Chaimae Daimoussi makes cool furniture out of trash

The founder of recycled furniture brand Upcycle turns trash into treasurable furniture and would love to walk a mile in Beyoncé’s shoes for a day.

ME AND MY FRIDAYS

I am Belgian but originally from Morocco. I moved to Dubai six years ago to work as cabin crew for Emirates Airlines and have lived here ever since. On Fridays, it’s always yoga in the morning, brunch with some friends at noon, beach in the afternoon and cinema at night.

OFF THE BACK OF A TRUCK

One day when I was driving, I saw a truck full of tyres and started wondering if those tyres will ever be recycled, since everywhere I went people were talking about going green and how it impacts the planet. I realised that in Dubai we do not recycle and upcycle much; I was in the final year of my interior designing course and had to submit a thesis to my teacher which is how I came up with the idea of Upcycle. Even before studying interior designing, I always loved decorating rooms and arranging furniture – I enjoy playing with colours, fabrics and textile.

A BIT OF A STRETCH

I’m a very active person and love Bikram yoga and Pilates. I practise yoga every day. It’s a really good way to de-stress.

MUSIC AND MEMORIES

Keep Ya Head Up by Tupac Shakur is a song that has deeply influenced me – it reminds me of my childhood with my brothers.

BERRY VERY BAD

I am allergic to strawberries.

SERVE RIGHT

I have so many favourite cuisines but if I have to choose one it is Thai food. I’ve just come back from Bangkok, so now I’m trying to recreate some Thai dishes in my kitchen at home. I was never a fan of Asian food before but I’ve realised how delicious it is when cooked the right way.

CHANEL SURFING

The last thing I splurged on was my Chanel bag. All women need a Chanel bag in their lives.

IDEAS TAKE FLIGHT

I’m looking forward to my next flights, to Singapore and Melbourne this weekend. I always find inspiration during my flights and once I’m back I execute my ideas. My favourite travel memory is of the Philippines – they have some amazing, breath-taking beaches there.

GREEN PLANET

Going green is a personal choice [I’ve] embraced to contribute towards the betterment of our planet for future generations. Moreover, recycling and upcycling help us to be more creative: Not only do you save energy as well as money but it also allows you to come up with new ways to be energy- and material-efficient and create useful items from [rubbish].

SEEDS OF INSPIRATION

French-Tunisian artist El Seed’s Perception Project is a breath-taking project in Egypt that really speaks to me. He fuses Arabic calligraphy with graffiti to paint colourful, swirling messages of hope and peace that can only be fully seen from a nearby mountain. El Seed’s calligraphy is the kind of work I wish I had done, it’s so unique!

DESIGN GOALS

In terms of my design career, my sights are now set on selling my furniture all around the world and to try and develop more furniture [designs]. I source used tyres from Bridgestone garages, used pallets from supermarkets or [scavenge] construction areas. My best-selling products are the Upcycled tyres – I paint any desired design or colour and custom-make the cushions. The weirdest thing I’ve upcycled so far is a toilet bowl – I transformed it into a toilet planter.

FREAKY FRIDAY

I’d like to be Beyoncé for a day – she is the woman that every woman aspires to be. She can step onto a stage and draw every single person in the audience into an intimate experience; no one has that voice, no one moves the way she moves, no one can hold an audience the way she does. And she keeps growing and evolving in the ways that she expresses herself as a singer, as a performer and now as a mother.

MATTER OF FACT

The best advice I’ve received in life is: ‘Live life as if everything matters, but know that nothing does’.