International design brand Kettal has opened its first showroom in the Middle East, inaugurating a flagship space on Jumeirah Street in partnership with Atelio. Joining locations in Barcelona, London, Paris, Miami and New York, the Dubai showroom marks the brand’s eighth global destination and establishes a permanent presence in the region.
Founded in Barcelona in 1966 by Manuel Alorda, Kettal has evolved from a family workshop into a global leader in furniture, lighting and architectural systems. Led by the second generation, the brand continues to shape a contemporary culture of indoor–outdoor living through material research, craftsmanship and intelligent design.
For its Dubai debut, Atelio appointed UAE-based designer Kevin McLachlan, principal of NOMADK Studio. Spanning 815 square metres, the showroom brings Kettal’s Mediterranean heritage into dialogue with the Gulf’s climate, light and urban fabric. “We believe Dubai is the natural place for Kettal’s next showroom because it connects authentically with our DNA. Indoor life here is still merged with outdoors, terraces, gardens, pools, patios, and open spaces are part of everyday life, just as in Mediterranean culture,” says Alex Alorda, CEO of Kettal.
“We design furniture to make the outdoors a true extension of the home. Dubai not only understands this language, it elevates it. It is a city where architecture, landscape, and luxury are in constant dialogue, and where every project seeks something unique,” he adds.
Architecturally, the showroom explores light, materiality and craft within a Gulf context. A porcelain veil façade and elongated skylight create shifting rhythms of daylight throughout the interior, while a sculptural staircase clad in Mutina Chamotte ceramics designed by Patricia Urquiola anchors the space. Custom enamelled screens define zones without enclosing them, while garden and rooftop spaces extend the experience outdoors.
