The Architecture of Everyday Rituals. A full interior renovation by Studio Bespoke.

Words By Allegra Salvadori 
 January 28, 2026

What began as a compact, inward-looking villa in Mira, Dubai, has been quietly transformed into a home defined by light, rhythm, and lived-in rituals. The renovation is not driven by spectacle, but by a single, deliberate architectural gesture: the complete reimagining of the ground floor around the kitchen.

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“The most significant transformation took place on the ground floor,” explains the Brittany Guimaraes Founder and Creative Director at Studio Bespoke.

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“All internal walls were removed to create one generous open-plan kitchen that now forms the heart of the home.” This decision fundamentally altered how light moves through the villa — and how the family inhabits it. Once closed and dark, the space is now open, legible, and emotionally charged.

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A series of soft archways choreographs movement between kitchen, pantry, living and dining areas, replacing compartmentalisation with continuity. These curves are not decorative; they establish rhythm, guide circulation, and visually connect spaces without erasing their identities. Symmetrical timber-clad arches further anchor the living and dining rooms, introducing balance and calm.

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Functionality is handled with equal precision. Storage, long absent in the original layout, is deeply integrated into the architecture through bespoke joinery, concealed appliances, and pull-out systems designed around daily use. “Everything the clients need is accessible, yet visually calm,” Guimaraes notes. Even the powder room was relocated — its former position opening directly onto the dining area — to restore flow and allow for the creation of a discreet coffee nook behind French-style glass doors.

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The kitchen’s role as emotional centre shaped the entire plan. Designed around the clients’ habits as passionate cooks and bakers, it prioritises movement, proximity, and connection. “The planning was not about aesthetics alone,” the designer says. “Every decision was intentional and rooted in how the clients wanted to feel in their home.”

Material choices reinforce this restraint. A neutral palette allows architecture and craftsmanship to lead, with moments of quiet emphasis: chevron flooring introduces movement, fluted Calacatta marble adds depth, and microcement — used extensively — softens surfaces while grounding the home. In the powder bathroom, olive-toned microcement creates a cocooning pause, echoing the same design language in a more intimate register.

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For the designer, the project’s success is measured not by transformation alone, but by longevity. “When a space continues to evoke joy and connection long after the renovation is complete,” she reflects, “that is when I know the design has truly succeeded.”

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