Earth + Fire

Located on Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, home to a young Emirati couple and their fur-baby, Pablo the golden retriever. With its soaring ceilings with full height windows dressed only in sheer linens, this villa is a raw, natural and tranquil coastal home for modern-minded, minimalist Clients. Completed in 2022, full turn-key interior design scope included finishes, custom joinery & furnishings, FF&E sourcing and styling to complete the project.

The warm ‘Japandi’ style of the project was achieved through a blend of Scandinavian & asian furniture lines and raw, natural materials with an overall 'less is more' design ethos at its heart. Earthy colors, oxidized metal lampshades, tactile surfaces of natural wood, stone, fabric & leather all came together in a celebration of materiality.

A central hearth provides a design focal point for the great room that is visible from several other spaces in this open concept design. Not a common feature in the UAE, the fireplace components were carefully sourced and installed by the Clients general contractor. The fireplace wall-mounted, cantilevered cabinet was detailed to the specific requirements of the components housed within and finished in oak veneer and limestone concrete plaster top to coordinate with the wall chimney. The 'chimney' is a double height, asymmetric gypsum structure hand-finished with limestone plaster concrete. The overall design pits a visual fragility - reminiscent of origami paper - against its raw and rustic stone-like materiality while evoking a sense of timelessness.

The central coffee table in the great room was also something of an engineering feat with it's inverted truncated pyramid design working against the fragile, faceted nature of the natural white onyx stone. The result is a sculptural piece that appears impossibly balanced and visually complements the folded structure of the fireplace wall chimney.

Natural, sustainably sourced materials such as FSC veneers/timber, limestone concrete, low- VOC coatings, etc., combined with natural fabrics and furnishings sourced from ethically responsible manufacturers as well as efficient low voltage LED lighting, all contributed to a responsible project. One of our core studio values is 'bespoke sustainability' and wherever possible to support local; with the exception of a few decorative pieces, 90% of the project was custom designed with construction & fabrication by UAE contractors, local workshops and craftsmen. The remaining 10% was sourced through local suppliers. indoor plants were carefully chosen to improve air quality and provide a visual connection with nature. Most importantly, a high level of quality and timeless style was advocated for in order to best ensure a long lifespan of this interior.

In a world sometimes marred by uncertainty, a sanctuary of peace, joy and balance was achieved for our Client. Highly functional design features such as smart custom storage were combined with objects of meaning and character to reflect the Clients personal aesthetic of organized minimalism.