This Architect Designed a Riyadh Townhouse Around Her Love for Vintage

Nebras Aljoaib’s Riyadh townhouse takes shape around a growing collection of vintage pieces, each one tied to memory and lived experience. The founder of Nebras Aljoaib Creative Studio approached her home without a fixed concept, allowing it to develop through her daily habits and personal instincts. “I wanted my home to feel personal. I think that’s how homes should feel. They should reflect what you love, who you are and how you live,” Aljoaib tells SceneHome.

Stone can be seen throughout the house. Marble surfaces appear throughout, chosen for their natural variation and quiet depth. “I’m not interested in finishes that feel temporary or decorative," Aljoaib says. "I gravitate toward surfaces that age well and gain character over time."

The house already had a defined structure and layout when Aljoaib began her design. She needed to work around existing walls, room sizes, and proportions, which shaped how each space could feel. Some areas needed to feel open, while others were smaller and required careful attention to scale. Technical details and coordination with contractors had to be precise because once you are working with stone and custom elements, there is little room for error.

The home is also full of meaning through collected objects. Vintage screens, including one acquired at auction, bring history into the spaces, anchoring them in stories that predate the home itself. “They weren’t chosen to complete a look; they were already part of my life and my memories,” she says. These objects interact with the architecture throughout the home. Light and shadow highlight textures in the living area, and tactile materials in the kitchen support everyday use. The master bathroom extends this ethos with its use of stone to feel grounded and dramatic. The home engages with its context through materials and light. Stone and other surfaces interact with natural light, creating depth and contrast as the day progresses.