In the distance, a mesmerising parade of skydivers cascades past the window. Look down, and you’ll see a medley of small motor yachts meandering alongside the Palm Jumeirah’s trunk. It’s little surprise, then, to learn that the view from this 10th-floor apartment within the newly completed Oceana complex was the instant selling point for the Iraqi homeowner when she first saw it. Knowing this made the task of the interior design team at Zen Interiors so much easier, as the concept they came up with placed the stunning panoramas centre stage.
The fashion-conscious homeowner regularly visits Dubai to relax and unwind, and uses this apartment as a comfortable base to enjoy days at the beach and shopping malls. ‘When you’re on holiday you want to feel relaxed’ says Merete Broen, co-founder of Zen Interiors, ‘so we designed the scheme to be neutral, serene, and tasteful, with colours inspired by the coastline that can be enjoyed from every room in this large three-bedroom apartment.’
At the heart of the apartment is the large open-plan living and dining room, with two guest rooms— used by the homeowner’s children— on one side, and the spacious master bedroom with an en suite on the other. The kitchen, meanwhile, leads off the dining room. With such a workable floorplan, and clear concept in place, the project sounds like a designer’s dream. ‘It was a great apartment to work on,’ says Merete. ‘But it was a very tight schedule as we had just three weeks to turn the empty shell into a beautiful, livable space.’ With such a short timescale, Merete and her team turned to local brands and items from Zen’s own furniture range to furnish the home without delay.
In the living room, the L-shaped Etna leather sofa is teamed with a soft grey brushed-suede sofa, giving the room a sociable seating arrangement. Cushions custom-made using fabric from York and Silk Land in black, white, and grey, add a contemporary touch, while the homeowner’s favourite colour of purple makes a dramatic appearance in a sumptuous regal throw and striking floral art installation.
The bedrooms all pick up on the hues outside the windows, giving the rooms a tranquil feel, where everything seems balance. The wall are covered with wallpaper from NGC Nafees: a soft blue in one of the guest rooms, and a pearlised damask design for the wall behind the headboard in the master suite. The wooden floors are accessorised with deep pile rugs in cream and grey from Zen Interior’s own range. Mixing and matching textures and materials throughout gives the home a modern feel, with grained wood placed alongside white lacquer glass next to rattan. ‘A particular favourite of mine is the Petala mirror from Box in the master bedroom,’ says Merete. ‘It’s feminine, but fun, and I love the combination of woven rattan with circular mirrors. It’s a real statement piece.’
With an enticing array of accessories, from large urn-style vases filled with fresh orchids and lilacs, to glass and metal hurricane lanterns, it’s the little details that make this so much more than a holiday home. In fact, it must be hard to ever leave…
PROFILE
THE OWNER
The homeowner commissioned Merete Broen and the team at Zen Interiors to turn her Palm Jumeirah apartment into a coastal-inspired holiday home.
THE HOME
This three-bedroom apartment is on the 10th storey of the Oceana apartment complex. It has a spacious open plan layout, with the kitchen, cloakroom, and three bedrooms leading off the main living space. A terrace is accessible from both the master suite and living room.
