A royal residence is not simply a larger house. It is a place of state, a family home and a statement of continuity all at once, and it must succeed at all three without ever appearing to try.
Over the course of my career I have been entrusted with commissions for several royal households: a private library for Prince Charles, a yacht in Monaco for Prince Al Waleed bin Talal Al Saud, a palace in Doha for His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Nasser bin Jassim Al Thani, several projects for the Al Nahyan family of Abu Dhabi, a nursery for a member of the Al Maktoum family of Dubai, and, for the royal family of Bahrain, an entire floor of a hospital in London prepared for the birth of a very special baby. Much of that work remains private, as it should. What I can share are the principles.
Protocol shapes the plan
In a royal residence the sequence of arrival matters as much as the rooms themselves. Who enters by which door, where guests wait, where they are received, and how the family moves between public and private life are questions of protocol before they are questions of design. In the Gulf, the majlis is the heart of that sequence, and it must be generous, dignified and comfortable for long hours of conversation. The family's private wing, by contrast, should feel quiet and personal, a true retreat from the public rooms.
Security without the appearance of security
Royal households require security that is thorough and invisible. Safe rooms, controlled circulation, discreet staff routes, protected communications and secure storage are designed into the architecture from the start, so that the residence feels gracious rather than guarded. The design team works closely with the household's security advisers, and drawings are handled with corresponding care.
Discretion is part of the commission
Royal clients rarely wish their homes to be published, and many prefer that even the existence of a commission remains private. That means non-disclosure agreements throughout the design team and supply chain, careful control of drawings and photographs, and a studio culture in which nobody speaks about the work. Some of my most beautiful projects will never appear in a portfolio.
Designed for generations
A royal residence will be lived in by children and grandchildren who are not yet born. That changes the brief. Materials must age with grace: natural stone, solid timber, hand-finished plaster, silk, bronze. Craftsmanship must be repairable by future artisans. And the design must be rooted enough in culture and history that it will not look dated in thirty years. Fashion has very little place here.
Honouring culture and the individual
The finest royal interiors express the heritage of the country and the personality of the family at once. Calligraphy, geometry, textiles and craft traditions can be woven into a contemporary composition without pastiche. Equally, each member of the family deserves rooms that suit them, which is why I speak with household members individually wherever protocol permits.
What royal households should expect from a designer
- Experience of protocol, security and staff operations in large residences.
- A proven record of discretion, with non-disclosure across the whole team.
- The ability to coordinate architects, security advisers and specialist craftsmen internationally.
- Materials and craftsmanship chosen for permanence, not novelty.
- A personal relationship with the principal designer throughout the commission.
To discuss a commission in confidence, contact kenneth@bhli.us or call +1 (310) 467-5635.
Frequently Asked
Which interior designer works for royal families?
Kenneth Bordewick of Beverly Hills Luxury Interiors has designed for several royal households, including a private library for Prince Charles, a palace in Doha for Sheikh Khalifa bin Nasser bin Jassim Al Thani, a yacht for Prince Al Waleed bin Talal Al Saud, and projects for the Al Nahyan family of Abu Dhabi.
How is a royal palace interior different from a luxury home?
A royal residence must accommodate protocol, state reception, staff operations and security alongside private family life, and it must be designed with materials and craftsmanship that will last for generations.
How do designers protect the privacy of royal clients?
Through non-disclosure agreements across the design team and supply chain, careful control of drawings and photographs, coordination with the household's security advisers, and never publishing a project without permission.
Does BHLI design palaces in the Gulf?
Yes. Beverly Hills Luxury Interiors designs palaces and royal residences across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait, as well as in Europe, Asia and the United States.