Introduced to the amazing Interior Designs of Zen Interiors of Dubai over a year ago I was impressed with their work, finally sitting down with Merete Broen, the owner was a treat.
Merete invited me to a penthouse apartment in Elite Towers that they have just finished staging for the owners who are wishing to sell their piece of luxury in the sky.
We were taking pictures in the apartment for the magazine and I made sure to tell Merete’s sales director to convey that I wanted her to match the design for the photos. Her assistant passed on the message, but I am told he was very confused. Some people will never understand color and design. Merete understood right away.
Tall, blond, and Danish, Merete is a vision of excellency. Everything has a place and she knows exactly where to place it.
An old timer in Dubai at 23 years, she lives on the Palm Jumeirah with her husband and 2 daughters. She got started in design when she first got married and she was looking for furniture for her own home and quickly realized the options were far from adequate. They married 17 years ago and opened Zen Interiors in 2003. They travelled together to the Far East to find good materials available. After more research they found there was no company in Dubai that specialized in just residential design. They had found their niche.
Homes are so personal, sometimes we have the parents and the children sit down and we discuss what it is everyone wants to achieve with their home. Everyone is different, and they need something to fit their personality and their lifestyle.
The clientele not only consists of local expats, but locals wanting the arabesque design with a lighter feel, Asians. They have even been invited to design for the royal families in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, certainly an honor.
As we sit and have tea in the immaculate living room I am told that Merete just came back from London where she received an award for Best Design in the World for a show home they designed on Palm Jumeirah. The team backing Merete are amazing and chip in on every project.
“We are very fortunate. We are an award-winning company who have won 14 international design awards for the work we have done.”
We walked into the penthouse and were just stunned. The design was not only beautiful but full of life. White, Black, Blue, and a hint of green to make you feel you are inside but also part of the outside. Of course, the 2-meter pool off the living room and kitchen helped convey that feeling. The Interiors from Zen made it all come together.
The floor started as an industrial tile, but they changed all that and put in marble for a bit of sparkle. The kitchen cabinets were rose wood, now painted white. All door and window frames were painted white, again to lift away the heavy Arabic feel of the regional design and lift the property into the skies.
The owner from Holland, wanted the apartment to feel like a luxury hotel which is where the bedrooms get their grand feel. Headboards for days…
The furniture is all from the Zen Interior furniture line.The art is so vibrant, it makes you feel things. Modern but bright. The views on either side of the apartment show off the Palm Jumeirah and Dubai Marina.
What is the future of Zen Interiors?” We’ve done projects in Africa and Asia and now we are looking into venturing into the Saudi market. We believe in organic growth and we like to work hard and see where it goes.”
