Inside sprawling Dubai mansion with football field-sized garden, classroom, gold accents, and Bentley

Dubai: Welcome to Dubai, where “go big or go home” is not just a saying — it’s a lifestyle. In this edition of the Dream Home Series, I step into UAE-based designer and entrepreneur Kanessa Muluneh’s 20,000-square-foot mansion, a six-bedroom sprawl in Dubailand that would make a "football ground' proud.

From a private classroom for the kids to a Bentley wrapped in sparkly black with her name on it, this home is equal parts playground, palace, and power move. Forget cookie-cutter villas and flashy gold ceilings — this house is all about scale, sass, and substance. Ready to get lost inside? Let’s go.

Seventeen thousand square feet — that’s not a house, that’s a football ground!” I exclaim as she welcomes me into her six-bedroom Dubai mansion. It’s the kind of scale where you could actually lose your kids indoors. “Yes, sometimes I can’t find them,” she admits. With sprawling rooms, a classroom, and even a private gym, this home is equal parts playground and palace. Price tag? Around Dh20 million in today’s market. But for Kanessa, it’s more than numbers — it’s her family’s sanctuary in the heart of Dubai.

Forget ordinary study rooms — this mansion comes with its own classroom. “We recently built it so we could homeschool the kids,” Kanessa explains. A private teacher drops by daily, making sure lessons stay on track. “I could do it myself, but I’m not that patient,” she laughs. The idea may sound extravagant, but in a house this size, education comes with its own wing. It’s a reminder that a dream home isn’t just about marble and chandeliers — it’s also about creating spaces that fit your family’s rhythm.

Though her mansion sits in the desert, Kanessa wanted a home that felt warm and nostalgic. “We lived in Holland most of our lives, so I wanted that homely, cosy vibe,” she says. Think beige walls, black accents, and deep wood tones. No fireplaces here — “it’s already hot in Dubai” — but the mood channels her European past. “I enjoy life more when it’s dark,” she admits, pointing to her black décor choices. Call it moody minimalism — a design ethos that turns an oversized villa into a space that feels inviting.

Five people live in this massive villa — but that’s not the whole story. “We have a gardener, a maid, a nanny, and a teacher. They all live here part-time,” Kanesa explains. “Every time we travel, I realise just how much help we actually have.” It’s the Dubai lifestyle, she admits, with a wry smile. “Back in Europe, there was a stigma — people judged you for having help. Here, it’s normal, and it lets me spend more time with my kids. I used to be an empty battery; now I feel like a full cup.”

Why this villa, when Dubai is full of luxury homes? “The plot,” Kanesa says firmly. “The size of the house is one thing, but the size of the garden was most important.” With over 20,000 square feet including outdoor areas, the family’s estate is practically a resort. Her husband, in particular, insisted on the big garden. “He loves the outside living,” she explains. In a city of penthouses and glass towers, this villa proves that sometimes luxury is measured not in marble finishes — but in square footage and fresh air.

In a home where no room is small, Kanessa still finds comfort in her bedroom. “It’s my space, my safe space,” she says. “Before marriage, I rented tiny rooms as a student in Europe, and I still like cosy spaces.” No one enters her room until bedtime, making it a sanctuary away from the bustle of family life. While others may be wowed by the villa’s gym or classroom, for her, the bedroom wins hands down. “It’s where I feel at peace,” she smiles — proof that luxury is as much about privacy as scale.

What’s the most practical and utility friendly room in the mansion? Not the gym, not the pool — but the office. “It was just an open space, but we had it fully custom built,” Kanessa reveals. The transformation is striking: sleek, polished, and unapologetically luxe. “If you work in that office, it just looks like you’re doing it right,” she says with a laugh. Forget gold-leaf ceilings or diamond-studded walls — here, power speaks through clean lines, bespoke furniture, and a sense of authority. It’s not just an office. It’s a statement.

Two weeks ago, Kanesa’s husband surprised her with a Bentley. “He just showed up with it,” she recalls. “Which is concerning, because I didn’t see any payment go out — so clearly he has access to my account!” she jokes. Wrapped in sparkly black and customised with her name, the car is as personal as luxury gets. “It’s really mine,” she says proudly. Birthday? Anniversary? Doesn’t matter. In this household, gifts are bold gestures, not Hallmark moments. And yes, she admits with a grin, “I used to be a maximalist. Maybe I still am.”

Kanesa laughs when asked if she’s still a maximalist. “I used to be,” she says. “Now I don’t splurge like before.” She admits she’s shed her obsession with brands, luxury labels, and validation from flashy purchases. “I don’t need it anymore. I’m already at a stage in life where I’m with the crowd I want.” Still, the Bentley in the driveway suggests her minimalist era comes with a twist. “Okay, maybe I am still a maximalist,” she concedes. In Dubai, after all, restraint is always relative.

A glamorous kitchen sits at the heart of the villa — sleek, Instagram-ready, and designed to impress. Does Kanessa use it? “Absolutely not,” she says, laughing. “I don’t like to cook. I think if I take the right Instagram photos in there, I look like a perfect housewife. But really, no.” For her, the kitchen is a stage set, not a workspace. “I make money — that’s my role,” she shrugs. The heart of her home may not be the kitchen, but it’s certainly where her sense of humour shines.

There’s a swimming pool in the garden, of course. But does she use it? “Never,” Kanessa confesses. “It gives me a tan. I prioritise the kids and my husband — they say they use it, so let’s go with that.” In true Dubai fashion, the pool is less about laps and more about lifestyle. It adds to the villa’s glamour, a shimmering blue accessory in the backyard. For Kanesa, it’s there for the family, for the photographs, for the vibe — and that’s luxury enough.

What’s Kanessa’s advice for anyone investing in a big villa? “Buy older homes,” she says without hesitation. “They’re bigger, cheaper, and you can customise them exactly how you want.” That’s what she did with her mansion. The family bought an older property and upgraded the interiors, saving money and gaining space. “New villas can be beautiful, but you don’t get the same room to breathe,” she insists. It’s a practical insight in a market where branded mansions grab headlines — a reminder that old bones often build the best homes.

In a city where luxury often screams through gold ceilings and designer logos, Kanesa’s villa feels refreshingly understated. No bling, no overt branding — just neutral tones, warmth, and sheer scale. “I don’t need validation from brands anymore,” she says. “I’m content.” Contentment in a six-bedroom, 20,000-square-foot mansion may sound ironic, but here it feels authentic.

For Kanessa, this sprawling mansion is not about showing off. It’s about comfort, family, and a life well lived. As she puts it: “I don’t buy Birkins. I buy property.”