Three bathrooms, stripped to slab and rebuilt

Not a refresh. Everything came out, down to the structural slab: sanitaryware, vanities, tiles, ceilings and the old waterproofing.

Each one was then rebuilt from scratch with new liquid waterproofing, new concealed wiring and plumbing, cement board walls to hide the cisterns and mixers, and lit storage niches.

This is the single largest block of work in the apartment and almost none of it is visible once the tiles go on.

Kitchen

Removing the column freed the layout, which in a fixed apartment footprint is the only way to gain usable space.

From there it was a complete rebuild: new gypsum ceiling, new power and plumbing positions for the appliances, and fully fitted cabinetry.

The island carries an induction hob concealed beneath the surface, so the worktop reads as one unbroken slab, and the porcelain counters waterfall down the sides to the floor rather than stopping at the edge.

Bespoke joinery in five rooms

Nothing here came off a shelf. Wardrobes, storage units, a folding bed, a television unit and a shoe cabinet, all drawn specifically for this apartment and fabricated to the millimetre.

In an apartment where walls cannot move, joinery is what creates the storage, and custom work is the difference between a fitted room and a room with furniture pushed against the walls.

New cove detail with fully automated lighting

The cove is a recess built into the ceiling that hides the light source, so you see the light and not the fitting.

Combined with recessed spots and strip lighting integrated into the joinery, it gives layered light instead of one bright ceiling fixture.

Automated means scenes are preset and controlled centrally, so the apartment changes mood through the day without anyone adjusting individual switches.

Four smart thermostats and smart lock entry

The quiet technology layer. Four thermostats mean each zone is controlled independently rather than cooling the whole apartment to suit one room, which matters in a Dubai summer and on the bills.

Smart lock entry removes keys altogether and allows access to be granted and revoked remotely, which is useful for housekeeping, guests or a tenant.

Repainted in three neutrals with an Italian textured feature finish

Three neutral tones across the apartment, chosen to work with the flooring and the joinery rather than competing with them.

The Italian textured finish is applied by hand to selected walls, giving depth and a slight movement of light across the surface that flat paint cannot produce.

It is the detail that makes a neutral scheme read as considered rather than plain.

New flooring throughout

One continuous floor across the whole apartment, which visually links the rooms and makes a fixed footprint feel larger.

Laid over the existing tile rather than lifting it, which removed weeks of demolition, dust and disposal from a renovation happening in an occupied tower.