< PreviousURBAN OASIS Inside a tropical modernist haven in Dubai’s Meadows RESIDENTIALJANUARY 2024 commercialinteriordesign.com 42 RESIDENTIAL W hen a well-travelled family of fi ve relocated from Hong Kong to Dubai, they found their new home in the verdant gated community of Dubai’s Meadows. The six-bedroom 6,600 sq ft villa was a perfect fi t, however the standardised style of the interior was no match for the art-loving, energetic family. “The clients were extremely fun, they are full of life and bubbly,” says Omar Nakkash, founder of Nakkash Design Studio, who was tasked with the redesign. “They are well travelled people, so their style is eclectic with a very strong emphasis on practicality.” The couple enlisted Nakkash to give their new home a modern makeover, infused with the same warmth and personality a place to house their eclectic art collection acquired during their time in the Far East. During the initial site visit, the extraordinary views of the lake became apparent to the design team, inspiring a contextual approach to the 43 commercialinteriordesign.com JANUARY 2024 RESIDENTIAL redesign emphasising the indoor- outdoor living experience while maximising the views. Large windows, soft boundaries between the indoors and outside spaces, and an open plan layout have been complemented with the use of plants, natural materials, and the extensive presence of furniture from Brazil and Bali to give the interiors a distinct touch of tropical modernism. The main entrance door opens into a light and airy living room with an uninterrupted view of the lush backyard and the lake beyond. The remodelled fl ooring features light grey ceramic tiles in large format to create a sense of continuity, with a rectangular patch of smaller tiles with semi-circular motif to impart a vintage art deco aesthetic. The statement piece is a Barcelona Day Bed in golden tan leather, a 1930 classic by Mies van der Rohe. The seating area at the far end of the room facing the large window, is a neatly arranged symphony of Brazilian furniture in deliberately symmetrical layout to create balance and an atmosphere of conviviality. An abstract painting from an artist in Bali, a migrant captured in a series of mixed media prints, and reductionist portraits of native Americans captured on a large width fabric from the House of Pierre Frey are some of the striking pieces of art in the room. Other characteristic elements include bespoke wooden doors with tiny circular panes, sculptural mirrors, a fl amboyant Vertigo Pendant Lamp from Petite Friture and twin heavy bottomed book cases in walnut wood and brass fi lling the empty corners and anchoring the space with their presence. To the left of the main entrance is the heart of the home – the family’s private dining area abuzz with activity during mealtimes. This intimate space was specially crafted by expanding the footprint of the villa. Awash with natural light from a large step-out window and the skylight above, the space has a soothing view into the landscaped lawn. The space is made extra cosy with a round table for fi ve and a picture wall decorated with family portraits. Adjoining the family room, separated by a sliding door, is a formal dining space for eight with cane and walnut wood chairs set around a sleek white table. An accent wall covered with panels of olive-green sisal offers the perfect background for a whimsical installation – a dozen giant broken eggs with luminous gold leaf interiors, created by Dann Foley for Phillips Collection. A meditative fi gure perched on the console table, a simple carved wood totem pole from Brazil and a series of four multi-media gold leaf paintings are the other touches of art in the space. A small curtain wall serves the dual function of creating a separation between the formal dining and the living space and whilst offering additional gallery space to hang precious work of art. The interiors of the lounge room combine infl uences from the family’s JANUARY 2024 commercialinteriordesign.com 44 RESIDENTIAL45 commercialinteriordesign.com JANUARY 2024 RESIDENTIAL far eastern past and elements of contemporary western living. Lines and curves meet harmoniously to create a sense of ease. A comfy L-shaped sofa - a TV room essential, sculptural wall scones, a set of four wood carvings from Hong Kong, stately armchairs from Brazil, and an assortment of round coffee tables defi ne the space. The staircase, an often forgotten architectural element, has had a dramatic uplift in this residence. The curved wall encasing the fl ight of stairs is treated in textured brown wall-covering to compliment the Omani beige marble on the steps, greens and touches of brown. A 4x8m pergola shelters the lounge and dining area fi nished with treated wooden fl ooring and handpicked outdoor furniture. A full-length sofa and armchairs from the Kobo collection by Stephane De Winter for Manutti is singular for its structure made entirely of hand- woven rope around welded aluminium frames while Dedon’s AIIR chairs by GamFratesi set around a table for eight, elevates the outdoor dining one of the few elements retained from the original design. A solid concrete balustrade painted in stark white lends the staircase its winding sculptural quality, elevating it from the utilitarian to the artistic. The dead space under the stairs is converted into a place of pause with a Brazilian armchair in walnut wood and cane, a black coffee table and a cloud-shaped handmade rug from Hands. An Amazon driftwood table piece and a caramel brown crystal orb are fi nishing touches that add to the sculptural poise of the space. The landscaping and outdoor design by Nakkash is a dream in blues, experience. Bright green accessories give the space an extra pop. A tropical vibe is constructed through the cohesion of several elements: the overfl ow pool seemingly blending into the lake, rich lawns, palm shrubs and two deliciously comfortable lounge chairs and foot rests that appear to conspire under the shade of the frangipani. An amalgam of inspiration from Bali, Brazil, Hong kong and Dubai, Villa 28 by Nakkash Design Studio is nothing short of a retreat. Simple and harmonious, it is an unexpected sultry oasis in Dubai’s urban habitat.In Canada’s most populous city, the Ace Hotel’s sun-drenched interior is rich with texture and warmth TORONTO HOLD ‘EMJANUARY 2024 commercialinteriordesign.com 48 WORLD VIEW T he Ace Hotel Group was founded in 1999 with the intention to offer a more affordable accommodation option that would appeal to creatives when a group of friends purchased and transformed a half-way house in Seattle. Today, there are over 10 properties worldwide that have each been carefully designed to refl ect and celebrate the surrounding locale. When the group began work on the Canada’s fi rst Ace Hotel in Toronto, it was also the company’s fi rst new build – a steep task for a design-led property in the heart of the city’s historical garment district. “Long a leading global light for its forward-thinking approach to city-making and design, Toronto is a city that embraces originality and is rooted in the same open- to-all philosophy that founded Ace,” says Brad Wilson, CEO of Ace Hotel Group. “The architectural magnifi cence of Shim-Sutcliffe Architects’ work has created a bona fi de wonder. They have built an inherently civic space that respects the neighbourhood’s storied past while nurturing its future,” he adds, crediting the exceptional work of Toronto-based fi rm Shim-Sutcliffe for the stunning structure that feels far from brand new, in the very best kind of way. The robust, solid architecture of Ace Hotel Toronto was designed to convey timelessness, and feels effortlessly at home amongst its surroundings. Shim-Sutcliffe Architects’ work —imbued with modesty, honesty, and an appreciation of place, as exemplifi ed by the studio’s famed Integral House — evokes a particularly Canadian spirit and feeling. The building’s red brick facade recalls the important role bricks pressed from Don Valley clay played in forming the city’s visual identity, and guests entering the lobby catch a glimpse of Horizon Line, a three- story site-specifi c art installation abstractly representing Lake Ontario’s glittering waters, designed by A. Howard Sutcliffe. A rhythmic series of soaring, poured-in-place, concrete structural arches rise from the semi-subterranean restaurant to a level above. The Lobby, clad in red oak lining and inspired in form by a wooden tray, is suspended by slender steel rods from these massive supports and offers guests a variety of viewpoints and scales within the impressive space. With a sun-dappled seating area replete with vintage and custom Atelier Ace furnishings, and views overlooking the neighbourhood green space St. Andrew’s Playground Park, The Lobby is an inviting space to watch life happen. At its heart, Ace Toronto is a civic space built for gathering and trading in words, intimacies and bright ideas. 49 commercialinteriordesign.com JANUARY 2024 WORLD VIEW A meeting of rough-hewn textures and sleek comforts, the hotel’s interiors, designed by Atelier Ace, take their cues from the city’s legacy of manufacturing and textiles as well as Ontario’s dense landscape. Guest suites were conceived as restful urban cabins, with Douglas fi r panelling, copper accents, custom Shim-Sutcliffe lighting and side tables, and deep-set window benches built to offer connection to the city’s shifting seasons and light. Considered material, constructed time, tremendous shifts of scale and sensitivity to place coalesce at Ace Hotel Toronto, bringing a future- facing structure and unprecedented creative centre to the city.Next >