The concept of the “Super Home” is not something new – it was a big thing 20 years ago, with designers in LA and NYC being asked by the UHNW clients to create projects for their homes that were unique and iconic, with details that no one else had seen before and that would be able to ‘wow’ their guests.
This, according to Kate Instone, founder and creative director at Blush International, a leading interior design company specializing in luxury interiors, super yachts, private jets and boutique commercial projects.
“However, given a convergence of factors, I feel that the Super Home is set to be the next big trend to infiltrate the Middle Eastern market – and we at Blush International are already creating some jaw-dropping homes for our discerning clients in the Middle East,” Instone said.
The long lengths of time people have all been spending at home has placed an emphasis on the importance of a sanctuary, she said, adding that among their clients, this has not only brought back this concept of Super Homes but has actually pushed it to a whole new and never-seen level.
“Our home is now more than ever required to be our safe place. As such, interior designers have been busier than ever with a new lifestyle that gravitates around ‘being home’ and not on a plane every two weeks.
The lockdown situation that Coronavirus imposed has accelerated this trend and our client requests are showing us precisely that, Instone said.
“However, we have been seeing a huge shift in the way residential interior design is seen in the region and in the UAE in particular for a few years now. Dubai is no longer a transient place with expats moving out every three or five years. We are here to stay and our home here must provide us the same level of comfort as that of our house back in London for example.
“The market has grown in sophistication and clients don’t want a copy of something they have seen at their friend’s house – they want something that is unique and was created for them. The outstanding hotels that we have in Dubai have also set the bar high and our clients expect that the residential project designed for their homes surpasses the level of detail of their favorite hotel – nothing less.
Instone said that a few years ago, having Versace wallpaper and cushions and a Fendi couch “was valued in a way that now seems out of place.”
“I have nothing against it, if the color scheme, the texture, the shape and its dimensions fit perfectly in the room, but the thing is: everyone can have that. Real luxury is craftsmanship and bespoke furniture created by designers and artisans from scratch, with the dimensions that make sense for that particular room because it was designed precisely for that space,” she said.
