A great starting point or finishing touch for a decor scheme, soft greys teamed with cool blues, whites and charcoal will create a sophisticated look. For something more fun, mix in bold, colourful accents. Here are our favourite current finds
Flight of fancy
Now offering international delivery, Tangletree Interiors stocks an excellent range of luxurious fabrics and wallpapers including Mulberry Home. Use this wonderful version of their iconic Flying Ducks design in silver/blue grey to create a feature wall to talk about. Flying Ducks wallpaper, £59 (Dh335) plus shipping, Mulberry Home at tangletree-interiors.co.uk
Get the picture
This stool by Nada Debs epitomises her modern take on Arabesque design, combining traditional Middle Eastern imagery with clean, contemporary lines to add a touch of old-school charm to a modern interior. Nada Debs grey vintage stool, Dh2,500, O'de Rose, Al Wasl Road, www.o-derose.com
Best of three
If you're using grey as your colour palette, it works much better if you're using more than one shade. This sleek, compact nest of side tables has a choice of three so it won't blend into the background. Mekong tables, Dh2,890, Indigo Living, Dubai
Ahoy there
You might think this fabric would only work in a cottage-style decor scheme, but its vintage-looking design also works to great effect in a simple, contemporary setting. Surprisingly, it's from Ikea, which means it's also very cheap. Benzy fabric, Dh39 per metre, Ikea stores nationwide
Big purchase
Oversized and inviting, this modular sofa, with its intricate detailing, embossed patterns, contrasting stitching and a play of materials and textures, is a luxury you want to sink in to. Confession sofa, Dh52,000, Roche Bobois, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, www.roche-bobois.com
Statement piece
Grey is no background colour, as the striking decorative motif on this cushion demonstrates. A trio of these will create a striking finishing touch to your sofa. Crest cushion cover, Dh269, Indigo Living, Dubai
For more tips on six elements to change up your home routine, check out Six of the Best.
Company info
Company name: Entrupy
Co-founders: Vidyuth Srinivasan, co-founder/chief executive, Ashlesh Sharma, co-founder/chief technology officer, Lakshmi Subramanian, co-founder/chief scientist
Based: New York, New York
Sector/About: Entrupy is a hardware-enabled SaaS company whose mission is to protect businesses, borders and consumers from transactions involving counterfeit goods.
Initial investment/Investors: Entrupy secured a $2.6m Series A funding round in 2017. The round was led by Tokyo-based Digital Garage and Daiwa Securities Group's jointly established venture arm, DG Lab Fund I Investment Limited Partnership, along with Zach Coelius.
Total customers: Entrupy’s customers include hundreds of secondary resellers, marketplaces and other retail organisations around the world. They are also testing with shipping companies as well as customs agencies to stop fake items from reaching the market in the first place.
IF YOU GO
The flights
FlyDubai flies direct from Dubai to Skopje in five hours from Dh1,314 return including taxes. Hourly buses from Skopje to Ohrid take three hours.
The tours
English-speaking guided tours of Ohrid town and the surrounding area are organised by Cultura 365; these cost €90 (Dh386) for a one-day trip including driver and guide and €100 a day (Dh429) for two people.
The hotels
Villa St Sofija in the old town of Ohrid, twin room from $54 (Dh198) a night.
St Naum Monastery, on the lake 30km south of Ohrid town, has updated its pilgrims' quarters into a modern 3-star hotel, with rooms overlooking the monastery courtyard and lake. Double room from $60 (Dh 220) a night.
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
The Bloomberg Billionaire Index in full
1 Jeff Bezos $140 billion
2 Bill Gates $98.3 billion
3 Bernard Arnault $83.1 billion
4 Warren Buffett $83 billion
5 Amancio Ortega $67.9 billion
6 Mark Zuckerberg $67.3 billion
7 Larry Page $56.8 billion
8 Larry Ellison $56.1 billion
9 Sergey Brin $55.2 billion
10 Carlos Slim $55.2 billion
The Birkin bag is made by Hermès.
It is named after actress and singer Jane Birkin
Noone from Hermès will go on record to say how much a new Birkin costs, how long one would have to wait to get one, and how many bags are actually made each year.
