Beyond Decoration.
Japanese Craft That Makes a Space Unforgettable
A curatorial partner bringing the quiet refinement of Japan's master craftsmanship to the Gulf's most discerning interior projects. Through a carefully curated collection of wall art, surfaces, and bespoke architectural elements, we connect visionary designers and developers with exceptional Japanese makers, managing the process from curation and sourcing through to logistics and delivery, coordinating with trusted fit-out partners for installation where needed.
Start a ConversationWhat we bring into a space
Art for the wall
Gold leaf worked by hand until it catches and releases light like water. Nishijin weave, dyed before woven, shifts in sheen as light moves across it, while washi panels bring a quiet warmth into the room. Heirloom quality, made for rooms meant to be remembered.
Surfaces
A wall should hold light, not just reflect it. Washi and woven wallcoverings breathe with the room, regulating humidity as the sun turns, softening light and shadow. At this scale, surface stops being background and becomes atmosphere.
Signature objects
A leaf, its veins pressed with gold, holding a moment that would otherwise pass. Incense marks the first breath of a space, and ceramics turn a daily gesture into something worth slowing down for. Small objects, chosen for the moments a space is remembered by.
Light
Light, softened through washi - Japanese paper that doesn't just illuminate a room, but changes how it feels to be in it. Currently in development with Japanese makers, arriving in a future phase.
Our Craft Gallery
Art Curated
Craft, Lived In.
Gold leaf applied by hand, sheet by sheet. Looms follow steps passed down for generations, guided at every stage by a craftsman's eye. This is where Japanese craft translates most naturally into architecture - installing cleanly into residential, hospitality, or F&B projects, and where we recommend every collaboration begins.
Shigaraki Vases, Meizan Kiln, Shiga
Designed to let nature speak.
Nishijin Textile Panel, Kyoto
Woven silk that catches and reflects light.
Shigaraki Vases Drying, Meizan Kiln, Shiga
Time is part of the craft.
Gold Leaf Panel, Kinpakuoshi Yamamura, Kyoto
Nature reimagined in gold leaf.
Kiyomizu Cup, Itchin Shippo Pattern, Koshun Kiln, Kyoto
Crafted for special moments.
Our spaces
Spaces We Curate For.
Craft, Shaped by the
Space It Lives In
The same material says something different in a hotel lobby than in a private residence. We start with the feeling a space needs to create, then choose the craft that creates it.
High-End Residential
Quiet prestige, materials that age with you.
Boutique F&B
Sensory depth, a surface that starts a conversation.
Boutique Hotel
A memorable arrival, a sense of place.
Meet the founder
Two Worlds
One Craft
Message From The Founder
I have seen beautiful spaces filled with objects that add style but little meaning. Japanese craft offers another way – material shaped with intention, giving a space memory as well as beauty.
That is the gap I bridge. I connect designers and developers with Japan’s master artisans, ensuring each craft is thoughtfully placed while preserving its authenticity. If your project is meant to be felt, not just seen, this is the partnership you’ve been looking for.
About Midori
Born in Japan, Midori grew up immersed in a culture of craftsmanship shaped by patience, material, and the human hand. For nearly fifteen years, she has lived and worked across Lebanon, Jordan, and the UAE, developing a deep understanding of both Japan’s tradition of making and the Gulf’s vision for thoughtful interiors.
This journey became ARTLAB TAKUMI, a practice that brings Japan’s master artisans into the Gulf’s most considered spaces. Midori personally guides every collaboration, ensuring each piece carries not only exceptional craftsmanship, but also meaning. Based in the UAE, she works between Japan and the GCC, connecting artisans, designers, and clients through a shared appreciation for enduring craft.
Craft, Integrated
Not Imported
ARTLAB TAKUMI is a Japanese craft integration partner for high-end residential, boutique F&B and hospitality projects across the GCC.
We don’t supply objects. We bring Japan’s master artisans into your project, matched to the space, shaped for the architecture, and managed from source to site.
Access
Direct relationships with Japanese artisans open to project-based work, most of whom design teams in the Gulf have no way to reach on their own.
Translation
Turning that craft into architectural application: wall pieces, surfaces, signature objects, built for the space, not just placed in it.
Coordination
Matching what's realistically available, checking lead times and stock with artisans first, so the right materials are proposed for each project's timeline, not forced into it.
Why Work With Us
Early, by Design
Not by Accident
ARTLAB TAKUMI is a young practice. We’re honest about that. What isn’t young is the relationship behind it: nearly fifteen years between Japan’s craft culture and the Gulf’s design world, and the artisan access that comes with it. We’ve built this practice deliberately small at the start, so that the first projects we take on get real attention, not a fraction of it.
If you’re looking for a partner with a long history of completed projects, we’re not that yet. If you’re looking for a partner who will bring genuine Japanese craft expertise, direct artisan access, and real care to an early collaboration, that’s exactly where we are strongest.
Get in TouchCraft Encounters
Where Craft
Becomes Practice.
Beyond project work, we run a small kintsugi salon in Dubai — mending ceramics with lacquer and gold, the same philosophy that shapes everything we bring into a space. Sessions and one-off events are announced on Instagram, not listed here — follow along to join the next one.
Follow @artlabtakumi
If material identity
defines your project,
let’s talk.
Reach out, and we’ll set up a short call to understand your project and walk you through relevant craft and material options, no obligation, no commitment.
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