris House has since dedicated itself to bringing collectible and unique home accessories and furniture pieces to Kuwait.
The collection, curated from different parts of the world, always seeks to break the visual dictionary of design by keeping up with the latest trends and sensible tastes of its clientele.
What does the name, Ibyala mean to you, and in relation to the stores branding?
Ibyala is an old Farsi word that found its way into the Gulf region that means Teacup. It is a word that is almost lost in today’s vernacular and utilized more within our grandparent’s generation. When looking for the name we were searching for old words that have a relation to the individual’s home and surroundings, yet would still maintain an international appeal to it. Ibyala’s branding establishes a bridge between the generations, curating a sophisticated line between off-priced items and a revamped modern visual ambience. Application of clean, minimalistic fonts in an editorial way, that is relatable to its clientele. This relationship between text and image is the main touch point of the brand, the unique quality that makes it truly approachable and recognizable by creating a culture -contained in its vivid colors, clean elegant typographic hierarchies accentuated with playful and elegant photography.
Tell us about your vision with Ibyala?
The vision we strive to achieve with the brand is to accommodate to the different tastes found in the market whilst catering to those seeking mid to low-end prices on exceptionally unique and beautiful home accessories and furniture. We want Ibyala’s customers to always expect more for less.
Stylistically, the options seem to be eclectic? Can you tell us how that relates to your typical customer?
Taste is a very personal matter. We understand that when searching for the products we bring, as we try to accommodate to all the different tastes that are relevant. When entering the store, you will see a dynamic clash of cultures in the products that surprisingly create a nice composition that is understandably known as our store culture. This translates well towards our customers as they expect to have a large variety that will certainly gratify their tastes.
How is the new store similar and/or differentiate itself from The Iris House?
We look at the two stores as being two separate entities run with different business models. The Iris House is catering to a select clientele base, while Ibyala is targeting the mass with the exceptionally priced pieces on offer.
Are there any current plans to add to your portfolio of brands in the future?
You’ll just have to wait and see!
So there you have it: an innovative company with a bold ambition to merge old and new world charm in a variety of textures and design elements, and to do so at a reasonable price.
Ibyala can be found in the Shuwaikh Industrial Area at Al-Osaimi Complex (behind Tilal Center) Block 1, ST. 6, Gallery 3. To reach them by phone call 2491 8454. You can also follow them on Facebook: Ibyala.
