Interiors: May Daouk's Beirut Villa

Houses are precious commodities in Beirut. Since Lebanon’s civil war ended two decades ago, the city has been rebuilt and revitalized into a place of soaring glass condominium towers, upstart art galleries, chic restaurants and cocktail lounges, and—risen from the rubble of the old souk—a pristine shopping mall filled with luxe fashion brands such as Yves Saint Laurent, Stella McCartney, and Louis Vuitton. But sadly, you can count on your fingers the traditional dwellings in the downtown area and the façades of several are scarred from smoke and shelling.

So when interior designer May Daouk moved back here from New York with her sons ten years ago, she was exceptionally lucky to find a charming single-story late-19th-century villa, belonging to one of Beirut’s leading families. Situated in the smart Achrafieh district and featuring a sea view and a tree-shaded terrace, it has a tranquillity rare in this frenetic city. - Architectural Digest

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