What does the word ZIBOH mean?

The word ‘Ziboh’ is Persian, meaning “beautiful” and is used to describe people and objects. Pronounced ‘zee-baa’ and written زیبا in Farsi (the language of Iran), it is formal, literary and poetic, and is sometimes used as a female name.

Although English, I wanted a name that was unusual and as Persia – now modern-day Iran – has an extensive history of rich and beautiful ornament and architecture, I felt the word Ziboh connected perfectly with interior design.

I spent a few weeks in Iran in the early 2000s. I loved the vast and beautiful countryside, the spectacular mosques and Islamic architecture. Iran has mountains, forests, deserts and coastal cities. It’s a fascinating place with a rich and vibrant history, that was founded long before Islam. Iran is home to one of the world’s oldest continuous major civilisations, with historical and urban settlements dating back to 4000 BCE.

The many Iranian people I met were naturally warm and friendly, and very welcoming to me as a westerner. Iranians are broad-minded and liberal people. When you meet the ordinary people, you soon realise it is not at all how you see it in the news. It is very sad and tragic how suppressed the people are, and how badly they are treated by the current oppressor regime.