After more than a decade of family life, Emma Whittington’s Desert Rose has been reborn
Desert Rose occupies 16,500 square feet on a sought-after corner plot, its garden wrapping the villa to deliver exceptional privacy. Emma’s family home for 12 years, with her adult children now pursuing their own lives, the decision to renovate and put it on the market was driven by love, not logic.
Emma engaged Kate Instone of luxury interiors firm Blush International, Multibuild Construction as the main contractor, and placed Jean-Marc Créau of The Garden Studio in charge of landscaping. Additionally, Lighting designer Delphine De Marco of I Light You shaped the home’s atmosphere from the ground up. Her overriding brief was longevity. “I wanted everything as timeless as possible. There might be the odd reference to things that are fashionable now, but I didn’t want it to date.” The renovation was absolute. Everything went back to shell and core with new plumbing, a/c, u/v resistant window panels, and fully integrated smart home technology controlling heat sensors, automated glass doors and curtains, and mobile-activated lighting, collectively transforming the previously dark spaces into light-filled opportunities.
The finer details were critical. Where other Dubai homes reach for stone and wood veneer wall treatments, Emma chose wallpaper – some patterns so subtle and textural you don’t notice until you are up close, others a full statement, as seen in the study and powder room.
For Emma, her vision of creating “the most beautiful home in Dubai, not beholden to a specific style or theme,” has been realised. “I wanted to create a private estate, full of surprises, in the middle of Al Barari’s beautiful countryside setting – and I think we’ve achieved exactly that.”
“The walls should be a beautiful canvas for art“
KITCHEN
The remodelled kitchen layout saw an ugly cooker hood replaced with not one but two industrial extractors set into the ceiling. Anchoring the space, a gorgeously practical Neolith sintered stone countertop is a stunning centrepoint. Gaggenau and Quooker appliances, Elie Saab flooring, and muted gold handles elevate the sleek layout.
LIVING SPACES
Much of the furniture is bespoke and handmade. The neutral palette and generously curved soft furnishings are offset by precision-cut slabs of black thunder quartzite and Patagonian quartz, among other finishes, cleverly arranged to create intimate pockets for quiet conversation or relaxation with a garden view.
SUPER SUITE BATHROOM
Several existing rooms were reconfigured to create the appropriately named super suite, whose bathroom and duo of dressing rooms are rather special. The bathroom focal point is a handpainted Fromental cloudscape wallpaper, installed by specialist artisans, with Calacatta Dover marble flowing beautifully around it, along with Elie Saab baths and taps and a custom ash burl vanity by Lux Fitout. This flows into separate his-and-hers dressing rooms, where Fornasetti Nuvolette wallpaper continues the cumulo inspiration.
MASTER BEDROOM
While the impressive super suite occupies the upper floor, ground level is home to a classically inspired master suite where textured wallpaper is layered against fluted accents in the bedside tables and console, while a statement ceiling-height headboard and verdant artwork thread the visual narrative. The quiet star, however, is the Boen French oak flooring that both grounds and connects the room to the garden beyond.
ENTERTAINMENT FLOOR
Rich blues, plush finishes and furnishings and the right mood levels make the entertainment floor a multi-purpose hideout. Descend via silk bamboo-carpeted stairs with snake print-effect wallpaper to discover a cinema room meets cocktail bar, complete with a humidor and oversized screen for film, TV, and gaming. Bowers & Wilkins speakers are powder-coated to match the suede noise-absorbing walls, disappearing completely. Retro light sconces on the back wall and a marble back bar add delightfully nuanced emphasis.
AL FRESCO DINING
Outside, the garden delivers in every direction. A bar with a fire pit and two barbecues – one gas, one charcoal – anchors the outdoor kitchen. The dining table carries fluted detailing, while the bar is a grey-veined triumph with gold chairs for a hint of Dubai luxe. A fan nods to a more languid era, and the expanse connects seamlessly to the interior.
LANDSCAPING
The pool is all marble indulgence – specifically a non-porous calcium manganate – with what Emma calls “that sort of almost Greco-Roman decadence.” Sunken seating is upholstered in Liberty fabric, at once outdoor-practical and supremely chic. Spa beds complete the ground floor, while Emma’s favourite private first-floor wellness terrace with a Japanese garden and a distinctly “clubby” rooftop entertainment deck extend the home’s generous living reach skyward.