Straddling old and new Dubai, we explore a duplex penthouse in Zabeel
Handed over as shell and core, Mihir Sanganee from Designsmith already had a strong relationship with his client having worked together on a number of commercial projects; and also had a good understanding of Mustafa’s personal style.
“I travel extensively and wanted to be able to come home somewhere relaxing and peaceful but also modern, functional and suitable for entertaining,” says Mustafa, who is an active member of Dubai’s Dawoodi Bohra community. “It was also important that we developed spaces around the kids’ needs,”
adds Mihir (@designsmith_studio).
The location, with dual perspectives over Zabeel Park and Dubai Frame in one direction and DIFC in the other, was a nostalgic bonus, as Mustafa explains: “We were brought up on this side of the city, so the area has a special place in our hearts; and the views from here encompass both old and new Dubai.”
Occupying the top two floors of the 28-storey residences, and with floor-to-ceiling windows in the upper floor living and dining space, the play of natural light was an anchor point for the design. The day-to-night transition in more formal areas has been thoughtfully considered with the use of contemporary upsized lighting pieces specifically chosen to enhance the generous proportions. Ribbed wooden panelling was also introduced in the 28th floor entryway and dining room to create an eye-catching feature out of a bulkhead ceiling that houses vital MEP services. “At dusk when the soft lighting is switched on, together with the wooden room divider this adds a wonderful sense of warmth to such a grand space,” says Mihir. This is further enhanced by a water vapour electric fireplace with orange flames casting a dancing orange glow.
“The area has a special place in our hearts; and the views from here encompass both old and new Dubai“
LIVING ROOM
Designed with formal entertaining in mind, the expansive double-height space offers panoramic city views and intriguing art pieces. Living and dining areas are delineated by a statement open-style dark wood room divider and united by a muted colour palette embellished with pops of grey, red and subtle gold accents.
DINING ROOM
The sunken marble-topped dining table was purposely designed to celebrate the Dawoodi Bohra tradition of communal eating at floor level. Red accents seen in the adjacent living area are carried through in the ultra-modern chairs, creating a cohesive, culturally influenced space.
FAMILY LIVING ROOM
Chilled out evenings on the deep-seated tan leather sofa while watching a movie together is the ambience in the adjacent living area. Comfort is fused with style with the space also housing a convenient pantry corner for on-hand snacks.
FAMILY DINING ROOM
The lower floor is dedicated to family relaxation with an open-plan dining space leading into the living area. Dinners together around the table are a casual affair and this is reflected in the refined simplicity of dark brown and beige tones matched with a stunning yet practical marble tabletop. A humorous trio of playing card prints and stylish director’s lamp add a fun element.
OUTDOOR SPACES
With 11,500 square feet of indoor and outdoor space to play with, the penthouse comes with wraparound balconies, terraces and al fresco space in abundance. Areas devoted to outdoor entertaining with views out to DIFC and along Sheikh Zayed Road are one aspect with the family gravitating towards the jaw-dropping infinity pool and landscaped terrace overlooking Dubai Frame. Says Mustafa: “Being so high up we tend to catch more breeze, and in the cooler months we love to make the most of the different spaces.”
MASTER BEDROOM
Maximising on the room’s energy and layout, the unusual addition of a low separating wall in front of the bi-corner window has instant impact. Made from easy-to-maintain Italian porcelain, it has a certain poetic quality, especially juxtaposed with the strong contrasting style of the headboard. And the choice of low-hanging textural, light wood lampshades lends a soft playful note. The pièce de resistance, however, has to be the walk-in wardrobe, which is the couple’s favourite room. Riffing on the Hermès palette, it has a decidedly high-end retail space vibe with impeccably organised serried hanger rows and a central glass-topped island with an infinite array of multisized soft closing drawers and compartments. The addition of a leather bench at the end completes the look.
TEEN BEDROOM
The 16-year-old wanted pink as the foundation theme, which was elevated through the use of more sophisticated shades and the addition of grey notes elsewhere. The feature half-wall was a bespoke Designsmith element with the team producing the 3D textural wall covering in their in-house design studio. Both rooms feature custom bed frames featuring a brass wrap. “We all know how quickly kids grow and their style evolves, so this is a super durable and cost-effective solution,” notes Mihir.
GIRL’S BEDROOM
Mihir and the team created a semi-private area for the couple’s two girls and designed a duo of bedrooms that they can close off from the rest of the family in a self-contained ‘wing’. Both daughters were actively involved in the creative brief with the younger’s love of blue hues explored in numerous ways from a custom fabric feature wall to the carpet and bed linens. Feminine pinks were added for contrast while finishing touches like the butterflies added unique personality.
PLAYROOM
An unexpected sight and something really quite out of the ordinary, both the client and Mihir are (rightly) proud of the girls’ playroom-cum-closet. The visually bold design takes their favourite colours to the no holds barred extreme to create a space that is fun, whimsical, uplifting and functional. A deliberately wonky chest of drawers, closet doors with an outline suggestion of female forms, and ample space to craft, study and simply hang out come together to deliver a wow factor.
Want to know more? Reach out to Mihir at mihir@designsmith.ae