Moroccan hammams, 1000-year-old olive tree and Bollywood cinema, inside Dh250 million sand dune mansion in Dubai Hills

Dubai: You’ve seen bling. You’ve seen OTT. But what happens when elegance marries intention and moves into a 40,000 sq ft villa in Dubai Hills Estate? You get Suvarna and Vinod Jadhav’s palatial-yet-poised sanctuary—a home that's all about sophistication and understated class.

As part of our Dubai Dream Home Series this week, we step inside this architectural marvel that was quietly built during the chaos of a global pandemic, without a single day of delay (yes, really).

From Jaipur-inspired staircases and Moroccan hammams to a 1000-year-old olive tree flown in from Spain, this home is less "look at me" and more "breathe with me."

There’s no gold overload or mirrored madness here—just serene courtyards, soulful art, and a design philosophy that’s deeply rooted yet globally aware. Understated? Absolutely. Unforgettable? Without question. Come in, take your shoes off, and prepare to be gently blown away.

“This is a humble home—at 40,000 square feet,” says Vinod Jadhav, without a trace of irony. The scale might scream grandeur, but the energy is calm, grounded, and intentional. “We deliberately avoided what people call 'Dubai bling.’ We used earthy colours, plain palettes, and natural materials,” he adds. Every inch is a lesson in less-is-more. “Our goal was to design a contextual desert home,” Vinod explains as he gives us an exclusive tour of his Dh250 million mansion. “We wanted the positivity of sunlight to enter, but not the harsh heat.” With Vastu principles and global cues from Morocco and Mexico, the home aligns energy and elegance beautifully. And about working with their architect? “We gave our brief, then let him design freely.” This house doesn’t flex—it flows. It’s proof that understatement, when executed right, makes the loudest statement.

From the moment you step in, it feels like your cortisol levels drop. “We wanted the house to feel like a resort—somewhere you come home to and instantly unwind,” says Vinod. With subdued lighting and breezes drifting in from shaded courtyards, the home pulses with quiet energy. “The northern light was key—it’s constant, soft, and positive,” he adds. Designed with ancient Vastu wisdom and desert-living sensibilities, the entryway sets the tone: serene, intentional, elevated. It’s truly Malaysia-meets-Maharashtra with zero gimmicks and all grace. No diffusers needed here—the calm is built into the walls.

You’d expect chandeliers and gold leaf ceilings in a Dh250 million Dubai mansion. What you get instead is handcrafted stone, Jaipur steps, Moroccan water features, and Pune-quarried details. “We didn’t want the design to be loud. We wanted it to speak softly but clearly,” says Binod. Art is everywhere—but curated, never cluttered. “We love Indian art, but also pieces that just speak to us. We didn’t want walls filled for the sake of it,” he explains. The home doesn’t feel like a showroom—it feels lived in, layered, and deeply personal. This is desert minimalism with soul, not a set from a reality show. Classy never goes out of style—and here, it’s custom-built.

While the world baked banana bread and battled Zoom fatigue, the Jadhavs built an architectural masterpiece. “We started construction at the peak of the pandemic—December 2020,” Vinod and his wife Suvarna shares. “There were 15–16 approvals needed, and all of it was managed online, over video calls.” The result? A 40,000 sq ft villa completed without a single day of delay. “Not even during the COVID spikes,” he adds. While most of us couldn’t even get a plumber to show up, they were co-ordinating with international designers, sourcing 1000-year-old olive trees from Spain, and laying Moroccan tiles—flawlessly. “It felt like a sign. The world had paused, and we had the space to create,” he reflects. Turns out, vision (and WiFi) can build palaces, even in a pandemic.

This home is a cultural mash-up done right. “When we envisioned a desert home, we looked at architecture from other desert regions—Morocco, Mexico, Rajasthan,” says Binod. You see it in the textures, the arches, the standing walls, and the hammam-inspired pool. “Our courtyard has Mexican influences; the fountain and entrance are Moroccan,” he adds. Even the pool steps channel Jaipur royal vibes. “It’s a fusion of everything we love—but nothing feels forced." Think terracotta tones to weathered stone, this house celebrates sun, shade, and silence with perfect symmetry. Who knew a desert home could feel so lush?

Not the grand entrance. Not the kitchen. Not even the theatre. “The most challenging space was the master bathroom,” Vinod confesses. Why? “It was massive. And when you have too much space, it’s harder to design cohesively,” he says. So instead of letting it turn into an echo chamber of marble, they created an intimate spa sanctuary—calming, sensorial, and connected. “It’s got zones for every function but still feels like one flowing space,” he adds. Leave it to this couple to make even their bathroom feel like a meditative retreat. Just don’t expect gold taps or flashy mirrors—it’s all sandstone elegance and clean geometry. The bathroom says what the rest of the house does: beauty begins with balance.

One of the key design briefs was to not intersect private areas with public ones,” Vinod explains. And it shows. While you may host 200 guests in the open courtyards, the children’s rooms, family nooks, and private quarters remain untouched, undisturbed. “It’s a luxury of space,” he says. Even at full capacity during Diwali or Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations, the home maintains its flow—no toy chaos, no noise spill, no compromise.

When they throw a party, they throw a party. “For Ganesh Chaturthi, we celebrate all five days like a traditional Maharashtrian family—with friends, rituals, and sometimes 200 guests,” Vinod shares. The home adapts like magic—open courtyards for the crowd, hidden corners for quiet conversations, a poolside that becomes a lounge. “We love hosting,” they both admit. And it shows in the flow of the home: generous seating, dual family rooms, art that doesn’t intimidate, and yes—a theatre for those post-party movie nights. But even in the most festive moments, the house never loses its sense of calm. It’s as if the architecture itself knows when to pause and when to play host.

With Instagram inspiration boards at every turn, it’s easy to fall into the trap of over-direction. Not this couple. “We gave our architect our requirements—and then gave him full freedom,” Vinod says. Basically, they did not subscribe to the “Don’t teach a doctor how to do surgery by googling info" theory. Instead, the Jadhavs trusted the process. They knew the result would reflect their soul—not some viral trend. “You see people asking for exact walls they saw on Instagram. That’s not how architecture works,” Vinod adds. The outcome? A home that’s timeless, functional, and utterly unbothered by what’s trending.

Step into the Jadhavs’ living room and you instantly understand the art of spatial storytelling. “We didn’t want it to look like a showroom,” Vinod says, and it doesn’t. It feels curated but lived-in, elegant but inviting. There are two living rooms, actually—because when your house is 40,000 sq ft, one just won’t do. Neutral tones wrap the space like a warm hug, while Indian art subtly punctuates the walls, never screaming for attention. “We wanted every room to flow naturally into the next,” Suvarna adds. And flow it does. From intimate tea corners to open entertaining zones, this space adapts effortlessly—whether you're hosting dignitaries or just catching up on family drama. In case you are wondering, they have eight staff to maintain the sprawling mansion.

Who needs Gold Class when you’ve got this at home? Tucked discreetly inside the Jadhavs’ sprawling mansion is a private theatre that’s more Dolby than DIY. “We use the home theatre quite a bit,” Vinod casually mentions—as if it’s not a full-blown cinematic escape zone right off their living space. Think deep, moody tones. Plush seating that hugs you back. Acoustic perfection. And zero sticky floors, thank you very much. It’s a space where Netflix meets nobility. There’s no flashing LED or popcorn machine in sight—just thoughtful design and incredible sound. “This room reflects our love for films, without being flashy,” Suvarna adds. It’s elegant, immersive, and oh-so-private.

Yes, you read that right. There’s a 1000-year-old olive tree at the centre of their courtyard, brought in from Spain. “We bought five special trees—four are around 600 years old, and one is over a thousand,” Vinod says. It’s not just a flex—it’s symbolic. A house rooted in heritage, yet reaching into the future. The landscaping blends seamlessly with the architecture: drought-resistant, organic, and mood-enhancing. “We wanted our home to feel like a holiday—like you’re escaping into peace every time you step in,” Suvarna adds. And it does. From ancient stone to flowing water, from dusty pink walls to sacred tulsi corners—every detail grounds you. This isn’t just a dream home. It’s a sanctuary with a soul.