London-based design firm, SHH has completed one of its most ambitious residential projects, a luxury, new-build villa in Dubai. Situated in one of the city’s most prestigious districts, the 30,000sqft villa has been designed in a Mediterranean style with Romanesque architectural influences throughout.
The interior colour palette of dark timber and bronze metal hues defines the luxurious interiors of the residence. Elegant metal screens, marble floors, silk wall coverings and opulent chandeliers bring a warm glow into the home which includes formal and informal living and dining spaces as well as six bedrooms all with en-suite bathrooms.
SHH provided a full architecture and interior design service on the project from concept through to completion and dressing. Rupert Martineau, associate and project head of Residential Interiors at SHH, said: “This luxury home carefully maintains a balance between a domestic family environment and the opulence expected from a high-end property of this magnitude. Despite its size, there is a fluidity to the arrangement of the rooms and you always feel a sense of home. Nonetheless, there is always something to be found and surprise you, with fun and humorous touches to the interiors.”
Imposing feature doors from dark veneer timber with bronze metal pattern give access to the spacious entrance hall featuring a bespoke SHH-designed chandelier by Dernier and Hamlyn. The entrance hall leads to sophisticated formal and guest areas which wrap around an elongated terrace outside, showcasing a beautiful water feature and a 20m swimming pool.
The formal reception room accessed through vast lacquered doors with inlayed brass details is dressed with refined unique pieces of furniture and joinery including a stunning selenite clad and brass detailed bar piece designed by SHH and realised by Jallu Ebenistes. The coffered ceiling is hand gilded and lit by remarkable selenite crystal chandeliers. The walls are lined with silk and the windows dressed with beautiful fabric by Fox Linton that all creates an inviting, elegant atmosphere. Further on a formal dining room with a long table for 24 built by Archer and Smith, a feature wall of calacatta marble and a blue lapis gemstone inspired rug provides an awesome space for entertaining the most discerning statesmen and women.
There is also a receiving room to be used according to the time of the day, these are separated by bronze framed glass sliding doors and is furnished with luxurious sofas by Baker Furniture and wrapped in Dedar fabrics, bespoke highly detailed joinery and lighting by Villaverde. The day room is bright and airy with an SHH-designed malachite coffee table and silk wool curtains by Fox Linton; while the night room has darker tones, complemented by a gypsum crystal and bog oak veneer unit.
The basement level is dedicated to entertainment and wellness offering a games room with luxurious finishes and a high specification curved screen golf simulator integrated in the room design. Furthermore, there is a cinema, spa massage and treatment rooms designed with backlit resin panelling, a steam and massage room dressed in Panda white marble, a gym, as well as a spacious car park all found on this level.
The upper floors host the family areas designed in a more relaxed style, but with an equally elegant aesthetic providing a personal feel with lighter choice of colours and materials including silk wallpapers, polished plaster and darker timber floors.
The first floor houses the master suite complete with a lounge and terrace. SHH has designed ‘his and her’s’ dressing rooms personalised with the couple in mind – a dark, masculine palette with black and silver touches for him and expansive, glass wardrobes, dedicated hair salon, feature dressing room mirror, and an Archer and Smith dressing table featuring silk-lined drawers for her. There are also two children’s bedrooms, which feature playful touches such as ‘newspaper’ walls and a corner stage for playtime performances. In addition, there is a relaxed family room with a huge comfortable sofa with and a kids area with reading pod and a dedicated playroom/workstation with mini library and toy storage.
A rooftop terrace also provides space for entertaining up to 200 guests with uninterrupted views across Dubai. The terrace features outdoor fire pits surrounded by a generous seating. Outdoor kitchen-bar facilities and covered alfresco dining are all appointed with soothing native plantings.
