There is no doubt that the UAE is home to some spectacular properties. From penthouse apartments to plush villas with sprawling gardens and incredible pools, it’s a real estate haven.
Each week, The National showcases some of the finest homes on offer in its Property of the Week. Here, we take a look at a design-led villa located on Dubai's Pearl Jumeirah island.
The key details
This sleek and modern six-bedroom villa is located on Dubai's Pearl Jumeirah islands. The home is spread across a generous 1,725 square metres, located on a 980 square metre plot.
What's the story?
Offering island living in the heart of Dubai, this Pearl Jumeirah property makes the term show home sound like an understatement.
The property has been featured in Identity Magazine and won the Residential Project of the Year award at the Design Middle East Awards – and it is easy to see why.
An architectural masterpiece, the property artfully merges exterior and interior, making high design family-friendly, with focal points that include a floating bridge, floor-to ceiling fireplace sculpture and custom-designed artworks.
Stepping into the property, you look straight through the living area, across the floating bridge to the garden-length swimming pool. The top garden features the generous outdoor pool, marble walls and an intimate seating area.
Light is abundant throughout, thanks to the floor-to-ceiling windows, and the property has been fitted with sustainable lighting and air-conditioning systems.
Modern marble finishing is prevalent throughout the home, and is a particular focal point on the fireplace sculpture and in the Pedini kitchen.
The six bedrooms are split across two floors. Four, including the master suite with a spacious en suite bathroom, are located on the first floor. The final two are located in the basement, with their own en suite bathrooms and private terrace; perfect private accommodation for any guests.
Leisure and entertainment is a priority within the home. As well as the spectacular pool, it also boasts a rooftop terrace with Talenti furniture, an outdoor cooking area and views of the Arabian Gulf and Downtown Dubai skyline. There is also a private office on the roof.
In the basement, which can be accessed by elevator, there is a high‐end modern art collection, gym, billiards area, family lounge, bar, cinema and a Japanese-style garden with a banzai olive tree.
What the brokers say ...
What makes this property stand out?
The villa has been nominated for a number of awards for its streamlined architecture and modern interiors. Completely custom designed by BG Villas with in-house teams, the villa is a turn-key offer with every lifestyle amenity thought through and delivered.
What kind of buyer does a property like this attract?
High-net-worth individuals looking for a bespoke villa adorned with all the luxuries, ready to move in and enjoy the lifestyle.
What inspired the decor in the property?
Inspired by the blend of environment and family interaction, the contemporary design begins with an entrance via a floating bridge that overlooks the courtyard below, styled in earthy and white tones. Its unique features include high-gloss flooring, floor-to-ceiling fireplace sculpture, glass panelling, sustainable lighting and air-conditioning systems.
Does the property come furnished? With or without the art collection?
The house comes fully furnished. All the furniture and artworks are custom-designed for the villa.
Do you think this is the best property you can get for under Dh35 million?
The property is one of the best you can get for the price range. Designed with aesthetics that maximise space and efficiency, this villa is beautifully composed with a VIP flair that redefines the value of a property.
What attracts high-end buyers to Pearl Jumeirah?
Pearl Jumeirah is ideal for those who are looking forward to living in the seclusion of a desert island as well as remain strongly connected to the city. As one of the newest beachfront neighbourhoods in the prestigious district of Jumeirah, it's quickly becoming a resident favourite for privacy and exclusivity.
How long has the property been on the market?
Since March 2021.
How does Ramadan affect the UAE's property market?
Ramadan has not made much of a difference in the property market this year. Though Ramadan has had increasingly less of an impact on industries as the UAE community becomes more and more diverse, part of it is also to do with the surge in demand this year as the world is recovering from the Covid-19 situation of 2020.
Leigh Borg, managing director, Luxhabitat Sotheby’s International Realty
Asia Cup 2018 final
Who: India v Bangladesh
When: Friday, 3.30pm, Dubai International Stadium
Watch: Live on OSN Cricket HD
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
The biog
Name: Mohammed Imtiaz
From: Gujranwala, Pakistan
Arrived in the UAE: 1976
Favourite clothes to make: Suit
Cost of a hand-made suit: From Dh550
More on Quran memorisation:
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The biog
From: Upper Egypt
Age: 78
Family: a daughter in Egypt; a son in Dubai and his wife, Nabila
Favourite Abu Dhabi activity: walking near to Emirates Palace
Favourite building in Abu Dhabi: Emirates Palace
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.
The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.
“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.
“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”
Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.
Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.
“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.
The biog
Date of birth: 27 May, 1995
Place of birth: Dubai, UAE
Status: Single
School: Al Ittihad private school in Al Mamzar
University: University of Sharjah
Degree: Renewable and Sustainable Energy
Hobby: I enjoy travelling a lot, not just for fun, but I like to cross things off my bucket list and the map and do something there like a 'green project'.
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
FIXTURES
All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT)
Tuesday
Mairobr v Liverpool
Spartak Moscow v Sevilla
Feyenoord v Shakhtar Donetsk
Manchester City v Napoli
Monaco v Besiktas
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Wednesday
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Qarabag v Atletico Madrid
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