Shruti Nijhawan doesn’t seem fazed by the journey from fashion to gut renovation. “It’s actually all pretty similar to be honest. When it comes to interiors, choosing materials, blending it all together, I found it all quite seamless,” says the co-founder of 9J Homes.
Judging by the results, she is right. Nijhawan’s latest venture, a $10 million property in Jumeirah Islands, is fast becoming the talk of Dubai. Not a bad result for the woman who also owns a contemporary womenswear line, SOSHRU. The graduate of Parsons School of Design in New York has fashion swapped parties in the big Apple for a hard hat on a Dubai building site.
“I actually get more of a kick out of doing this, believe it or not. Fashion is great but it changes so fast. This villa here, I think in ten years’ time the owners will still be saying it feels brand new,” she says.
Luxury villa in Jumeirah Islands
There is a lot to get a kick out of. The villa is situated in one of the 92 prestigious Masterviews properties in Jumeirah Islands, 12 of which offer the best views of the main lake. This home, with its breathtaking views (skyline in the front and a lake at the back), luxurious design, and advanced features, represents the epitome of modern luxury living in Dubai.
The property located at Cluster 7 Villa 9 in Jumeirah Islands is a stunning example of ultra-modern architecture, with a complete transformation from its original traditional Islamic design. The villa spans a built-up area of 7,150 square feet, on a 14,000 square foot plot, offering a luxurious and spacious living experience. The exterior elevation is unique, with the tallest front door ever installed in Jumeirah Islands, along with custom aluminium finishes and Swiss slimline aluminium and glass profiles, which allow for an abundance of natural light throughout the villa while maintaining thermal and acoustic efficiency.
Designed with a Vastu-compliant layout, the villa maximises both vehicular and homeowner circulation. Inside, the property boasts five bedrooms and five and a half bathrooms, along with a maid’s ensuite bedroom, two separate living rooms ideal for hosting and entertaining, and impressive sunken seating areas.
The outdoor spaces are a blend of softscaping and hardscaping that enhance both aesthetics and functionality. The garden features a tropical desert theme with olive, coconut, and palm trees alongside colourful plants like bougainvillea and over 2,000 square feet of lush turf grass. The rear yard hosts a 12-meter pool with imported Spanish tiles and an integrated cascade feature, surrounded by 18 outdoor Bose speakers for a fully immersive entertainment experience.
The driveway, built with travertine and riverstone, is not only elegant but functional, with the capacity to accommodate up to 10 vehicles. The outdoor lounge, equipped with a motorised pergola, overlooks water features, creating a serene ambiance that blends seamlessly with the surrounding landscape.
Indoors, the villa is designed to impress with expansive jumbo windows, super elevated ceilings, and up to nine-foot internal doors, maximising the cubic volume of the entire interior space. The central kitchen, fitted with high-end Miele appliances, offers ample storage with its tall cabinets and features a separate galley for wine coolers.
The dining and living rooms are furnished with pieces from Bloomingdale’s Eichholtz collection, including a 200-kilogram Italian marble dining table, while the walls are adorned with distinctive art that come with ownership certificates. The master bedroom is a luxurious retreat, featuring a Maldives-style outdoor shower and Jacuzzi, as well as a spacious walk-in closet. Indoors, the home also features 12 in ceilings Bose speakers.
The home also a sophisticated integrated pump system ensuring strong water pressure throughout the home.
The property is also equipped with cutting-edge technology. A KNX Smart Home Automation system allows for remote control of various electronic features via an app, and Google Nest devices, including carbon monoxide detectors and a smart doorbell, ensure safety and convenience. Cat 7 cabling has been installed to provide high-speed internet throughout the property, both indoors and outdoors. In terms of security, the villa is equipped with a 13-camera system, accessible through a smart NVR feature, and a motorised front gate with built-in security measures, offering peace of mind to its residents.
The property is listed by Ben & Core, with founder Ben Bandari himself in awe of the transformation. “I see hundreds of places every week, this is my job, but it’s pretty rare to see something like this. Unique is so many ways. The market is still very strong, so the great thing about a property like this is we can actually be a bit choosy about the buyer, as there is no shortage of them,” he says.
As for Nijhawan, it’s a job well done – but soon onto the next one. “To me the key in everything we do is finding a hot location like this one, and then doing something really unique with it. The older the more exciting because we get to transform it. We are not doing the cookie cutter model where you replicate one concept onto the next. You see many developers who make 10 villas exactly the same. That’s not us, we like to make every single one unique,” she says.
Can she do it all again with another property? Only a fool would bet against her.
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