What if you could walk through cotton candy? It’d be light, airy, sweet-as-can-be, and of course, pink all over. Turns out it’s not a far stretch of the imagination—in fact, all you have to do is enter Farwa Moledina’s Birmingham abode.
The artist and designer’s 1200-square-foot home bursts with rosy tiles, blush walls, and bubblegum candles. Yet, it’s grounded with forest green powder rooms and oaky woven cabinets in equal measure.
Botanical motifs are sprawled throughout, bridging the gap between the whimsy and earthy—from delicate swirls of grapevines to vibrant jungle scenes plastered over the walls. It all feels sort of miraculous. Sunlight streams through floral stained glass slivers, while mirrors glow warmly from the inside out.
In this way, the design sprouts from a seed beyond what the eyes can see: Moledina’s Yemeni-Tanzanian heritage and deeply ingrained faith. The essence blossoms not just in terracotta tagines and kaleidoscopic patterns, but in the feeling of peace radiating through the space.
Ahead, Moledina tours us through her magical abode—sharing artwork she saved from a dump, her cookware-turned-storage solution, and her favorite room to unwind in.
How did you first discover your space? What about it appealed to you?
What first attracted us to our house is the fact that the back garden is surrounded by silver birch trees, meaning we aren’t overlooked. We’re five minutes away from a very busy street but you wouldn’t be able to tell thanks to the trees, and a lovely and compact new-build estate.
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Describe the surrounding neighborhood—does your home fit in or stand out?
Our neighborhood feels quite different to the surrounding area as it’s just a few minutes away from a very busy street. It’s like a little hidden pocket with lots of pretty houses and quiet roads.
How would you describe your style and approach to decorating your home?
My style is colorful yet calm. I love adding character and personality to our previously bland new-build home. I enjoy subtly clashing patterns and textures in a way that isn’t overwhelming, particularly in the bedroom.
I love incorporating pink in our home, and luckily so does my husband! I love including pieces that are culturally relevant, such as wooden mabkharas (oud burners) or Islamic art.
Who or what are your biggest design inspirations?
I’m very inspired by nature. My preferred color palette is inspired by spring flowers and cotton candy sunsets.
How does your heritage inform your style?
I am of Yemeni-Tanzanian heritage, and I spent the first 17 years of my life in Dubai. My heritage is a huge part of my design inspiration and there are subtle hints of it throughout my decor.
A lot of the artwork in my house is either Islamic-based, or inspired by Islamic art. Some of the artwork is even fairly Orientalist, but as an artist who often considers Orientalist art in my own work, I love having such pieces in my house.
I also have some of my own work on display, including prints from my Women of Paradise print series.
Any other cultures you take design notes from?
I’m very inspired by Moroccan design, too! One of our close friends is Moroccan and often gifts us beautiful dinnerware or decor pieces which I have dotted around our house. I love using mini tagines to store my hijab pins!
What were the greatest finds in your home?
Our best find has to be the traditional Islamic artwork on our stairwell. I found these dumped at the tip [a dump] some time ago. The staff at the tip didn’t initially allow us to take them away, and I was so worried that they would be disposed of improperly (as Muslims, we’re very precious about the written verses of the Qur’an, or imagery that depicts the Kaaba).
However, just as we were driving off, one of the staff members came back to us and said we could have them after all! Now they take pride of place on our stairwell. I’m not sure whose they were, or how they ended up there, but I’m grateful to have them now.
Do you have a favorite design feature or room?
My favorite room has to be our guest room, which took me three goes and four years to get right! It’s overlooked by the trees at the back so it can get quite dark.
I recently made it over with some beautiful floral wallpaper which has really tied in well with the view of the trees. The pink base is calming and light, with just enough color to sustain me!
Where in your home do you spend the most time, and what are you usually doing there?
I spend a lot of time in the living room! It’s often where I work from whilst my toddler plays around me, or where I rest in the evenings with a cup of tea and the electric fire.
