Beit Douma

What a treasure I have discovered! I sat, cozy in my chair, and deep-sighed my way in and around this wondrous heritage home in Lebanon, filled with stunning textiles, art, furniture, and lovely stories. The home, known as Beit Douma is the handiwork of Kamal Mouzawak, a Lebanese social entrepreneur and his partner Rabih Kayrouz, a Lebanese fashion designer. They both restored and renovated the magnificient 18th century Beit {beit means home} situated in the village of Douma, high up in the Batroun mountains. Beit Douma, which is run as a guest house and hosts local food events as well, is an extension of Kamal’s very interesting and relevant social initiative called Souk Al-Tayeb. The initiative brings together local communities, especially women, to encourage small scale organic farming and help the women take their produce, including authentic Lebanese culinary delights, to a larger consumer base via the souk.

This lovely home is filled with antiques, books and art – both traditional and contemporary. Great effort was made to retain the architectural integrity of the ancestral house and the rooms and spaces in the sprawling home are as homely as they are exquisitely beautiful. As you look through this post, you will understand why I think Beit Douma is nothing less than a precious treasure!