UK-based world-class mural design ad manufacturing company Craig Bragdy Design, which has carried out a number of high-profile commissions in the region, is enthusiastic about the response it has received in the Gulf.

The company’s recent participation at the Index exhibition held in Dubai proved to be “very successful” and brought about a broader awareness of handmade ceramics and the use of ceramics for creative expression, says a spokeswoman for the company.
“Handmade ceramics is one of the oldest art forms and it’s through promotion and word of mouth, that more and more people are now realising just how creative and versatile ceramics can be,” she adds.
Craig Bragdy has carried out numerous projects, ranging from small murals and swimming pools for private individuals and royal family residences to larger assignments for corporate concerns such as luxury apartment blocks and hotel chains.
Some of its prestigious commissions in the Middle East include swimming pools for Royal families and murals for their palaces. It has also produced interior designs for Middle Eastern offices and created a 10-m diameter clock on a busy traffic roundabout in Jeddah.
“Each assignment is unique and starts with sensitive consultation with the client, leading to a mutually agreed design scheme that accommodates individual dreams and ideas – something which has always been at the heart of our success,” she points out. “Depending on the size of the commission, it takes between 12 and 24 weeks to design, manufacture and install the ceramic design.”
“The production technique for these ceramics is unusual,” she continues. “All the work is handmade and starts with a design drawn on clay, which is laid out on the factory floor in one piece.  After cutting and firing, each tile is then glazed and can be coated with either 22-carat gold, copper or platinum, before being packed and freighted for installation.”
One of the more striking designs created by Craig Bragdy adorns the main entrance foyer in the Rotana Hotel in Abu Dhabi.
“This reflecting pool design is a different style to ventures we have previously created,” the spokeswoman explains.
“The water feature is an integral part of the ambience created in the hotel and conveys a feeling of depth although a sheet of water just 2 cm deep flows over the top.  Two crescents form a circle measuring about 20 m across the centre of the room, connecting the ground floor to a seating area.
‘‘The soothing sound created by the movement of water adds to the atmosphere of cool, calm relaxation. The transparent glaze, used to give a three-dimensional appearance to the texture, enhances the handcrafted detail on the ceramics.
“The work was designed and created in close conjuncture with LW Design of Dubai, the interior designers on this project.”
The undersea world is often requested for swimming pool decoration but themes can vary considerably, she says. Each pool design carries its own character and personality as seen in the two pools on the rooftop of the Fairmont Hotel in Dubai.
“There, our client wanted murals in the pools which would offer hotel guests and visitors a unique experience that would be highly memorable. Subtle lighting also gives the pools a peaceful yet exotic feel for night-time poolside functions.”
Craig Bragdy – which began operations more than 40 years ago as a family-owned business producing ceramic pots and small murals for local businesses – today employs more than 50 people, dedicated to producing these unique and elaborate murals, she adds.