Sharday Filio says she and her husband struck lucky when they bought their dream apartment for Dh1.85 million in Cayan Tower, a distinctive residence in Dubai Marina and one of the world's tallest twisting towers.
It was two years ago and the Filipino marketing executive says there was low demand and high supply at the time.
Their two-bedroom apartment, which faces Palm Jumeirah, is now worth about Dh2.3 million to Dh2.5 million, and that's without factoring in the extensive renovations Ms Filio has carried out.
The National goes on a tour.
Please tell us about your home
We were renting in Cayan Tower before we bought and we lived in the same apartment layout but it was facing the other side, towards the Marina. Now our apartment faces Palm Jumeirah.
There are three types of two-bedroom layouts and this is the biggest. It was a real bargain.
The layout is great, the management of the building is also great. It fits our needs, in terms of how big it is and how everything is laid out. That's why we bought it, we had been looking for about maybe four years. We just got lucky in terms of timing.
What renovations have you done?
We did a complete overhaul of the kitchen. I'm talking floor to ceiling. We also put in a real exhaust system, which connects to the main exhaust of the building.
It extracts the cooking smoke and smells outside the building. It doesn’t just filter the smoke.
I designed a storage space for the hall with a seating area, for when we put on our shoes. I thought it was quite beautiful and I haven't seen this in any other Dubai apartment.
The water closet for visitors we renovated floor to ceiling as well, creating a faux ceiling design.
We even improved the AC and ventilation as this is a 10-year-old building, so we had to refresh everything, including the plumbing.
We didn't really do much in the master bedroom. We focused more on the painting job, as we wanted to keep this as empty as possible, because this is our serene little space.
Our walk-in closet has always been here, but for a smarter use of space and because my husband works from home, there's an empty nook here we turned into a home office, which is great since he's quite isolated and doesn't really hear any outside noise.
In our master bathroom we removed the bathtub, because we're not bath people. Who has time for baths? We added a rain shower and his-and-hers sinks, focused on the mood lighting, added a little shaving mirror and faux ceilings again. It feels like a hotel. I work in hotels and I love them.
I don't know what our style is, I guess it's like a Japanese-Scandi minimalist vibe.
How much did you spend on the renovations?
We used a company called The Home Agency because they specialise in high-rise apartments. It was one big payment that we gave them. In total, it was Dh240,000 to Dh250,000, give or take.
Why did you want to live in Dubai Marina?
We've always been in the Marina. Our first home together was in Botanica Tower, it's kind of on the edge of JBR. We were always facing Cayan Tower, which is also how we got inspired to look into this place. The building design is funky and when you think of the Marina, this is one of the buildings that catches your eye.
Being in the Marina, you have access to everything. My doctor is here, my dentist is here, my nail salon, my grocery store. Everything that you want or need are all within reach.
What facilities do you have?
We have a gym with Technogym equipment. We have a small room in there if you want to do floor or mat exercises.
We have an infinity pool on the sixth floor overlooking the Marina. It also has a lounge area with couches and you see the community using that if you want to read a book or bring in coffee or tea.
And we have the usual steam and sauna.
How is the traffic in your area?
It feels cosy on our end of the Marina because we're at the very end. We have our own roundabout, so we don't really feel the congestion that I would say other places in the Marina do.
How long do you think you'll be in this apartment?
As long as possible. We could see ourselves retiring in here, honestly, like two 70-year-old people just taking the lift, not having to use the stairs, because, you know, your knees are bad or whatever. I mean, it's pretty easy, right?
We're not really the kinds of people who spend their time outside. We love being at home.
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
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How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
The biog
Name: Abeer Al Bah
Born: 1972
Husband: Emirati lawyer Salem Bin Sahoo, since 1992
Children: Soud, born 1993, lawyer; Obaid, born 1994, deceased; four other boys and one girl, three months old
Education: BA in Elementary Education, worked for five years in a Dubai school
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
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CONFIRMED%20LINE-UP
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FIXTURES
Thursday
Dibba v Al Dhafra, Fujairah Stadium (5pm)
Al Wahda v Hatta, Al Nahyan Stadium (8pm)
Friday
Al Nasr v Ajman, Zabeel Stadium (5pm)
Al Jazria v Al Wasl, Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium (8pm)
Saturday
Emirates v Al Ain, Emirates Club Stadium (5pm)
Sharjah v Shabab Al Ahli Dubai, Sharjah Stadium (8pm)
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
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RESULT
Aston Villa 1
Samatta (41')
Manchester City 2
Aguero (20')
Rodri (30')
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
