OBJ Expo Showcases the Pieces That Make a House a Home at New Cairo

At OBJ Expo, home decor took centre stage, bringing together the details that can often get overlooked when furnishing a space. The expo gave over 50 brands a chance to showcase their work in a setting designed to bring home styling and accessories into the spotlight.

Held at Marakez District 5 in New Cairo from October 8th to 11th, the event marked the launch of what organisers describe as the Middle East’s first exhibition dedicated specifically to home decor and accessories. Founded by Ramy Abuzied and co-founded by Mostafa Taher, OBJ was created to give greater visibility to a segment of the home design market often overshadowed by furniture.

The idea grew out of Abuzied’s experience in the furniture industry, where exhibitions tended to centre larger pieces while accessories and decorative objects received less attention. OBJ was designed to close that gap for both industry professionals and consumers.

“It’s not just for designers. It’s also for people interested in preparing and furnishing their home,” Abuzied says.

The exhibition also addressed a practical issue for smaller brands, many of which operate without extensive retail networks. By bringing them together in one place, OBJ gave visitors easier access to products that might otherwise be spread across different locations, while giving brands a chance to reach new customers.

That visibility pushed some exhibitors to think more deliberately about presentation. Several brands developed new collections and more considered booth concepts for the event, turning the expo into as much a showcase of identity and styling as of individual products.

The physical design followed the same logic. Led by Segments Architects and Segments Experience, the expo occupied the space between two buildings at District 5, with a walkthrough route connecting them. Karim El Assal, Head of Design at Segments Architects and Co-Founder of Segments Experience, approached the layout as an alternative to the standard booth-by-booth exhibition format, making the space itself part of the visitor experience.

Alongside the exhibition, the programme included talks on the relationship between design, objects and the way people experience their surroundings. Sessions explored sensory perception in interiors, the integration of Italian appliances into contemporary spaces and the role of styling in turning individual objects into more considered compositions.

For Abuzied, one of the strongest signs that the format worked was the audience it attracted. “The best thing was that the set plan worked,” he says. “Everyone was happy - the visitors, exhibitors - the vibe was great.”

With the first edition now concluded, plans are already under way for another. Asked whether OBJ Expo would return, Abuzied was unequivocal: “Of course, with the success of the first edition, there will absolutely be another one.”

For now, OBJ has helped bring a more focused spotlight to a part of the home design industry that is usually treated as secondary to furniture.