Andrew Martin, the UK’s second largest privately owned furniture and fabric house, has launched its first store in the Middle East at the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).

The 650 sq ft store will be a key addition to the existing group of Andrew Martin shops located around the world.

“The DIFC is not just a collection of world-leading financial institutions, but a vibrant lifestyle community that strives to offer the best quality of life compared to anywhere in the world,” said Abdulla Bin Sougat, chief of DIFC Lifestyle Group.

Managing director Martin Waller’s philosophy is to provide simple yet innovative designs with global inspiration – using distinctive colours and textured fabrics, according to a company spokesperson.

He translates crafts and cultural traditions found on his travels, into stylish, contemporary creations.

Martin Waller is also responsible for the annual award that recognises achievement within the interior design industry: The Andrew Martin International Interior Designer of the Year Award.

The Andrew Martin brand is now distributed worldwide via top fabric houses such as Kravet (USA), Pierre Frey (France) and Decortex (Italy), in over 55 countries. There are also showrooms in Athens, Moscow, and now Dubai.-TradeArabia News Service