When a property is listed for sale, it's generally stripped of all art, furniture, souvenirs and other memorabilia. Sellers tend to prefer a minimalist approach to staging their homes and so remove anything they can sell separately or store elsewhere.
But, the owner of a grand villa in Emirates Hills is not only leaving his home's contents on display to prospective buyers; all the limited-edition paintings, hand-crafted furniture, Swarovski-studded fixtures, exotic carpets and gold-plated fittings the house contains are actually included in the sale price. And it could all be yours — if you have a spare Dh40 million, that is.
This villa, based in the P sector of the exclusive Dubai community, spreads across 15,000 square feet of its 15,225-square-foot plot— unusual for an Emirates Hills villa, where owners tend to spend lavishly on ornate landscaping at the expense of indoor space. Instead, this home has a vast outdoor entertaining area, which can accommodate 200 people. This outdoor space also features a Spanish gazebo.
Aimed at an art-connoisseur buyer, this two-storey villa is a treasure trove of curios, antiques, paintings, furniture and chandeliers. But, it also hosts a range of contemporary features such as indoor jacuzzis, a centralised music system with speakers all over the house (even in the private swimming pool) and a spa cubicle with options for hot and dry saunas and aromatherapy.
Besides the foolproof security, which is a given for Emirates Hills villas, this home also boasts advanced features such as burglar alarms that directly notify the Dubai Police headquarters in case of a break-in attempt. A small storage room, well-fortified with extra security sensors, has additionally been turned into a house vault.
With each floor spread across 7,500 square feet, space is never a constraint in this mansion. Designed to impress right from the outset, the high-ceilinged foyer offers sweeping views of the lake close by.
It's fair to say that if you're not a fan of bling, you should probably look elsewhere. But those who love to flaunt luxury will find gold an all-pervading theme in the lounge and dining room, in the form of gold-plated staircase railings, leafing in the ceiling and the colour of the Italian furniture.
Even those who prefer a more minimalist approach will have to admire the intricate attention -to-detail in areas such as the Swarovski crystal-studded guest bathroom, which is laid out in blue marble; designed by craftsmen from Innsbruck, Austria, this extravagant bathroom even has door handles infused with Swarovski crystals.
Technological value-adds
The kitchen is of reasonable proportions with ample storage space. Another highlight of the ground floor is the smart home-automation system, which allows residents to alternate light settings to suit their moods.
The service area is hidden from visitors' eyes by a carved wooden door. It houses a laundry room, storage room and a maid's room with an attached bathroom. The villa has a three-car remote-control-enabled garage, with an additional storage room attached. And there is also a separate driver's quarters adjacent to the villa.
You can gain access to the first floor either by making your way up the winding staircase or by taking the lift. This upper section of the home is characterised by four master bedroom suites with private bathrooms, again replete with gold-plated fixtures and chandeliers. While one bedroom has been converted into a study, all rooms boast extensive walk-in closets and wide balconies that offer either lake or road views.
The generously proportioned living area upstairs again overlooks the lake and hosts gym exercise equipment and a massive TV screen, all of which the buyer will also gain as part of the package of goodies included with the house.
Walking through the villa is an impressive experience — while the swathes of space dazzle you, care has also been taken to place curios at strategic points to intrigue you as well. Such objects include art work from countries as varied as Spain, Italy, Japan, Morocco and Syria.
An extremely luxurious villa in an enviable address, it's certainly worth a look if you have the money to spare, or an aesthetic eye.
Facts and figures
What: Four-bedroom independent villa with maid's room and driver's quarters, three-door covered garage, private swimming pool and gazebo
Where: P sector, Emirates Hills, Dubai
Size: 15,000 square feet
What's special: Lake view, very generous size, exclusive furniture and artwork included
Price: Dh40 million
Agent: Ali Tabrizi, Better Homes
Contact: 050 506 1142
