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Property Spotlight

A Dubai Home with a Classically English Touch

17 September 2020 Written by Staff Writer

Regency design - you might not be immediately familiar with the term, but it is one you will recognise as soon as you see it. Think of any period English drama, perhaps one starring Colin Firth or Kenneth Branagh. The resplendent manors that they live in, with their columned stone facades and cascading staircases are all examples of Regency architecture, which was especially popular in the United Kingdom during the early 19th century, and has since become one of the emblems of a classical design aesthetic.
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Regency design architecture

And if it’s classical design you are looking for, you will find that across many homes in Dubai, particularly the imposing mansions of Emirates Hills or in the heart of the Jumeirah district. But they tend to borrow from Mediterranean and Middle Eastern influences. Finding a house that is quintessentially English is a bit like searching for traces of raindrops on the desert sand. To find such a home on an island seems even more unlikely - yet that is exactly what you get on Pearl Jumeirah. A man-made island that is one of Dubai’s hidden luxury gems (it doesn’t quite have the record-breaking accolades of the not-too-distant Palm Jumeirah, alas), Pearl Jumeirah features a very exclusive neighbourhood of villas at its centre. Among them sits this magnificent five-bedroom home, one of the most unique properties you will find anywhere in the city. The outer facade has touches of the Regency look with its rising columns and a main entrance that curves out to greet you, though the abundant use of gold in the gates and the trim might have raised a few eyebrows in Georgian England. Prepare to be awestruck once you walk in through the gold-framed door, however.
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White marble lovingly adorns almost every interior surface of the villa, featuring beautiful floral patterns along the floor and up the stunning staircase. You will also find sculpted floral reliefs along the walls and in the ceiling detail. No matter which way you turn your head, there will be a gorgeous work of artistry waiting for you, just waiting for your attention. The ground floor has an open layout, giving you free rein to set up living, dining and entertaining spaces as you see fit. You also have a guest bedroom that could easily be used as a home office or an informal lounge. Each room has tray ceilings centred on elaborate chandeliers, and wall lamps set into silver sconces to really add a sense of old-world elegance. The kitchen is a bit of an anomaly, with a design that comes straight out of a modern European magazine with its sleek white surfaces, wood accents and a look that is quite minimalist on the whole. You get a nice view of the pool from the kitchen, which stretches along the side of the house and is easily accessible from the living room space.
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Regency design grand staircase

Once you’ve fully explored the ground level, you’re ready to go up to the main bedrooms via the staircase. And what a grand staircase it is, with marble steps inlaid with a fleur de lys pattern and an ornate white banister. Glass panels spanning the height of the villa ensure that it is always bathed in sunlight and casts an almost angelic glow. You could just picture Kate Winslet, or perhaps even Julie Andres, walking elegantly down these steps while commanding every eye in the room. You will automatically find your posture straightening and your steps becoming more graceful as you walk along it.

The bedrooms offer you an abundance of space, and also feature full-height windows so you not only get plenty of natural lighting, but can also enjoy brilliant panoramas of the Dubai skyline, with the Burj Khalifa standing proudly in the distance. Each bedroom is a master suite in its own right, with its own dressing room and en-suite bathroom, the latter of which offsets the white palette of the home with dark marble walls.
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After touring the upper levels, you can head down those gorgeous stairs to the basement, where you will be welcomed into a grand wood-floored space that could serve as a ballroom or banquet hall - or you could go the contemporary route and turn it into a lounge, or perhaps a game room. You also have a spacious gymnasium/yoga studio with mirrored walls, as well as a separate space with a hot tub or sauna. Should you opt to host a formal dinner or an event, there is a chef’s kitchen in the basement as well that is well-designed to cater to your needs, with a convenient dumbwaiter for seamless service.
 

You will truly feel like the lord (or lady) of the manor in a home like this. So put on your best frock coat or evening gown and take a walk down that marvelous staircase as it transports you to a bygone era of sophistication and impeccable style. Contact our Private Client Advisory team today to make this your new home.
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