As if a large showroom at the new furniture mall Designopolis isn't enough, a new concept store has opened up in Beymen on the second floor. People have been clamoring for pieces from the furniture store since it opened last June, so much so that owner Shaden Abdel Hak opened a second outlet for her store to make the products and philosophy of Art of Form more accessible to clients. Art of Form is an interesting store to visit. It offers more than just a couch or a table, but pieces that straddle both art and functionality. The Giorgetti dining table? That's meant to last you a lifetime of dinner parties and family get-togethers, all the while being extremely sexy. But more than simply offering a variety of brands, it's how everything is set up. Beds and couches, fabric samples and side tables, lighting fixtures and art pieces are arranged in a way that enables you to envision how easy it is to pair striking pieces with classics in your own home. What is the store's philosophy? Fine Italian brands: Giorgetti, Missoni Home, Poliform and Moroso. Synonymous abroad with quality, timelessness and design flair, Abdel Hak has been selling these brands along with other brands to clients in Egypt who are willing to invest in pieces. Whereas the store in Designopolis is akin to a cool art gallery housed within large sheets of glass, the smaller store in Beymen is modeled on a home, making it easier to envision each piece in one's own living room or bedroom. The collection is consistently up to date with what's abroad, if not one step ahead. Moroso gave Art of Form exclusive access to sell their new Fergana couch before it's presented at the furniture fair in Milan mid April, as has Missoni Home, whose new collection will also be presented at the famed Salone Milan fair. Both stores are worth a visit, if not for furniture shopping than at least for some inspiration. But I'm sure you'll try to somehow buy that Moroso chair - it's too cool to leave behind. BeymenFour Seasons Nile PlazaGarden City Corniche, Cairo
