In pictures: An intimate look into Middle Eastern living rooms

At the centre of every home is the living room. As the main communal space, it is a place where both family, friends and guests come together to spend time with one another. Family photographs, valued heirlooms and personal effects are often pieced together to create a personal gallery reflecting a lifetime of memories.

If you’ve ever been lucky enough to be a guest in a Middle Eastern home, chances are you have experienced the height of hospitality. For Middle East Archive’s latest book, the publisher focused on the significance and sacrality of living rooms in Middle Eastern culture. Mixing new and archival imagery, the book features work from photographers across the MENA region, including Oman, Palestine, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Kurdistan, and include the likes of Olgaç Bozalp, Mariam El Gendy and Miriam Stanke. In an accompanying essay, Sara Bokr writes, “In a living room, we find the family’s memories; we find scuffs on chair legs where children played, or rings on coffee tables where a cup of qahwah was left too long.”

Beginning life as an Instagram page, which started meticulously documenting imagery from the Middle East and North Africa in 2020, the Dazed 100 platform has since moved into publishing books that unpack matters of ranging from spirituality to sport. Following the release of its inaugural, eponymous book, MEA released An Archive of Love, Football كرة القدم, In The Name of God and now Living Rooms.

“For our recent and upcoming publications, we aim to create a balance between archival and contemporary photography,” says curator and founder of MEA, Romaisa Baddar. “There is a common misconception that the region’s beauty and significance lie solely in its past, but we want to challenge that notion. While historical images hold immense value, we also want to highlight the talent and perspectives of contemporary photographers. This balance ensures that our publications don’t just glorify the past but also celebrate and shed light on the present and its evolving visual narratives and talent.”

Below, Baddar delves further into this publication and the unique magic of Middle Eastern living rooms.

What was the initial inspiration behind the project? What sparked the idea?

Romaisa Baddar: Photographer Hanane El Ouardani initially inspired us to explore this theme for our next book, that was the original spark. As we delved deeper, examining the theme’s broader vision and selecting works that aligned with the subject, we realised just how significant these spaces are in our cultures. Each home bears the imprint of its people, reflecting not just aesthetic or interior design choices but also deeper narratives about belief systems, social status, and personal histories. These spaces are more than just visually compelling.

What is your process like when curating a book like this? How did you go about selecting the photographers involved in the book?

Romaisa Baddar: During the selection process, we focus on categorising the theme – in this case we categorised Living Rooms into key elements, ensuring that we have a clear understanding of what we want to convey through the images. Given the vastness of the theme, we recognised patterns and asked questions about what is most important in the way we experience these spaces.

Do you have a favourite image from the book?

Romaisa Baddar: It’s difficult to choose just one, but if I had to, I’d say Mariam Al Gendy’s photographs. They arrived quite late in the process, but they are touching. I love them both individually and as a cohesive selection.

What did your own living room look like growing up?

Romaisa Baddar: My childhood living room was vibrant and colorful. We had a Moroccan-style living room, and my mother took its design very seriously. She would frequently update the fabric of the seating to match the perfect carpet, creating a carefully curated space. It was a true source of pride for her, and that attention to detail shaped my appreciation for how a living room can be both personal and expressive.

What do you believe is the power of communal spaces?

Romaisa Baddar: Communal spaces have an incredible ability to bring people together. They are where conversations unfold, traditions are passed down, and collective memories are formed. These spaces serve as bridges between generations, offering a sense of belonging and continuity. In many ways, they reflect the essence of our cultures – whether it’s through the way they are arranged, the way guests are received, or even the unspoken rules of hospitality that govern them.

Middle Eastern living rooms hold a unique warmth and generosity... They are spaces that don’t just serve a function but carry a soul – Romaisa Baddar

What do you think is the most special thing about Middle Eastern homes, living rooms specifically?

Romaisa Baddar: Middle Eastern living rooms hold a unique warmth and generosity. They are designed with hospitality in mind, often centered around welcoming guests and making them feel at home. There’s an intentionality in their design – whether it’s the arrangement of seating to encourage comfort, the ornate details that tell stories of heritage, or the way they evolve over time while still maintaining a deep connection to tradition. They are spaces that don’t just serve a function but carry a soul.

What do you hope people take away from the book?

Romaisa Baddar: I hope this book encourages people to look beyond the surface of interior spaces and see them as cultural archives. Every object, fabric, and seating arrangement tells a story about identity, history, faith and belonging. I also hope it challenges common narratives about the region. Ultimately, I want people that pick up the book to feel a sense of recognition and inspiration, regardless of where they come from.

Living Rooms is out now and available here.