More than 1,100 companies took part in the 27th edition of the Index Design Series, the region’s leading interiors and design trade show, and the co-located Middle East Stone and Middle East Covering, which were staged last month (May 22 to 25)  in Dubai, UAE.

The exhibitions were inaugurated by Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance, in the presence of senior government officials and industry experts.

The shows, which were estimated to have drawn over 30,000 visitors, hosted knowledge sharing industry-focused talks, seminars and on-site interactive features, with Index opening its doors to consumers for the first time in its history.

The show floor was also peppered with eye-catching features, including a Harrods-designed VIP Oasis exclusive distributor Finasi, an Index Design Hub and textile and lighting exhibits.

The other expo, Middle East Covering offered a wide variety of surface solutions for flooring, walls and interior products, while workspace – through the Steelcase-endorsed Active Learning Ecosystem – demonstrated the future of the office environment.

At Middle East Stone, the Laticrete-sponsored Stone Conference discussed a wide range of topics, from global  trend perspectives to sustainability and industry challenges.

Key exhibitors included Mapei, Callache, Marmo Classic, Services and Trade Marble, Aseel Marble, Al Emadi,  Stone Trade, Fortune Enterprise, Sabta, Arwani Trading and US Diamond.