Luxury circa 2015 is no longer just about how much you spend and what label to break the bank for. When it comes to your home or office, luxury is all about affordable beauty that enhances your quality of living.
Energise your space
What I like about feng shui, over other revered planning disciplines such as vaastu, is that like all great masters this ancient Chinese philosophical system works with what you have. Given how a lot of us rent, feng shui offers a lot of solutions without major changes implied. After careful individual case studies, “cures” are recommended. They can be as simple as painting a particular wall in a colour that will enhance the right energy, placing a calabash (a dried bottle gourd the Chinese believe harnesses positive energy and cleanses the space) or installing a water-body in a particular area. None of these solutions will break the bank, but the promise of better life is a luxury that is priceless. In Dubai, I trust the classical Feng Shui practitioner, Vicky Moane, to guide me through 2015, the Year of the Goat. For more, visit moane@emirates.net.ae
Plastic fantastic
Plastic may not have always been luxury, but with the biggest names in the design business backing it and years spent in refining the technology, the humble polymer is the stuff affordable designer dreams are made of. At the helm is the Italian label Kartell, which in collaboration with design heroes such as Philippe Starck, Ron Arad, Patricia Uriquola, Marcel Wanders and more, has pushed the boundaries of innovation to create an array of beautiful and practical furniture that is high-end, durable and certainly luxurious. Backing cutting-edge design with industrial level production means you can own an authentic piece of design history at a fraction of the price someone else would pay for other works from the same designers.
Kartell retails from Galeries Lafayette, Dubai Mall.
Art for everyone
Collectible art is no longer confined to the homes of the shamelessly rich or the haloed corridors of art galleries. Thanks to new-thinking art galleries and new media, owning a numbered, autographed sliver of life is well within your grasp. The latest entrant in the DIFC art circuit, LUMAS has been created as means for experiencing and owning exceptional art photography. A huge variety of works from over 160 established photographers, promising newcomers and historical archives are offered as hand-signed original photographs as well as editions that normally range from 75 to 150 prints. The high quality art photographs are affordable and yet hold their worth.
Building 10, DIFC Gate Village, Dubai.
Go bespoke
Customised luxury for home means a tailor-made wardrobe, a dining table or even a staircase unit, designed keeping in mind your specific needs and taste. Living in the UAE affords us access to the best craftsmen and carpenters from the region and the Indian subcontinent that can translate our designer vision into reality without the hefty price tag. Before you trust someone with your vision, check their workshop, quality of the material they use, their finish and ask for references of previous clients. Once satisfied with your background check, get sketching.
Bit by bit
There is no rule in life that says you can’t have it all and when it comes to really special things, such as stunning cutlery, building your sets and collections piece by piece means you don’t have to settle for anything but the best. From classic designs to refined metals such as gold and bronze set against wrought iron, brands such as Cutipol offer a stunning array of table jewels. Yes, they are a bit steep, price-wise, but you are paying for restaurant quality cutlery and — the best part — you can built your set as you go! Visit Jashanmal or Bloomingdales Home to view the Cutipol selection.
— Pratyush Sarup edits the design site www.designcarrot.net. You can follow the site on twitter @DesignCarrot.
