Herfah Preserves Saudi Heritage in Handcrafted Homeware

In Riyadh and London, a small boutique called Herfah holds a growing collection of miniature symbols of Saudi Arabian landscape. The boutique reflects the beauty of the Kingdom’s heritage onto handcrafted homeware.

Herfah’s story begins in a village in the foothills of Mount Harfah in Bani Amr, where its founder Ahmad Abdullah Al Amri was born. “I grew up surrounded by the carvings on the windows and doors of my ancestors’ homes,” Al Amri, tells SceneNowSaudi. “Those engravings, along with the geometric beauty of Al-Qatt Al-Asiri, ignited my passion to present heritage through contemporary artistic designs worthy of its depth.”

Al Amri did not want his heritage to fade into the folds of time, so he adapted it, preserving its integrity in contemporary designs that could easily fit into any home. His work, as a result, is sustainable in more ways than one. “Sustainability is at the heart of Herfah. We use high-fired porcelain for durability, create limited collections to reduce waste and enhance value, and contribute to the sustainability of intangible heritage by reimagining it for future generations. We also practice hand-carving and hand-painting to preserve and immortalise the traditional patterns of Al-Qatt Al-Asiri.”

When working on a new design, Al Amri returns to the very beginning, to where he grew up, and to how it felt. "I extract the emotions, symbols, and colours of heritage, merge them with Al-Qatt Al-Asiri, and reinterpret them into contemporary artistic designs," he explains.

In his words, Al Amri crafts each Herfah piece as a “microcosm of heritage”, which tells the story of where he comes from to both a local and global audience. “In Riyadh, people connect emotionally. It’s their identity and memory. In London, audiences discover Herfah with admiration and curiosity. That’s why I rely on cultural storytelling for global audiences, while emphasising heritage pride for local ones.”

In the future, Herfah hopes to expand into a cultural luxury house that displays jewellery, fine art and clothing, not just from Asir, but from all over the Kingdom. “My vision is to present Saudi heritage to the world in contemporary artistic designs, preserving its spirit and giving it timeless relevance -always in a way that reflects the weight of Saudi Arabia, its history, and its unique heritage.”