The fourth day of Jamaica Observer Design Week 2024 shifted to the north coast, as home furnishing company Oppein Jamaica invited guests to Main Street, Rose Hall in Montego Bay to luxuriate in the ‘Oppein Experience’.

The experience allowed guests to traverse through a fully furnished three-bedroom, three-bathroom living space complete with kitchen and living room. For Oppein CEO Tanya Buxani, the goal of making the experience and indeed guests feel as if they were at home was achieved.

“Everybody wants to feel comfortable. Everyone wants to come into a space and just feel like they are automatically at home. Whether it is a hotel suite or an Airbnb, you want to just be able to come and relax… a place of relaxation,” Buxani said.

The cosy ambience was felt as guests entered, as a brief meet and greet allowed persons to get comfortable before the Oppein team spoke about the project. In keeping with Buxani’s vision of a “home perfected” Michael Bernard, Oppein sales and design coordinator, highlighted how homes can be personalised to specific needs to elevate the living space, ensuring that the client is involved with bringing their vision to life.

“Part of that home perfected ideology is just to be able to show the full potential of what an interior of your home can do. When you look at your living room, your bedroom, you want to know that anything is possible with the style and design,” Bernard said.

“Part of our design process is including the client and letting them feel a part of the building process. So we look at the personality of the client, we also look at their interests, but alongside that we act as kind of paintbrush for the canvas that is being painted for that design.”

Following the brief presentation, guests proceeded to explore the feel of the area for themselves, guided by the Oppein team. They were also treated to an exquisite culinary smorgasbord courtesy of Chef Garfield Seivwright Jr and his team.

The furniture for the space which elevated the overall experience was curated in partnership with Furnitureland, courtesy of Managing Director Carmen Brown who was on hand to add sound advice on selecting furniture.

Each bedroom and bathroom had a distinct character and personality, which was by design, according to Buxani, to give potential clients options.

An example of this being the use of wall panelling which is uncommon for most homes but showcased the rooms in an appealing way.

“Every product is showcasing something important in terms of possibilities and capabilities. It’s uncommon, actually, to see wall panelling in an average home. It is only used in certain homes, I would say. But I just love how it makes the space so warm and it does add an extra dimension to the space,” Buxani continued.

However, she also stated that what was important was to make it as accessible as possible.

“It’s important to think about all the different design elements that go into a space so that people are not searching for things. Whatever they need, if they need a dressing table or a work desk it’s right there,” Buxani said. “We thought about all types of elements in the design that people need, and they are not searching for the right place to keep their things.”

The reaction was positive among the guests, including businesswoman Asha Issa, who praised the design of the space as well as how it has inspired her with her own plans for her kitchen.

“I was impressed with the design. It was well-put-together. This gave me the opportunity to look and feel and touch. This gives me more confidence in the choices that I am making,” Issa said.

Design Week 2024 wraps today with Dezign Diva.