Principals, Farouki Farouki
Whether a striking eatery, chic hotel or their own Lower Garden District home (which has been featured in this magazine and Dwell), Caroline and Sabri Farouki love a project that brings something new to the world. The husband-and-wife team started their firm Farouki Farouki in 2015, after relocating to New Orleans from New York with their young son. According to Caroline, the joint professional venture marries Sabri’s expertise in architecture with hers in interior design: “I think we are a good team because of that pairing.” The couple met while studying architecture as undergraduates at Washington University. Sabri continued that professional path, earning a master’s in architecture from Columbia University. Caroline ultimately completed an MFA in interior design from Savannah College of Art and Design and turned her focus to commercial interior design, which she found to be a sweet spot between architecture and decorating.
Clients, particularly those in the hospitality sector, seek the firm for a perspective that feels innovative but still at home amid the city’s architecture. “What excites me most are clients … who come to the table with some guidance but not a prescribed ‘I want to repeat this historical New Orleans motif,’” said Caroline. “Somebody recently told me as a criticism of us that our designs don’t feel ‘New Orleans’ … I kind of chuckled because that’s not the point of what we do. What excites us is taking people to a different place, almost like armchair traveling.”
Locally, the Farouki Farouki portfolio includes restaurant stunners like Saffron NOLA, Maypop and Ayu Bakehouse. Farther afield, they’ve been tapped for projects in Grand Cayman; Punta Mita, Mexico; and the Four Seasons Resort and Residences Anguilla. The firm’s latest local undertaking is a 40-key hotel at 3500 St. Charles Ave. The property will be operated by hotelier Jayson Seidman in partnership with nearby Columns hotel. The design will nod to historic aspects of St. Charles Avenue but with a fresh take. “Even though it’s a very modern-looking building, it has a colonnade on the first floor,” said Caroline, whose purview includes designing custom millwork for the lobby and custom furniture for the sleeping rooms. “The palette is very richly colored, but the lines of the furniture pared down, per our tendency. It’s a more streamlined modern aesthetic.”
A Lafayette native, Caroline attributes the pull of designing hospitality spaces to growing up as part of a “big Cajun family” who enjoyed gathering for meals. Sabri has called many cities home, with a childhood spent in Denver, Tulsa, Houston and Cairo. But they have found a solid personal and professional home in New Orleans.
“When we first moved down here, maybe we were a little nervous, like, is there a place for us here since we’re not going to do historic stuff?” recalled Caroline. “It has not been a problem, not even a question. There are definitely enough people out there who want something fresh and new.”
