The irony of creating a home that exudes spontaneity is the mammoth amount of planning that goes into it. Every inch of this vibrant 6,500-square-foot Atrium villa on Palm Jumeirah is full of contemporary and retro furnishings, memorabilia, sculptures and art that achieve a finely tuned balance, which is both elegant and engaging.
The homeowner, who originally hails from India but grew up in Qatar, describes his personal style as, "eclectic, unpredictable, with a hint of mischief that's embedded and not immediately obvious". He chose to live on the Palm for its coastal qualities, and explains that its seafront locale influenced the look of his home. "This is a villa by the beach. I wanted to preserve the elements that define it, such as the colours of the sand, the sea and the garden, while injecting a sense of unpredictability. But I didn't want a showpiece that's impossible, uncomfortable or impractical to really live in. I like the idea of bringing contrasting things together - it adds to the fun!"
Interiors stylist, Devjani Cox, was tasked with the challenge of transforming this plush but impersonal five-bedroom villa into the cornucopia of colour that it is today. Devjani says, "My client had chanced upon pictures of my home, which had been covered in InsideOut. I guess he liked what he saw and contacted me. I had just started working on my first couple of projects so it was well-timed." Renowned for her eclectic tastes and innate sense of style, Devjani relished this commission, as the homeowner's design ethos was so close to her own. "While I have designed some safe, albeit pretty homes, the ones that buoy me up the most are those that have a sense of the unexpected."
"My client, who is a luxury-loving, discerning bachelor, had his wish list ready: a screening room with a 150-inch 3D screen, high-end but simple furniture, and luxury without ostentation. He gave me carte blanche and trusted my instincts completely, which is perhaps why I was so enthused by this particular project," Devjani says.
"The only challenge that arose was that this villa is a rental, rather than privately owned, so the ‘wow' factor had to come from the furnishings and decor and not from any dramatic structural changes, which were not possible."
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Devjani recalls the first time she walked into the villa: "The city clamour subsided into oblivion, giving way to a house that was airy, light and bright, with the Arabian Gulf lapping at its back door, quite literally. Sitting at a cross axis, with the back door facing south-west and the front door facing south-east, it didn't seem fair to interrupt the stunning views with any window dressings, so we installed sheer white blinds that, even when closed, allow you glimpses of the stunning view beyond." She admits that there was no great master plan, although, "I knew from the outset I wanted a bold, graphic quality to the space. The rooms are very large, so there were endless rounds of furniture shopping to fill them up. We agreed on a very modern theme, but ‘warmed-up modernism'; clean-lined, but with interesting global finds."
The walls were painted in bright white paint and punches of colour were added with original art and interesting accessories. The sofas in the living room are by Noguchi anda Charles and Ray Eames' ‘La Chaise' is also part of the living room set-up together with bent plywood dining chairs, also by the designing maestros.
Adhering to the client's interest in ethnicity, a giant-sized, carved wooden bird from the Ivory Coast was installed in the corner of the living room and, instead of an ordinary coffee table, Devjani opted for tree stumps, which have a fabulous worn-down patina. The living room paintings are by Imad Bechara, who has a studio in the Green Community, and Devjani placed a simple, wooden African day-bed in front of them, along with a fabulous Flos Taccia lamp. Meanwhile, the dining area also showcases Devjani's unpredictable streak; the ten-seater dining table is created from old railway sleepers and complemented by mismatching chairs.
By blending quirky items with design classics, Devjani has achieved a charming, dynamic living space. "I wanted to create a home that would help to balance out his frenzied life as a powerful advertising executive, but that he would not find irrelevant five years down the line," she says.
And the final result is one very contented client: "The finished result is perfect in every way," he says, "I have a home that's not just comfortable but very functional and easy on the eye."
