Walk into IKEA at Doha Festival City and you may notice something new woven through the store’s familiar aesthetic. The clean Scandinavian lines and functional designs remain, but a distinct sense of Qatar is now subtly layered into the space.

This shift comes through IKEA’s regional ‘Globally Local’ initiative, which brings together artists from across the UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Egypt to reinterpret iconic IKEA products through their own cultural and creative lens.

In Qatar, the initiative features a special collaboration with artist and sculptor Asmaa Al-Mannai, who has reimagined a curated selection of existing IKEA pieces, offering a locally inspired interpretation of designs customers already know.

The result is a set of pieces that feel refreshingly familiar yet deeply rooted in the textures, moods, and design sensibilities of contemporary life in Doha.

Al-Mannai’s reinterpretations include the LAUTERS Floor Lamp, BLÄNKFYR Floor Lamp, STORSEGEL Table Lamp, GRÖNSTA Chair with Armrests, and the STILREN Vase.

Her approach does not rely on overt motifs or decorative replicas of heritage objects. Instead, she brings a quiet understanding of how people in Qatar shape their homes today; spaces that balance structure with openness, warmth, and everyday functionality with moments of calm.

The lighting pieces radiate a soft, inviting glow that immediately evokes the ambience of Doha’s winter evenings: warm-toned light spilling across living rooms, textured walls absorbing the shadows, and a comforting atmosphere that makes a night at home feel special.

The GRÖNSTA chair, with its grounded silhouette, sits naturally within homes that often prioritise gathering, conversation, and hospitality. Even the STILREN vase feels newly expressive when viewed through Al-Mannai’s refined sense of form and materiality.

The collaboration adds a layer of local sensibility that blends naturally with IKEA’s philosophy of democratic design and accessible, functional living. That’s the heart of Globally Local: regional artists reinterpreting beloved products in a way that feels connected to their community.

What makes the pieces particularly relatable is how closely they reflect the way homes in Doha are lived in today. Many households blend modern, pared-back interiors with meaningful objects, such as photographs, ceramics, traditional textiles, or heirlooms passed through generations.

Al-Mannai’s interpretations feel comfortable within these layered spaces. Contemporary but not stark, expressive but not ornate, they slide easily into everyday life, whether in a Lusail apartment overlooking the marina, a family home in Al Waab, or a cosy flat near Education City.

The initiative also reflects a broader shift in how global brands collaborate in the region. Globally Local foregrounds the voices of artists who understand the nuances of their own cultures. It gives them the space to reinterpret design authentically, ensuring that the result feels deeply rooted.

In Qatar’s case, this means acknowledging the city’s rapidly evolving creative energy, seen in Msheireb’s revival of heritage architecture, in new artist studios across Doha, and in the growing visibility of local talent.

Walking through the display at IKEA, what stands out most is how approachable the pieces feel. You don’t need to be a design expert to appreciate them; they are relatable on instinct. The lamps cast a glow that feels instantly familiar, the chair invites you to sink in, and the vase looks like it belongs on the centre table where family conversations drift long into the evening. The designs are almost companions to everyday life.

These pieces settle in seamlessly among personal objects and family rituals, adding a touch of local character to forms that people already love. It’s a reminder of what Globally Local is ultimately about: a dialogue between Scandinavian design values and regional creativity, shaped by the people who understand the place best.

At Doha Festival City, IKEA’s collaboration with Asmaa Al-Mannai brings that dialogue to life with sincerity and subtlety in Qatar, reflective of its design identity, and entirely in tune with the way people here create a sense of home.

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