A tour of a serene Palm Jumeirah villa

“This is the fourth country we’ve lived in and we rebuild and renovate everywhere we go,” Alain Goetz tells InsideOut from the living room of his home on the Palm. “When we bought the house we were planning to redecorate and make some minor changes, but over time it evolved to a complete overhaul,” he continues, laughing.

The Goetz family – Alain, his wife Sandra and their two sons – enlisted Julie Doran of Elemento Design to help them realise their vision. “Alain and Sandra wanted a calm house with a luxurious hotel-like feeling, but they still wanted it to feel like a home,” says Julie. Alain adds, “We were looking to have a mix between a European style, where we come from, and an Arabic style, where we live.” And so the process, which took more than a year, began.

The home’s interior exudes a quiet, almost 
spa-like serenity, which is enhanced by Julie’s use of design elements like mother of pearl details in furniture and wallpaper, crystal chandeliers, leather flooring and wallcoverings in the guest bathroom, custom-made mashrabiya, bespoke furniture and, of course, its seaside location. From every room in the house there is an incredible view of the Dubai Marina skyline 
and JBR in the distance, while opulent yachts 
are moored at the marina opposite their stretch of beach.

The bright open-concept living area comprises 
a formal living room and a casual TV lounge. The oblong space has been cleverly divided, with the latter occupying the area directly behind the home’s main entrance, while the sitting room is on a slightly sunken level just beyond. The areas are stylishly marked by a mashrabiya, designed by Julie.