However, the few that are still standing, such as the Bayt Al-Bader, are nonetheless excellent examples of structures Kuwaitis used to live and work in around 150 years ago. The traditional Kuwaiti house consisted of a central courtyard, with a series of rooms built around this quad. These houses were usually simple in structure, but were heavily adorned with ornaments, paintings and mosaics. Today, some people still try to build their houses based on this original design. However, the trend in Kuwaiti architecture today seems to be to strive for the more unique and more intricate designs.
Houses vary in dimension according to family size, and each family has their own tastes and desires.
Because of this, it is difficult to attribute one single, definitive characteristic to these houses. This same notion also goes for the non-residential architecture. Kuwait exhibits some of the most impressive modern buildings in the world, with such examples as the Ministry of Justice building, and the National Assembly building . Another masterpiece of architecture in Kuwait is the Grand Mosque. One of the largest and most modern of its kind, the mosque follows traditional Islamic styles along with the local architecture of Kuwait and the Gulf region, and is liberally decorated with Islamic designs and calligraphy both inside and out.