One thing I obsessed over during my pregnancy, perhaps as much as having the actual baby, was how to create the perfect baby’s boudoir. Back in the day, it used to be enough to add a lick of pink or blue or stick on a border of non-gender specific Disney favourites. Fast forward to the imminent birth of my own off-spring, and a dose of nesting hormones saw me standing on chairs at eight months pregnant lamenting over the fact the husband hadn’t stuck my funky wall decal on straight.
Yes, these days our children’s rooms can rival our own in the interior design stakes. And if you’ve no idea where to start, then Dubai’s new kids design and concept store, Caramel and Sun, is the perfect place to source some inspiration. With a house move on the cards for us this December and little Sir Henry entitled to his own room at last, I took a trip down to Mercato Mall to check it out.
I caught up with two of the French ladies behind this trendy little boutique – Managing Director, Olivia Corsi and one of her Managing Partners, Magali Margant. As fellow busy mums to very little people, Olivia and Magali, are great examples of women who are doing something that they love getting out of bed for in the morning – no matter how disrupted their night has been.
“There is no tiredness in our daily shift, because we love what we do,” says Olivia, who left a ten year role as head of marketing for cosmetic brand, Estee Lauder, to pursue her dream of opening the store. She took her passion and ideas to her furniture design friend and now managing partner, Paul Vittecoq, who helped bring Caramel and Sun to life. “On a daily basis, we are having so much fun learning and being beginners at everything! While we gained so much from our time in the corporate world, there is just not the same pressure.”
So why Caramel? “Caramel is inspired by the sweet smell and warmth of my children in the morning,” explains Olivia. And the sun? “Well, we’re in Dubai, the land of sunshine – so why not!” Olivia and Magali’s enthusiasm for their quirky, homegrown store is infectious. These ladies clearly love what they do. It’s evident from the moment you step into Caramel and Sun, which is warm, open and inviting – a throwback to the childhood room you would have been delighted to own.
From funky neon Pineapple night-lights to beautiful little sleeping bags and wall prints, Caramel and Sun brings together some of their favourite European design brands, as well as offerings from some top local designers. So, if you’re looking for something that is just that little bit more unique than the usual go to big brand names, then this is the place to drop in. Just make sure you ear-mark a good deal of time to browse through Caramel and Sun’s treasures. You’ll be spoilt for choice!
Where: Shop No. 7, Porto Vecchio Village, First Floor, Mercato Mall
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