Well, this is my last issue in charge of Middle East Interiors and what a few months it’s been.

My first month on the job saw the opening of the world’s second Missoni Hotel in Kuwait and I was lucky enough to be invited for a visit.

The richness of the colour and design was eyepopping and it was a great opportunity to see, first hand, how all these elements can be put together to great use in a commercial space.

Over the months, I’ve reported on all sorts of interior spaces from the world’s highest restaurant, At.mosphere at the Burj Khalifa, to airport lounges, hotels and even private villas (though that was before I was appointed editor) and it has been amazing to chat to the likes of Adam Tihany, who was responsible for At.mosphere.

But I have to say, my favourite part of the job has been the chance encounters with the quirkier side of design such as discovering Tiziano Rutilo and Rosario Gallina who together are Relicta Design.

I’m all for recycling, but these guys take it a step further creating gorgeous and really interesting interiors pieces out of old aeroplanes.

In the same month I was inspired by Mino Longo who crafted a whole new career after formulating an exclusive flooring mix when he needed a reflective floor surface during a television commercial shoot.

And what’s not to like about this month’s cover star Italo Rota? Anyone who comes up with a giant lizard as an appropriate theme for club decoration and then makes it look like Dubai’s new Chameleon Club has certainly got my attention.

A really heartening thing I have discovered through my time with MEI is our region’s absolute determination to embrace sustainability.

Due to the almost perpetual need for airconditioning, we have one of the largest carbon footprints on the planet – but we’re working on it!

At one stage it seemed as if there was a new eco-initiative every week. From taps and lavatories which restrict water usage without affecting performance to Abu Dhabi’s ambitious plan for the world’s first carbon-neutral city, the Middle East is certainly taking the green challenge seriously.

Some of the latest groundbreaking green products will be on show at the Index exhibition which takes place in Dubai, UAE, this month and running alongside it, for the first time, will be the Festival of Interior Design, a great initiative to showcase the region’s design talent.

This month’s At Last contributor, Andrew Torres, makes a very good point about this part of the world; interiors are important to us because the climate severely limits our time outdoors so what better place to breed the design stars of the future.

I think I may have been lucky enough to meet some of them already.

If you would like to contact Middle East Interiors in the future please do so on meieditor@tradearabia.net

Liz O’Reilly