• Home
• /
• Local business
• /
• Business

Luxury living has to hit home, especially in Dubai

Dubai - Only thing testing limits of what can be fit into a home are limits of owner and designer's imagination.

Many of us might hope to live in a community that boasts a gym, cinema, pool and spa within walking distance. However, the homeowners of some of Dubai's most luxurious properties enjoy all these amenities and more, all within the walls of their homes.
Experts have noted that the only thing testing the limits of what can be fit into a home are the limits of the owner and designer's imagination.
Khaleej Times spoke to Colin Doyle, partner of LW Design Group, the architect behind Villa Aurum, which recently made waves in the property sector when it was listed for Dh130 million.
Villa Aurum is set within M. State, a secluded gated community of five luxury villas that enjoy the location on the tip of one of the most sought-after fronds on Palm Jumeirah, further reinforcing its exclusivity.
Villa Aurum (Plot A) is a six-bedroom villa spanning 1,342.50 square metres with a wealth of amenities, including a cinema, gym, spa, staff quarters and a generous expanse of white sandy beach for complete seclusion and exclusivity. Conceived as a contemporary design to maximise the potential of its location, Doyle revealed that the materials used in the construction consist of floating rendered plains and large expanses of glazing.
"The concept of the design for the villa was to provide panoramic views of the beach, the sea and the long vistas to the Dubai Marina shoreline, something of a Miami setting, which is what the developers were keen on," Doyle said.
"Designed to give 120-degree views for infinite light experience, the most commanding spot on the Frond is maximised at every opportunity, although privacy was at the forefront of the design. A framed sculptural tree sits at the heart of the courtyard within a reflection pond that provides a rippling water effect that fills the inside space."
He added: "M. State has been created to fulfilling a need for quality and stylish living that is utterly unique and exclusive. The developer's inspiration for M. State was drawn from the chic Miami lifestyle but there needed to be a serious consideration for the climate of the UAE, hence the striking infinity pool overlooking the Dubai Marina skyline. Other features such as the jacuzzi pool, steam room, a fitted-out gym and a cinema room all offer world-class contemporary design with the focus on the requirement for luxury living."
Daniel Garofoli, associate director at Luxhabitat, says that it is quite rare to find an asking price for a single individual property with a nine-figure number.
"That's already a sign that it has to be so outstanding in all its facts and features. All properties listed at the Dh100 million and over mark are high-end luxury residential properties in super-prime areas. For example, an Emirates Hills Villa with the view towards Downtown, Palm Jumeirah Villas on the tip of the fronds, which has the size of five regular palm plots combined, or a super penthouse - custom-built with multiple stories and features like in-house cinema and nightclub - are usually the kinds of villas and apartments that are within this price range."
"To reach this kind of level, a property has the be the ultimate one in its area and should be second to none," Garofoli added. "At Dh100 million or more, there is no compromising any more. It has to be, the prime property to meet that price point.
"There are definitely some amenities that owners of such properties like to have: A home cinema, for example, with 16 or more seats and a professional sound system; a private pool as well as a jacuzzi is always nice to have and already comes as standard with luxury properties. Most of the big villas and penthouses have their own private elevator that gets you through the different levels of the property. Obviously, these supersized properties host usually up to 10 or even more bedrooms, all with their own ensuite bathrooms. Most also come with several parking spots for their car collection presented in a gallery/showroom style, multiple terraces and outdoor spaces," he added.
Such homes also require rooms for staff members, so they include facilities for the maids, drivers, and gardeners. From golden bathrooms, with taps made out of solid gold, to twirling staircases made out of glass, to gigantic art pieces in the middle of the room, nothing is impossible in a property at that price point.
"We even had a villa listed on the Palm where you could swim under the living room," Garofoli says.
"Along with other hotspots like New York and Hong Kong, Dubai has made a name for itself on the global map as a luxury living location. It has an ample number of outstanding properties and a large number of sea-front properties in an urban location. The developers always have to over deliver in order to be interesting for the luxury buyers sector. Dubai is the definition of luxury in many ways; by way of its supercars, luxury shopping opportunities in the malls, five-star hotels with world-class facilities, all of these combined inspire the developers to always reinvent themselves and to find ultra-luxurious hotspots for the super-rich in the world."
- rohma@khaleejtimes.com