During the recent Design Week Lagos, visitors to the House of TM Soraya Experience Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos, frequently remarked, "I wish that was my house," following the two-day open house event held on October 23 and 24.
The showcase invited clients, interior designers, and specially invited guests to tour fully completed living spaces. Attendees observed how furniture, architectural materials, ambient scents, kitchen fixtures, premium bedding, and home automation systems harmonized within a finished residential environment. Five distinct brands collaborated on the exhibition, each contributing specialized products and technical expertise to various aspects of modern home design.
Which businesses participated in the showcase?
The exhibition featured contributions from five specialized companies operating within the interior and lifestyle sectors:
- Villar Scentral, an international ambient scent solutions provider operating across Nigeria, Turkiye, and South Africa, demonstrated how signature fragrances enhance the character and mood of indoor environments.
- Bang & Olufsen displayed high-end television screens and sound systems, emphasizing the integration of luxury audio-visual technology in contemporary homes.
- Duplexline Nigeria supplied advanced kitchen appliances, serving as a local representative for global brands such as SMEG, Fhiaba, Mondi, Elica, and Barazza.
- LSA Home, operating as a sister company to Serene Hospitality, contributed mattresses, pillows, and bedding essentials focused on sleep comfort and textile quality.
- Watling & Granby handled the technical setup and installation of residential entertainment systems, partnering closely with Bang & Olufsen products.
Visitors also engaged directly with company representatives to discuss specific design solutions and product capabilities.
Translating design concepts into reality
For the organizers, the open house served as a platform to display the practical results of turning conceptual blueprints into livable, fully functional spaces.
Tolulope J. Olabode, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of House of TM Soraya, explained the vision behind the exhibition:
"We want people to walk into a space we have designed and feel an immediate connection to it to the point where they say, ‘I wish that was my house.’ Hearing that response from different people throughout the two days was particularly rewarding. It reminds us that good design goes beyond how a space looks; it is about how people feel in it and how they can imagine themselves living in it. That is the experience we strive to create with every project."
Echoing these sentiments, Gbolahan A. Ishola, Executive Director and Co- founder of the firm, noted:
"A drawing communicates the vision, but the finished space shows how every decision works together. From furniture and material selections to the integration of technology and functional details, the quality of the outcome depends on how well those elements are brought together."
Established in 2012, House of TM Soraya is a Lagos-based interior architecture and construction firm focusing on residential and commercial developments, emphasizing craftsmanship, structural functionality, and thoughtful spatial planning.