1. PW PW24 25House Proud House Proud
At home with the SakrsPW steps into power couple Rudolf and Zoya Sakr’s stunning Jumeirah Islands villa
Property Weekly
May 21, 2014
Property Weekly
May 21, 2014
W
hile throwing
open the doors
of your home to
friends and fami-
ly can be daunting, Rudolf and
Zoya Sakr are no strangers to
entertaining at their sprawling
villa in Jumeirah Islands.
Rudolf owns the branding
agency 2Pure, while Zoya is
the editor-in-chief of web-
sites owned by the couple.
The fact that this pair
has an unapologetic taste
for the finer things in life be-
comes apparent after being
led through their backyard,
which can best be described
as an idyllic island getaway.
With a beautiful pool
cradled in the centre of the
beautiful backyard, and a
wooden deck with a pergola-
inspired design, it is easy to
see why this has been the
stunning backdrop to many a
barbecue and themed even-
ing. What takes things up
a notch is the fact that this
spot offers a sweeping view
of the Dubai skyline.
Rudolf seems to be the
more sentimental of the two,
a fact that is highlighted
when he says, “Every corner
of the house has been in-
spired by our travels abroad,
and the best example of this
is the pergola, which was in-
spired by a memorable Mal-
divian holiday.”
The grand tour then be-
gins indoors. While saving the
best for last is a concept famil-
iar to most, it is one that is al-
most alien to Rudolf and Zoya,
who have taken great pains to
ensure that no corner of their
nest has been neglected.
Beautiful pieces of ab-
stract modern art adorn al-
most every surface and the
obvious question arises as to
who this can be credited to.
Zoya is quick to put it all
down to Rudolf. “He studied
art as part of his major and
graduated in visual commu-
nication. So his love for art
seems to filter into every
aspect of his life. He never
misses an opportunity to vis-
it a gallery even when we’re
on holiday.”
The couple are united in
their mutual love for mod-
ern artwork and give a little
By Jehan Nizar
Subeditor
Pictures: ATIQ-UR-REHMAN/Gulf News

2. PW26 House Proud Property Weekly
May 21, 2014
background on their per-
sonal favourite from New
York — a painting of a nude
woman by a Japanese artist
whose mother was his muse.
On entering the lounge
it’s easy to see why anybody’s
eyes would immediately zero
in on a dramatic statement
wall. A perfect reflection of
Rudolf’s design ethic of allow-
ing every room to have one
focal point, this room lets the
beautiful wallpaper do all the
talking. Strongly reminiscent
of a majestic African land-
scape, the customised tree art
was brought to life by a Swed-
ish wallpaper company.
Not detracting from
this awe-inspiring work is a
plush terracotta blue Ligne
Roset sofa jazzed up with
quirky Marilyn Monroe pop
art cushions handpicked by
Zoya from a London gallery.
The other piece de re-
sistance in the room is an
exquisite blue-and-gold
metal sculpture of a man and
woman, hand-in-hand. “This
is the work of a South Afri-
can artist and was sourced
from Design Days in Dubai,”
adds Rudolf.
Monochrome is a theme
that holds strong throughout
the house, and Zoya says this
is a design aesthetic favoured
by Rudolf.
In keeping with the sleek
look is a contemporary
white Fendi sofa that is com-
pletely understated but for
its black-and-white cushions
studded with diamante that
spell out the brand name.
Framed pictures of the fam-
ily add just the right touch
of lived-in chic.
In another unique move,
the TV room boasts various
design influences that have
been married together in an
altogether unusual fashion.
Pictures: ATIQ-UR-REHMAN/Gulf News
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3. PW PW28 29House Proud House ProudProperty Weekly
May 21, 2014
Property Weekly
May 21, 2014
From chic charcoal curtains
to a brass bauble chandelier
fixture and an orange-and-
white striped B&B Italia
single sofa and leg-rest set,
which bears an uncanny re-
semblance to a beach ball
— the strong sense of indi-
viduality that runs through
the house can perhaps be felt
best here.
The colour quotient in
this room is derived from
an artificial violet orchid ar-
rangement and some more
dramatic pop art.
The bedrooms have more
of a stark approach, yet the
couple’s penchant for the
quirky is on display yet again
with a sun-shaped light fixture
positioned above their white
leather bed, while zippered
wallpaper in the powder room
is a definite talking point.
The design gene is defi-
nitely something the two
have passed on to their son
who has a definite idea of
his preferences. Zoya says,
“He even chose his own
bed and rocket light fixture
from Lebanon.”
The Sakrs are also look-
ing forward to welcome an-
other bundle of joy to their
family, and one gets a good-
sense of the baby’s gender by
Zoya’s mischievous beams
when she says, “I will be
choosing a pink theme for
the nursery.”
When asked what made
them settle on buying this
villa, both are quick to wax
eloquent about how the
Jumeirah Islands develop-
ment was an all-round win-
ner for them right from the
word go.
Zoya says, “We love that
while it’s located in the heart
of the city, it is still tucked
away within an exclusive gat-
ed community. More impor-
tantly, the safety aspect plays
a large role for us as a family.”
Complete with a park,
gym, health club and ten-
nis courts, it’s easy to see
why this is a family-friendly
locality. Rudolf even says,
“It’s like being on holiday all
year round and you can spot
children feeding ducks from
time to time.”
The personal touch across
the house is hard to overlook
and this, perhaps, is what
makes the Sakrs home stand
apart from just another ex-
clusive Dubai address. While
the expertise of an interior de-
signer was enlisted, this was
more a tactful move to look
into the logistics of things. Ru-
dolf sums things up perfectly:
“A house has to be a reflection
of your own style.”
Luckily for him, he landed
the perfect partner in Zoya
who ensures that his creativ-
ity translates into practical-
ity and comfort. n
Pictures: ATIQ-UR-REHMAN/Gulf News